The Growth of Unions

Two factors related to the changing status of labor: Industrialization. As American factories mechanized, they no longer needed to employ skilled workers. Instead, they could hire unskilled laborers who performed simple tasks and worked for lower wages. Urbanization of the American economy. Cities, with their factories attracted rural Americans in search of employment and opportunities. Cities dramatically increased in size in the first few decades after the Civil War.

Sources of Labor in Industrial America 1870s and 1880s, rural Americans migrated farms to urban factories. Women and children became significant part of the industrial workforce. Most women were young, single, and between the ages 18 to 24 Children as young as five became increasingly important cogs in industrial production. By 1910, in fact, 25 percent of all American children were employed full-time in the nation's factories.

Urban Working-Class Work Day Many Americans continue to believe that hard work is good for the soul. During the 1830s and the 1840s, textile mill workers labored an average of 16 to 18 hours a day. By 1865, the length of the average workday was between 11 and 12 hours per day. Beginning in the early 1880s, workers demanded a reduction in the workday to 10 hours. In a few cities, such as Chicago, organized labor began agitating for the now-standard 8 hour day. Some factory owners agreed with such reforms. Most, however, continued to believe that workers benefited morally from the longer work day.

Wages Employers believed that workers should not earn much more than a subsistence income. Why? High wages hurt profits. Moral reasons As a result, the bulk of the urban American population in 1890 was living below the subsistence-level of income.

Knights of Labor The Knights of Labor was founded in 1869 as a secret order by Uriah S. Stephens ( ). The most important of the early labor group, in 1879 under the leadership Terence V. Powderly it was organized as an industrial (vertical) union on a national basis under central control, with membership open to all workers

Knights of Labor First significant national labor organization with local chapters in cities throughout the United States. Membership open to any worker except lawyers, bankers, gamblers, and liquor dealers. Even management could to join. African-Americans made up around ten percent of membership. Sought to bring about reforms in working conditions and in society at-large. The Knights of Labor "Tried to be all things to all people..."

American Federation of Labor (AFL) 1886) founded by Samuel Gompers as a national organization of trade unions. By promoting independent and autonomous trade groups it sought to compete with the centrally controlled unionism of the Knights of labor. In its efforts to improve the economic status of wage earners the A.F. of L. used strikes and boycotts to force collective bargaining

American Federation of Labor (AFL) The AFL remained the largest union in the country until 1955 when it merged with the CIO It became the "mainstream" voice of labor during much of this period. Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was more radical and tried to organize unskilled laborers. The AFL stressed workplace issues: better wages, shorter work days and weeks, worker safety. It was less concerned with reforming society. It did not permit unskilled laborers to join. This was a union of skilled craftsworkers. Samuel Gompers was the first president of the AFL.

Labor and Immigrants Labor unions were often unsympathetic to immigrants. Business leaders were quick to exploit the cheap, desperate labor of unskilled laborers unable to speak English; with little political or organizing power

The Changing American Labor Force

The Molly Maguires (1875) James McParland

The Corporate “Bully-Boys”: Pinkerton Agents

Management vs. Labor “Tools” of Management “Tools” of Labor  “scabs”  P. R. campaign  Pinkertons  lockout  blacklisting  yellow-dog contracts  court injunctions  open shop  boycotts  sympathy demonstrations  informational picketing  closed shops  organized strikes  “wildcat” strikes

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Haymarket Riot (1886) McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.

Haymarket Martyrs

Governor John Peter Altgeld

Homestead Steel Strike (1892) The Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers Homestead Steel Works

Pullman Cars A Pullman porter

The Pullman Strike of 1894

President Grover Cleveland If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card will be delivered!

The Pullman Strike of 1894 Government by injunction!

The Socialists Eugene V. Debs

Mother Jones: “The Miner’s Angel”  Mary Harris.  Organizer for the United Mine Workers.  Founded the Social Democratic Party in  One of the founding members of the I. W. W. in 1905.

The “Bread & Roses” Strike DEMANDS:  15¢/hr. wage increase.  Double pay for overtime.  No discrimination against strikers.  An end to “speed-up” on the assembly line.  An end to discrimination against foreign immigrant workers.