Just a few weeks later, Pollock became deeply involved in the Hardin County onion pickers strike. On June 19, 1934, onion weeders formed the first union of farm laborers in the United States, under the auspices of the International Quarrymen's Union. The 30 employers belong to the Onion Growers' Association, refused to recognize or bargain with the union, so the union called a strike. On June 22, a local court judge issued a sweeping labor injunction which restricted picketing in groups of two. Local sheriff's deputies began mass arrests of the picketers for congregating in violation of the injunction. The county sheriff, supplied with funds provided by the employers, hired Ohio National Guard troops who had recently served in Toledo during the Auto-Lite strike, and armed them with riot guns, machine-guns, and tear gas. Protests from Governor George White regarding the use of public equipment for private use were ignored. The troops helped break the strike by forcing workers off the picket lines, and arrests hundreds of workers. When a truck full of replacement workers attempted to run down a group of picketers, the picketers retaliated by throwing stones. Pollock was jailed, and a $1,000 bail set for this incident. Pollock was held incommunicado for several days. When the local sheriff did tell Sarah Pollock where her husband was, he denied her access to him. When Pollock finally met with his defense attorneys, sheriff's deputies crowded close to listen in the conversations, and physically intimidate the lawyers. The strike ended shortly thereafter without agreement, and the union disbanded.