On Feb. 7, 1894, the Western Federation of Miners declared a strike in the boomtown of Cripple Creek, CO, in protest of increased working hours. For the next five months, thousands of miners upheld the strike while fending off violent attacks from mercenaries hired by their bosses. The resulting victory became the first in a long chain of contentious and often violent labor struggles known as the Colorado Labor Wars. Independent historian Kyle Steven Kern joins The Real News for an overview on the Battle of Cripple Creek and its significance to US labor history.

Studio Production: Adam Coley
Post-Production: David Hebden

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