Transcript Slide 1
Chapter 12 Section 4
Early Unions • Two types of industrial workers: – Craft workers • Special skills and training • Machinists, iron molders, stonecutters, shoemakers, printers, etc.
– Common Laborers • Few skills • Low wages
Early Unions • Trade Unions – 1830s – Craft Workers • Industry opposes – Conspiracies – Had to negotiate for workers’ rights • Industrial Unions – United all workers in particular industry
Management vs. Labor
“Tools” of Management “scabs” (strikebreaker) P. R. campaign Pinkertons (detective) lockout blacklisting yellow-dog contracts court injunctions open shop “Tools” of Labor boycotts sympathy demonstrations informational picketing closed shops organized strikes “wildcat” strikes
A Striker Confronts a SCAB!
The Corporate “Bully-Boys”: Pinkerton Agents
Political and Social Opposition • No laws protecting unions • Courts: strikes were “conspiracies in restraint of trade.” • Unions—un-American • Marxism • Anarchism • Anti-immigrant • Used courts, police, army to break up strikes or unions
Labor Force Distribution
1870-1900
The Changing American Labor Force
Child Labor
Child Labor
“Galley Labor”
Labor Unrest: 1870-1900
Knights of Labor
Terence V. Powderly
An injury to one is the concern of all!
Knights of Labor • Terrence Powderly • Opposed strikes • Boycotts to pressure employers • Arbitration—3 rd party helps workers and employers reach an agreement • Welcomed women and African American members
Knights of Labor
Knights of Labor trade card
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Goals of the Knights of
Eight-hour workday.
Labor
Worker-owned factories.
Abolition of child and prison labor.
Increased circulation of greenbacks.
Equal pay for men and women.
Safety codes in the workplace.
Prohibition of contract foreign labor.
Abolition of the National Bank.
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
The Great Railroad Strike • 1873 severe recession • Cut wages • 1877 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad cutting wages for third time • Martinsburg, West Virginia—workers walked off job and blocked the tracks • Soon spread around country • 80,000 railroad workers • 2/3 of nation’s railways
The Great Railroad Strike • Strikers smashed equip, tore up tracks, blocked rail service in NY, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Chicago • Governors called out militia • Gun battles erupted • Sent fed troops • 12 days • 100 dead and $100 million damage
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
The Tournament of Today: A Set-to Between Labor and Monopoly
Haymarket Riot (1886)
McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.
Haymarket Riot • 1886 • Supporters of 8-hour workday called for nationwide strike • Chicago—80,000 people march (led by Knights of Labor) • 70,000 workers on strike for days • Police intervened to stop a fight on the picket line at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company
Haymarket Riot • Incident turned violent • Police fired on strikers, killing four • Local anarchist group organized a protest • 3,000 people gathered to hear speeches • Someone threw a bomb, killing one officer and wounding 6 others • Police open fired, workers shot back • 100 people including 70 officers injured
Haymarket Riot • Eight people arrested for bombing • 7 were German anarchistic immigrants • Four were executed • Unions dominated by dangerous radicals • Hurt Knights of Labor – Decline in membership and influence
Haymarket Martyrs
Homestead Steel Strike (1892)
The Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers Homestead Steel Works
Homestead Strike • (1892) Steel mill (Carnegie) • Anti-union management Henry Frick • Employees—Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers • Frick wanted to cut wages by 20% when union contract expired • Planned to lock employees out and bring in the Pinkerton Detective Agency to bring in replacement workers
Homestead Strike • Pinkertons and strikebreakers approached plant on barges • Strikers refused to let them land • Gunfire • 14 hours • Several dead, dozen injured • Governor ordered militia • Four months of striking
Big Corporate Profits!
Attempted Assassination!
Henry Clay Frick Alexander Berkman
A “Company Town”: Pullman, IL
Pullman Cars
A Pullman porter
The Pullman Strike of 1894
Pullman Strike • Leadership of Eugene V. Debs • American Railway Union (ARU) in 1893 • Pullman required workers to live in company town and buy goods from company stores • 1893—laid off workers and cut wages • Workers could not afford company stores
The Socialists
Eugene V. Debs
Pullman Strike • Company refused to discuss workers’ grievances • Strike 1894 • ARU members across the country refused to handle Pullman cars • Boycott tied up railroads and threatened economy • Railroad managers arranged for US mail cars to be attached to Pullman cars
President Grover Cleveland
If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card will be delivered!
Pullman Strike • Pres Grover Cleveland—sent in troops claiming it was his responsibility to keep mail running • Injunction to halt boycott • Debs went to jail for violating injunction • Strike collapsed • Supreme Court upheld injunction – Powerful tool for businesses
The Pullman Strike of 1894
Government by injunction!