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The Growth of the American Labor Movement. The Changing American Labor Force. Most factories demanded workers be on the job 10-16 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Wages were not good. 1899: average male made $498 each year ($11,000 today)
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The Growth of the American Labor Movement
Most factories demanded workers be on the job 10-16 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Wages were not good. • 1899: average male made $498 each year ($11,000 today) • 1899: average female made $267 each year ($6,000 today)
By comparison, in 1900 Andrew Carnegie made $23 Million ($516 million today).
Due to such low pay, many parents were forced into sending their children to work as well.
Many children worked 10-12 hours a day, and for that shift they earned an average of 27 cents.
Death and injury on the job were common: • In the 1880’s an average of 25,000-35,000 workers killed in RR industry each year • In 1882 an average of 675 workers were killed in America each week.
Fighting Back!
National Labor Union (NLU) • Founded in 1866 by William Sylvis • Sought to bring together all workers, skilled and unskilled, into one big union • Worked for 8 hour day-got it for government workers only. • Women not welcome. • Blacks not welcome, formed their own NLU. • Discouraged strikes and violence as a way to force change. Preferred negotiation. • Union dies in the Panic of 1873-no clout in bad economy. William Sylvis
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Why did the workers go on strike?
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Outcome: -Pres. Rutherford B. Hayes sends federal troops to Pennsylvania to break up strike -sets precedent for use of troops to break strikes -Government not laissez-faire, but pro-business
Knights of Labor-1869 Terence V. Powderly An injury to one is the concern of all!
Goals of the Knights of Labor • Sought to include all workers, skilled or unskilled, black or white, men and women, into one big union. • Eight-hour workday for all. • Worker-owned factories. • No More child labor. • Equal pay for men and women. • Safety codes in the workplace. • Discouraged strikes as a means to achieve goals, but used them when needed. • Preferred negotiation.
Haymarket Riot (1886) • Somebody chucks a bomb-8 police killed, 60 wounded. 8 civilians killed, 40 wounded. • Knights of Labor blamed—the and their unions dies as a result.
The Tournament of Today: A Set-to Between Labor and Monopoly
The American Federation of Labor: 1886 Samuel Gompers
A.F. of L . Views/Goals • Only represented skilled workers-no unskilled workers, women, or blacks. • Tried to settle disputes between management and labor without strikes. Would only strike as a last resort. • Hated socialism. Believed in capitalism—just wanted workers to get more of the profits. • Pushed for closed shops.
Homestead Steel Strike (1892) Homestead Steel Works The Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers
Homestead Strike • Reason for Strike: Carnegie cut wages by 20% • Carnegie locks out workers, tries to bring in scabs • Workers surround factory, won’t let scabs in. • Carnegie sends in armed men (Pinkertons) to break up strike—violence ensues. • Pennsylvania governor sends in 8000 troops. Strike broken, workers replaced by scabs. • Steel workers union broken. Doesn’t recover until the 1930’s. A “Carnegie Shield”
A “CompanyTown”: Pullman, IL
Pullman Cars A Pullman porter
The Pullman Strike of 1894 • Cause of Strike: • Severe economic depression in 1893 cut into Pullman’s profits • To save money, he cut workers wages by 35%. • Did not lower rents or food costs. Workers angry and go on strike. George Pullman
The Pullman Strike and the American Railway Union (A.R.U.) • Largest union of its time. • Organize all workers, skilled and unskilled. • Went on strike in 1893 in support of the Pullman workers. • Stopped all railway traffic, including mail trains.
President Grover Cleveland If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card will be delivered!
End of the Pullman Strike • Mail stoppage induced Pres. Cleveland to send in Federal troops. • Federal Court orders workers to go back to work of face jail time. • Union leaders arrested, sent to prison
Significance of Pullman Strike • To many workers, the failure of the Pullman Strike was proof of an alliance between big business and government • After the Pullman Strike, many workers give up on capitalism—turn toward socialism! • Key-for the first time, the middle class has sympathy for the unions.
The Socialists Eugene V. Debs-former president of the A.R.U.
International Workers of the World • Founded in 1905 by socialists as “one big union” • Advocated the overthrow of capitalism • System should emphasize people, not profits • Cooperation over competition • Crushed by government during WWI because of socialist beliefs
I.W.W. Founders: “Big Bill” Haywood • Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.
I.W.W. Founders: Mother Jones, “The Miner’s Angel” • Real name: Mary Harris. • One of the founding members of the I. W. W. in 1905. • Organizer for theUnited MineWorkers. • Founded the SocialDemocratic Party in 1898.
