CH. 14-3 WORKERS ORGANIZE AMERICAN HISTORY

GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS Late 1800s Government maintained a hands-off attitude to business Government became uneasy about the power giant businesses had 1890—Congress passes the SHERMAN ANTI- TRUST ACT Illegal to form trusts that interfered with free trade Prohibited monopolies and activities that hindered competition 1890-1901—only 18 lawsuits were brought under this law

1890—10% of the population controlled 75% of the national wealth The rich were exceedingly rich with many industrial workers had to survive on $500 per year

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS THE WORKFORCE Many factory workers were immigrants Others were rural Americans that moved to cities to earn a living Best factory jobs went to native-born whites African-Americans found work as laborers or household help Many industrial workers were children By 1900—1/6 of children aged 10-15 held a job outside the home Some as young as age 5 worked to help the family

WORKING CONDITIONS 10-hour work days, 6 days a week No paid vacation, no sick leave, and no compensation for injuries suffered on the job Employers pressured workers to work as fast as they could This led to terrible accidents SWEATSHOPS—cramped workshops set up in shabby tenement buildings Common in the garment industry

WORKERS SEEK CHANGE Late 1800s—terrible working conditions prompted workers to organize EARLY ORGANIZING Labor movement started in the 1700s 1794—Philadelphia shoemakers formed a trade union to protect their interests Other workers organized over the next few decades—carpenters, blacksmiths, printers, etc. These unions remained small and local

NATIONAL UNIONS The National Labor Union (NLU) organized in 1866 Federation of small, local unions Pushed for shorter 8-hour work day NLU folded in 1872 Knights of Labor (Philadelphia-1869) was more effective Leader—Terence V. Powderly 1880s—accepted unskilled workers, women, African Americans and even employers

It excluded bankers, gamblers, lawyers, liquor sellers, physicians, and stockholders 1886-- >700,000 members “An injury to one is a concern to all” Proposals—8-hour workday; end of child labor; equal pay for equal work Early years—discouraged strikes, preferring boycotts, and negotiation with employers THE GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE First major railroad strike happened in 1877

Times were tough and northern railroads cut wages Workers for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad walked of the job and blocked several freight trains Pennsylvania Railroad blocked all trains on their lines Strike spread to other railroads, stopping most freight traffic for more than a week Several governors called out their state militias to put down the strikes

Baltimore—militia fired into the crowd killing 10 Troops in Pittsburgh killed 20 including 3 children Mobs in Pittsburgh set trains, buildings, and equipment on fire causing $4 million damage US Army finally ended the strike that caused 100+ deaths THE HAYMARKET RIOT 1886—more intense strikes Wage cuts in many industries forced workers to go on strike

Haymarket Square (Chicago)—crowds gathered to protest violent police action at a strike the previous day Someone threw a bomb into the crowd People panicked and gunfire rang out When order was restored, 11 people died and over 100 were injured Police immediately blamed foreign-born unionists XENOPHOBIA—fear of foreigners Police arrested numerous suspects—many with foreign sounding names

8 people were charged with conspiracy and murder No evidence existed to connect these people to the crimes 5 of the suspects weren’t even in Haymarket Square at the time of the incident All 8 were convicted and sentenced to death 4 were hanged and 1 killed himself in prison 1893—the new Illinois governor pardoned the remaining 3 because of lack of evidence

THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR Employers struck back at workers forcing them to sign contracts saying they would not join a union Employers kept and shared BLACKLISTS (people perceived as troublemakers) These people would not be hired If workers went on strike, employers replaced them with “scabs” or strikebreakers Scabs were often African Americans or others excluded from the unions

1886—a group of skilled workers led by Samuel Gompers formed the AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR (AFL) Strikes and other tactics won them wage increases and shorter work weeks THE HOMESTEAD STRIKE 1892—workers at Carnegie Steel Company in Homestead, PA protested at an increase in production The refused to work faster The manager tried to lock them out The workers seized the plant

Days later gunfire erupted when the company’s private guards tried to re-take the plant Fierce battle raged for 14 hours 16 people died The governor called out the state militia and within months the steelworkers’ union withered THE PULLMAN STRIKE 1893—Pullman company laid off 1/3 of its workers It cut wages of remaining workers by 25% but rent was not lowered

Workers went on strike with the support of EUGENE V Workers went on strike with the support of EUGENE V. DEBS (leader-American Railway Union (ARU)) He urged workers not to work on any train that contained Pullman cars The government stepped in and ordered an end to the strike because US mail was disrupted ARU officials refused and were jailed President Grover Cleveland called in federal troops and the strike collapsed Workers who didn’t quit the ARU were blacklisted or fired

The next several decades saw unions struggle for progress Unions would eventually gain considerable power THE END