The Rise of Labor Unions

Employers (Power) vs. Workers Yellow Dog Contracts Blacklisting No Job Security Child Labor Working Conditions Long hours & Low wages

Labor Unions What did they do? Why were they needed? What is a closed shop?

Knights of Labor founded ~1869 Important person ~Terence Powerly Who were they representing? ~Skilled and unskilled workers 1886 – 700,000 Workers

What did they try to accomplish? ~1 st important labor organization Demands ~8hr day, end child labor, equal pay for equal work, safety codes, graduated income tax

American Federation of Labor founded ~1886 important person ~ Samuel Gompers Who were they representing? ~Craft union, separate union for every skill, Excluded African Americans

What did they try to accomplish? ~ Working conditions, pay and control over jobs, later merged with the CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) Why did this union last?

United Mine Workers founded ~1890 important people ~John Mitchell ~Co-founder – Philip H. Penna ~John Lewis

United Mine Workers Who were they representing? ~Coal miners – now all miners What did they try to accomplish? ~Eight- hour work day in 1898 ~Collective bargaining rights in 1933 ~Later health (black lung disease) and retirement benefits

American Railway Union founded ~1893 Important people ~Eugene V. Debs (Socialist) Who were they representing? ~All railway workers, regardless of craft or service

What did they try to accomplish? ~Workers’ wages ~Was the largest union of its time ~The first industrial union in the United States (Didn’t last because of its leaders)

Industrial Workers of the World When it was founded ~1905 Important people ~Big Bill Haywood ~Other socialists

Who were they representing? ~The Wobblies believed that all workers should organize as a class What did they try to accomplish? ~Worker solidarity in the revolutionary struggle to overthrow the employing class Wanted to bring about a change in society! Communism

International Ladies Garment Workers Union founded ~1900 Important people ~Frances Perkins ~Ann Morgan ~Alva Vanderbilt Belmont

Who were they representing? ~Workers in the sweatshops, clothing and textiles, primarily female membership What did they try to accomplish? ~Improve worker’s wages & job conditions, hours

United Auto Workers founded ~1935- under the AFL important person ~Samuel Gompers Who were they representing? ~Auto workers including African Americans What did they try to accomplish? ~Collective bargaining – benefits for auto workers

Strikes Scabs, Blacklisted What was the purpose? What did people risk?

Great Upheaval When it occurred 1886 Where it occurred Throughout the U.S. Identify the labor union and people involved 1,500 strikes 400,000 Workers Why were they striking? Better wages Better working conditions Results of the strike Violence

Haymarket Riot When it occurred 4 May 1886 Where it occurred Chicago Identify the labor union and people involved 40,000 Chicago workers Anarchists Why were they striking? 8hr day

Results of the strike Unknown person threw a bomb at police Violence At least fifty dead or wounded civilians lay in the streets 60 officers lay wounded 7 dead 8 anarchists found guilty of murder 4 hanged 1 committed suicide, later the rest were pardoned

Homestead Strike When it occurred ~1892 Where it occurred ~Homestead, Pennsylvania Identify the labor union and people involved ~Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (the AA, formed in 1876) ~Henry Clay Frick – Carnegie Steel Company

Why were they striking? ~Protest a wage cut and working conditions Results of the strike ~Replacement workers hired ~Broke the union

Pullman Strike When it occurred ~1894 Where it occurred ~Pullman, Illinois Identify the labor union and people involved ~George Pullman ~Eugene Debs ~ARU – American Railway Union

Why were they striking? ~Protesting cut wages, but still had to pay same prices for rents and prices at company stores Results of the strike Government ordered end to strike President Cleveland ordered in troops Strike broken and ARU destroyed

Boston Strike When it occurred 1919 Where it occurred Boston Identify the labor union and people involved Police Commissioner Edwin Curtis Gov. Calvin Coolidge

Why were they striking? Poor working conditions – 12 hour shifts Stagnant wages were paid $1,600 wanted $2,000 Police wanted to unionize (AFL) Voted 1,134 to 2 to strike

Results of the strike ~Riots and looting throughout the city ~Coolidge sent in the national guard ~The Police who struck were fired ~New officers were hired and given higher wages, more vacation days, city-provided uniforms – what the strikers wanted ~Police won’t unionize until after WWII

Seattle Strike When it occurred ~1919 Where it occurred ~Seattle Identify the labor union and people involved ~AFL and IWW (wobblies) 65,000 ~Charles Piez ~Ole Hanson - mayor

Why were they striking? ~Gain higher wages Results of the strike ~Federal troops called in, special deputies hired ~Russian did it

United Mine Workers Strike When it occurred ~1919 Where it occurred ~Coal mines W. Virginia Identify the labor union and people involved ~400,000 coal miners ~John L. Lewis

Why were they striking? ~50% pay increase ~5-day workweek ~6hr day Results of the strike ~President Wilson gave a 14% increase