1. American History Chapter 14-3 Workers Organize

2. Gov’t. Regulates Big Business 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act: Illegal to form trusts that interfered with free trade. – Prohibited monopolies. – The law did not define illegal trusts well & the gov’t. gave up on enforcement for awhile.

3. Working Conditions 10 hr. work days/6 days a week. No paid vacation or sick leave. No compensation when injured on the job. Sweatshops were common in the garment industry: – Cramped, hot, smelly, work spaces. – Longer hrs. w/no breaks to eat lunch. – Child labor.

4. Sweatshops

5. Changes in Labor The poor working conditions led to the development of labor unions. Knights of Labor: Founded 1869 in Phil., Pa. – 1880s Terrence Powderly led the union to its largest membership by including unskilled workers, women,& blacks. – Used negotiation, boycotts, & later, strikes.

6. Strikes 1877 Great Railroad Strike: – State militias & the U.S. Army put down the strike. – Millions of $ in damages & over 100 people died. 1886 Haymarket Riot: Chicago, Il. – Crowds were protesting police violence at a strike. – A bomb was thrown into the crowd. Shots were fired. – 11 died, 100 + were injured. – Foreign unionists were blamed for the violence. – Led to widespread xenophobia: fear of foreigners.

7. Strikes Continued: Pullman Strike: 1893 – Pullman Co. laid off workers & cut wages. – Eugene Debs of the Am. Railway Union urged a strike. – Pres. Grover Cleveland sent in federal troops to end the strike. – Most workers who participated in the strike were fired or blacklisted.

8. Employers Strike Back Began to force employees to sign agreements not to join unions. People perceived as troublemakers were put on blacklists. – Other companies wouldn’t hire those on the blacklists. Scabs were brought in to replace striking workers.

9. Mom always said Don’t pick your scabs.