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The Retail Clerks International Union (RCIU) was a labor union that represented retail employees. The RCIU was chartered as the "Retail Clerks National Protective Union" in 1890 by the American Federation of Labor. It later adopted the name Retail Clerks International Association, and subsequently became the Retail Clerks International Union. In 1979, the Retail Clerks merged with the Amalgamated Meat Cutters to form the United Food and Commercial Workers.

In Milwaukee 1934, retail clerks had been striking throughout Sears, Roebuck and Company for a demand for higher paying wages. In September of that same year Retail Clerks International Union, received an application which quickly grew over 600 members. The union decided to begin the campaign at the largest store in Boston. On November 1st, union members, 75% to 80% of whom were women, demanded that the store raise wages to $25 a week for male clerks, $20 a week for women, and that their union receive official recognition from the company. Management refused to accept the unions offer because they argued that the majority of the employees weren't in the union so no agreement was reached. The union began their strike on November 30 and grew more than 1500 plus picketers with national attention as the first largest strike at a department store in the U.S.

Things began to get a little rough and violent when some picketers began to act violently. They began to bomb the store overnight and many began to get arrested over time. On December 17th, the management ran a full page ad in The Milwaukee Journal and The Milwaukee Sentinel letting the public know exactly what was going on with the union. Management however, did not give up their position in the movement. The union lost their ground and most of the union workers returned back to their positions in the department store. The store had difficulty hiring drivers but gave the loyal employees who didn't strike Christmas bonuses. On January 11, 1935 the strike ended. The pickets returned to work achieving nothing, no wage increase nor the union recognition that they desired. They only received merit bonuses.

In late 1957 and most of 1958, there was a 13-month-long strike against three department stores in Toledo, Ohio, Lasalle & Koch, Lamson's, and Lion Store, by the Retail Clerks International Association. The strike was settled by a "Statement of Understanding" under which the striking workers were reinstated to their jobs but the union was not recognized.