Labor Union Activities During the Gilded Age

What is a labor union? A group of workers demanding improved working conditions and pay.

1886 Haymarket Riot McCormick Reaper plant in Chicago. Strike led by Knights of Labor Days of striking led to a riot. A bomb was thrown, killed dozens. 4 men executed.

1892 Homestead Strike Carnegie Steel Plant Pinkertons attack strikers. Pinkertons=private police hired by business owners President Cleveland sends troops. 10 dead, 60 wounded.

The Pullman Strike Chicago 1894

Pullman Palace Car Company Railway car company owned by George Pullman Over 6,000 workers Workers lived in “company town” Rent was 25% higher than other areas Interior of a Pullman Sleeper Car

Reasons for the Strike Historical Context: Depression of 1893 Pullman cut workers’ wages but didn’t cut rent for apartments On May 10, 1894, workers walked out of their factory

ARU Supports Pullman Workers American Railway Union was a national union of railway workers Eugene Debs, ARU leader, decided to support Pullman strikers Across the nation, railway workers refused to run trains that had Pullman cars attached to them The country was paralyzed

Eugene Debs Eugene V. Debs, the rail union president at the time of the strike, later campaigned as the American Socialist presidential candidate

President Grover Cleveland sends in troops

Violence Erupts Presence of federal troops set off riots Rioters burned buildings Troops killed 4 people and wounded 20

End of Strike By August the strike fell apart 1000 union workers were fired New workers had to sign contracts promising not to join a union Debs was arrested and jailed for 6 months

Why did labor unions’ efforts fail during the Gilded Age?