Bartlebee Union Strike Materials
Art of Beetrice holding a sign reading “workers strike”. She holds it in a disgusted manner like she’s too prim and proper to be doing this. The text on the poster reads “Workers Strike, bumblebee factory no. 9 Bee there or Bee Square”. The date and address are blacked out digitally.
Art of Aaron Fulch being carried on the shoulders of a disgruntled worker wearing overalls. Fulch is sneering and holding a cigar. The text reads: “Take the burden off your back!!!”
Art of Beetrice poking Aaron Fulch with a pointed spear, Beetrice has a confident smile while Fulch has an irritated expression. The text reads “Let’s Buzz Him!!”
Gifted to us for this update was the strike materials used by several Bartlebee Brand employees during the era of the second unionization effort. The art styles all vary but the message between them carried the same intent: it was time for change in the company, and perhaps every company. The workers were tired of the unfair treatment they’d been subjected to and if the management wouldn’t talk it out with them, they would take to the streets instead. And so they did. Despite attempts by law enforcement and the Bellowtons to intervene, the sheer number of workers was overwhelming. Amongst the crowd many signs like these were carried, with similarly mocking caricatures of the company founder and Beetrice herself. This of course is an interesting parallel to our last update, in which Maisy the Mutt had her likeness appropriated by the punk movement. However in this case I can’t particularly say that Beetrice ever became a unifying symbol for the protesting workers in the way Maisy became one for the punks. Honestly I can’t imagine Beetrice herself would be a fan of this portrayal of her.
It is fun to think about the creation of these signs, artistically inclined workers filled with righteous anger drawing these and then passing them around to co-workers. I imagine it must have been quite a sight to see!