The Labor Movement

Standard SS.912.A.3.2-Industrial Revolution: Examine the social, political, and economic causes, course, and consequences of the Second Industrial Revolution that began in the late 19th century SS.912.A.3.9: Examine causes, course, and consequences of the labor movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Worker Problems Impersonal Conditions Long Hours Boring, Repetitive tasks Low wages Child labor Periodic unemployment Lack of opportunity for advancement Unpleasant living conditions

Workers organize Because the work required little skill, workers could easily be replaced The only was to achieve better conditions seemed to be through worker organization Organizations were called labor unions

Purpose of Labor Unions To obtain higher wages and better working conditions “Mutual Aid” societies To place pressure on Government

National Labor As industries nationalized, labor leaders wanted unions to nationalize The Knights of Labor and American Federation of Labor were two early national labor unions

Knights of Labor Founded by Terrence Powederly in 1869 Both skilled and unskilled workers could join African Americans, women, farmers welcomed

Demands 8 hour work day Higher wages Safety codes No child labor No convict labor Equal pay for women Restrictions on immigration

By 1886 they had 700,000 members Too big, too loose=not effective Unsuccessful strikes led to members leaving

American Federation of Labor Founded by Samuel Gompers in 1881 Network of craft unions, only skilled workers No women and a few allowed African A. By 1900 it has 1 million members

Demands 8 hour workday Higher pay Better conditions Closed shop policy Collective bargaining- negotiating contracts

Tactics of Labor Strike Picket Line Strike Fund

Tactics of Management Strike-breakers (scabs) Managers-could fire workers Lockout Yellow dog contracts-not join union Blacklisting Pinkertons Injunction

Role of Government Favored management for these reasons: Unions were small Role was to protect private property Public opinion against unions Unions seemed dangerous un-American Business contributed to campaign Laissez faire Anti-strike

Great Railroad Strike Haymarket Riot- after an explosion at a demonstration labor leaders were arrested, 4 were hanged, Homestead Strike Pullman Strike

Ideology-system of related beliefs and ideas about people, society and government

Rise of Ideologies Capitalists- free market was the best system Social Darwinists- strongest survive, nature Communist-followed ideas of Karl Marx, working class should rise up and overthrow bosses and ruling class

Socialists- no violent overthrow for workers but gradual improvements through elections, government should take over some businesses like railroads and telephone for the public good Key founder in US- Eugene Debs

Anarchist- oppose all forms of government in favor of self governing communities