Industrial Warfare –
Labor Force Distribution
The Changing American Labor Force
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
1. National Labor Union Prior to 1860’s, workers organized by craftPrior to 1860’s, workers organized by craft Civil War produced a national economyCivil War produced a national economy Organized in 1866, goals included higher wages and an 8-hour work dayOrganized in 1866, goals included higher wages and an 8-hour work day Government workers won the 8-hour work dayGovernment workers won the 8-hour work day Open to women, BlacksOpen to women, Blacks
Labor Unrest:
2. The Molly Maguires (1860s-1870s) James McParland infiltrates the secret society of the “Mollies”; were they union agitators? Pinkerton?
The Corporate “Bully-Boys”: Pinkerton Agents
3. Knights of Labor Terence V. Powderly An injury to one is the concern of all!
Knights of Labor Knights of Labor trade card
Goals of the Knights of Labor ù Eight-hour workday. ù Workers’ cooperatives. ù Worker-owned factories. ù Abolition of child and prison labor. ù Increased circulation of greenbacks. ù Equal pay for men and women. ù Safety codes in the workplace. ù Prohibition of contract foreign labor. ù Abolition of the National Bank.
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Wages cut to reduce costs 11 states; 2/3 of rails Joined by half a million other workers President Hayes sends in the troops to put down the strike More than 100 killed Hard lines taken against unions
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
The Tournament of Today: A Set-to Between Labor and Monopoly
Anarchists Meet on the Lake Front in 1886
Haymarket Riot (1886) McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.
Haymarket Martyrs 7 policemen killed Bomb thrower never found 8 anarchist leaders tried and convicted; 7 sentenced to death; 4 executed, 1 suicide Public opinion = unions are radical and violent
Governor John Peter Altgeld
4. The American Federation of Labor: 1886 Samuel Gompers
How the AF of L Would Help the Workers ù Catered to the skilled worker. ù Represented workers in matters of national legislation. ù Maintained a national strike fund. ù Evangelized the cause of unionism. ù Prevented disputes among the many craft unions. ù Mediated disputes between management and labor with collective bargaining ù Pushed for closed shops. ù Nations largest union by 1901
Strike Breaking in the 1890s Homestead Steel Strike Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers Homestead Steel Works, Pittsburgh, PA 800/3,800 union members 20% cut in wages lockout, scabs, Pinkertons
Homestead Strike
Big Corporate Profits!
Attempted Assassination! Henry Clay Frick Alexander Berkman
The Pullman Strike of 1894
A “Company Town”: Pullman, IL A “Company Town”: Pullman, IL
Pullman Cars A Pullman porter
The Socialists Eugene V. Debs American Railway Union
The Pullman Strike of 1894 Government by injunction!
President Grover Cleveland If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card will be delivered!
5. International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)
“Big Bill” Haywood of the IWW Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.
I W W & the Internationale
The Hand That Will Rule the World One Big Union
The “Formula” unions + violence + strikes + socialists + immigrants = anarchists
6. International Ladies Garment Workers Union ,000 workers Women – Italian/Jewish Carla Lemlich
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Sweatshop in NYC Factory – pre fire Factory - post fire
Dead bodies on the side walk
Relatives review the dead: 145 bodies Scene at the morgue
Out of the Ashes ÔILGWU membership surged. ÔNYC created a Bureau of Fire Prevention. ÔNew strict building codes were passed. ÔTougher fire inspection of sweatshops. ÔGrowing momentum of support for women’s suffrage. ÔCriminal jury acquitted owners Blank and Harris. ÔCivil jury awarded each victim’s family $75. ÔInsurance company paid Blank/Harris $400 per casualty for their losses
Mother Jones: “The Miner’s Angel” Mary Harris Jones. Organizer for the United Mine Workers. Founded the Social Democratic Party One of the founding members of the I. W. W. in Championed the cause of child labor
Lawrence, MA Strike: 1912
The “Bread & Roses” Strike DEMANDS: ù15¢/hr. wage increase. ùDouble pay for overtime. ùNo discrimination against strikers. ùAn end to “speed-up” on the assembly line. ùAn end to discrimination against foreign immigrant workers.
Child Labor
Children’s Crusade Philadelphia to Oyster Bay, NY to meet with President Teddy Roosevelt Brought the matter of child labor to the public’s attention Child labor laws passed; compulsory attendance laws
“Galley Labor”
Labor Union Membership
“Solidarity Forever!” by Ralph Chapin (1915) When the union's inspiration through the workers‘ blood shall run, There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun; Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, But the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!
“Solidarity Forever!” Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite, Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might? Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight? For the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!
“Solidarity Forever!” Through our sisters and our brothers we can make our union strong, For respect and equal value, we have done without too long. We no longer have to tolerate injustices and wrongs, Yes, the union makes us strong! * * * * Through our sisters and our brothers we can make our union strong, For respect and equal value, we have done without too long. We no longer have to tolerate injustices and wrongs, Yes, the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!
Workers Benefits Today
The Rise & Decline of Organized Labor
Right-to-Work States Today