Section 3, Chapter 14 The Second Industrial Revolution Riddlebarger Workers Organize Section 3, Chapter 14 The Second Industrial Revolution Riddlebarger

The Gilded Age

Government and Business Laissez-faire Government maintains hands-off attitude toward business Business leaders & politicians claim regulation would hurt economy Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) Illegal to form trusts that interfere with trade Prohibits monopolies & activities that hinder marketplace. Little enforcement for years Even less attention paid to workers Industrialization seen as raising standard for all Americans Little attention to income inequality 1890- 10% of population controls 75% of wealth

Industrial Workers Large numbers of workers required much labor The workforce Many are immigrants Many are from rural America Came to cities seeking jobs WHY? Native-born and European immigrants get priority African-Americans get labor or household work Paid less

Child Labor Many industrial workers are children By 1900, 1 in 6 children between 10 and 15 years of age hold job outside home Even as young as 5 must sometimes work

Child Labor

Working Conditions Unskilled Labor Average: 10 hours/day, 6 days/week No benefits Injuries/accidents on the job- replacement Cramped work conditions Some garment workers work out of their home They pay rent and for heat & light

Sweatshops “In [the tenements] the child works unchallenged from the day he is old enough to pull a thread. There is no such thing as a dinner hour; men and women eat while they work, and the ‘day’ is lengthened at both ends far into the night. Factory hands take their work with them at the close of the lawful day to eke out their scanty earnings by working overtime at home.” Jacob Riis

Workers Seek Change By late 1800’s, conditions are so bad, increasing numbers of workers begin organizing What do they seek? How does this action help their cause?

Early Organizing Early Labor Movement National Unions Mostly Small and local National Unions National Labor Union (1866) small federation of local unions pushed for 8 hour day. Folded in 1872 Knights of Labor (1869) Accepted unskilled, women, African-Americans, even employers “An injury to one is a concern of all”; 700,000 strong by 1886 Pushed 8 hour day, end to child labor and equal pay for equal work Early on, discouraged strikes; prefer negotiation and boycott

“To secure to the toilers [workers] a proper share of the wealth that they create; more of the leisure that rightfully belongs to them; more society advantages...in a word, all those rights and privileges necessary to make them capable of enjoying, appreciating, defending and perpetuating the blessings of good government.” Preamble to the Constitution of Knights of Labor

The Great Railroad Strike 1st major strike (1877) Several railroads cut wages during hard times Workers for several train companies block train lines in protest similar actions spread around country for a week stopping most traffic Many governors call out militia to put down strikes Baltimore: 10 killed after shots fired into crowd Pittsburgh: 20 killed, including 3 children Violent response does $4million damage US Army puts an end to Great Railroad Strike Over 100 died

The Haymarket Riot Chicago, 1886 Wage cuts cause worker strike Gathering caused by police violence at protest A bomb goes off Gunfire ensues in the panic 11 dead; 100+ injured Foreign-born blame Xenophobia- fear of foreigners 8 arrested and charged with murder Foreign names No evidence existed but sentence to die 4 hanged; one commits suicide; 3 later pardoned.

The American Federation of Labor Haymarket Response by employers Increasing force workers to not join unions Blacklists created of those seen as trouble “Scabs” replace those who strike Samuel Gompers & AFL Formed by skilled workers in 1886 (Columbus, OH) Used strikes and other tactics to win wage increases and shorter work weeks.

Homestead Strike Carnegie Steel Co. strike in Homestead, PA (1892) Manager wants to break union & locks workers out Workers seize plant Private guards try to re-take plant & violence ensues 14 hour battle leaves 16 dead Governor brings in state militia Steelworker’s union will fizzle

Pullman Strike 1893- Pullman Co. lays of ⅓ of workers Remaining workers have wages cut 25% but rent remains the same Most live in company-owned dwellings Workers strike Eugene V. Debs, head of American Railway Union, support Government steps in saying strike interferes with US Mail delivery Workers still striking are jailed President Grover Cleveland calls in military and strike ends Workers not quitting ARU were fired or blacklisted