1. Labor  Samuel Gompers  American Federation of Labor  Eugene Debs  Pullman Strike  Haymarket Affair  Homestead Strike

2. In the beginning….  Labor unions began because of: –Long work hours –Working ages –Sweatshops –Wages  Women earned half of what men earned  Unions began in late 1700s –Very small movements

3. Knights of Labor  1869  Union that was open to all people  Supported 8 hour work day  Equal pay for all  “An injury to one is a concern for all”

4. Samuel Gompers  Led the Cigar Makers’ International Union  Became president of the American Federation of Labor  Fought for collective bargaining  Not afraid to use strikes

5. S.G. cont.  Wages rose because of S.G.  1890-1915 –$17.50 to $24/week –54.5 hrs/week to 49 hrs./week

6. Eugene Debs  Organized the American Railway Union  Pullman Strike (1894) –George Pullman lowered wages in his comp. –Didn’t lower prices in company town –Workers went on strike  Debs organized strike –Turned violent –Strikebreakers brought in

7. Socialism  Government control of business and property  Equal distribution of wealth  Carried to its extreme form = Communism  Socialists worked into unions –Debs was a socialist  Discredited unions for many years

8. Haymarket Affair  1886 - Chicago  3,000 people gathered in Haymarket square to protest the police killing of a striker  Someone tossed a bomb into the police line  Police fired into the crowd  Public began to turn against unions

9. Homestead Strike  Poor working conditions in Carnegie Steel plant in Homestead, PA  Strike called for in 1892 after wages were to be cut  Private security force called in to control strikers

10. Homestead cont.  Carnegie wanted to hire replacement workers –“Scabs”  Violence ensued –3 security agents and 9 workers killed  National Guard called in  Plant closed  Steelworkers lost power