A Brief History of Labor Unions in the United States

TERM(S): Factors of production Land Labor (workers, people . . . . . and now machines) Capital ($$$)

Working Conditions: 1850s Average work day – 16 hours Average pay – $6 per week Had to purchase their own tools Fined for being late (half day’s pay) Protesting = immediate dismissal (fired)

TERM(S): Labor Union Strike Scab an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals. Strike a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to perform work. Scab Derogatory term for a strikebreaker, a person who works despite strike action or against the will of other employees

People’s History of the United States reading

Ludlow Massacre Where: Colorado 1913-1914 Who: Miners (United Mine Workers of America), Rockefeller family Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, National Guard. Why Strike? Living and Working conditions What Happened? https://youtu.be/6qIHN68YNXw

Ludlow Massacre Discussion Questions Who was “Mother” Mary Jones? What made her important? What were the working conditions the miners had to deal with? What were the miners hoping to gain by striking?

TERM(S) Socialist – someone who believes in the political theory that desires common ownership and cooperative management . Anarchist – someone who believes in the political theory which considers the state undesirable, unnecessary and harmful, and instead promotes a stateless society. Radical – political desire for massive change in society.

Haymarket (Affair, Riot, or Massacre – call it what you will) Occurred in 1886 in Chicago Unknown individual threw a bomb into a crowd of police officers Killed 8 police officers and 4 civilians It is estimated that over 100 protestors were killed by the police when they opened fire on the crowd. 8 anarchists were arrested and tried for murder 4 were convicted and executed, a 5th committed suicide in prison

Haymarket: Cause and Effect What were the causes of Haymarket? working conditions low wages long hours violence against union members What were the effects of Haymarket? continued distrust creation of more radical leaders more national attention (both in support of and in opposition to labor unions) unified workers across the country

TERM(S): Haymarket Affair discuss in your group and come up with a 1-2 sentence summary.

See a difference?

Twenty Years at Hull House reading

Twenty Years at Hull House What was “Hull House”? Community Center in urban neighborhood founded by Jane Addams. Residence, Research and Reform What recourse did parents have if their child was injured in the workplace? What was Jane Addams working towards? Improve the lives of those that lived in slums through legislation and education.

American Federation of Labor (AFL) Original goals: Prohibition of child labor National eight hour work day Exclusion of foreign contracts Attempted to achieve these by legislation Accepted “trade unions” and opposed “industrial union” WHAT? “Hard work conquers all!”

AFL Leader: Samuel Gompers

TERM(S): American Federation of Labor (AFL) discuss in your group and come up with a 1-2 sentence summary.

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) International union founded in 1905 in Chicago by socialists, anarchists and radicals Opposed the policies of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) The IWW believed that the AFL had failed – only 5% of workers in the U.S. were unionized Unionized skilled and unskilled workers, unlike the AFL

IWW Leader: Eugene V. Debs

IWW Leader: William “Big Bill” Haywood

IWW (Continued) IWW Goals Worker solidarity – “an injury to one is an injury to all” Workplace democracy / self-management Eventual overthrow of the employing class with the factors of production being owned by the workers

TERM(S): Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) discuss in your group and come up with a 1-2 sentence summary.

Pullman Strike Pullman Palace Car Company cut the wages of workers in the 1890s Workers refused to “switch” Pullman cars at rail stations When workers were disciplined, 125,000 workers walked off the job More than 2,000 federal troops were called in and “broke” the strike 13 strikers were killed and 57 were wounded. The leader of the strike was sent to jail

TERM(S): Pullman Strike discuss in your group and come up with a 1-2 sentence summary.