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Pope Paul VI/Garbage Strike

Published: 1968
Play Audio Archive Story - UPI

Announcer: In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical to Roman Catholics. In it he upheld the prohibition of all artificial means of contraception. Many Catholic priests throughout the world were displeased with the announcement, forcing the hierarchy of the Catholic Church to institute disciplinary action against some of the dissenting clergymen.

A garbage strike in New York City left debris uncollected for almost ten days; making parts of the city a veritable garbage dump scene.

There were more teacher strikes in 1968. In Florida, the nation’s first statewide strike kept more than 40 percent of the Florida teacher’s home. The longest teacher’s strike and one of the most difficult to understand was the strike of teachers in New York City in the fall. The dispute kept one million children out of school most of the fall session.

A nationwide strike of telephone operators had supervisors and executives running the nation switchboards for a few days, and there were some very interesting results.

Unknown Speaker 1: “I have got something on the line here.”

Unknown Speaker 2: “Hello.”

Unknown Speaker 1: “Hello.”

Unknown Speaker 2: “Who are you trying to reach?”

Unknown Speaker 1: “I am trying to reach --

Unknown Speaker 2: “We have got a cross line, I don't know who you are, but we got a cross line.”

Unknown Speaker 1: “Okay, thanks.”

Unknown Speaker 3: “Only urgent calls can be excepted. If you have direct distance dialing, please dial your call direct. If you call is open, call your operator, and wait for her to answer.”