1. BELL RINGER : WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU THINK WERE AVAILABLE TO YOU, IF YOU DID NOT LIKE YOUR WAGES, YOUR WORKING CONDITIONS, OR THE LENGTH OF YOUR WORKDAY/WEEK?

2. MAJOR STRIKES DURING INDUSTRIALIZATION

3. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE JOIN A UNION?

4. HOMESTEAD STRIKE http://www.history.com/shows/men-who-built-america/videos/homestead-strike

5. THE HOMESTEAD STRIKE - 1892

6. CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE STRIKE Economy was stumbling The price of rolled-steel products started to decline, from $35 a gross ton to $22 early in 1892. Henry Frick, the head of the steel Homestead plant was determined to cut wages and break up the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers. Andrew Carnegie supported Frick If the union failed to accept the terms, Carnegie instructed him to shut down the plant and wait until the workers buckled. “We approve of anything you do” - Carnegie

7. THE MOST POWERFUL NEW CORPORATION THE NATION’S STRONGEST TRADE UNION

8. WHAT WAS HAPPENING? 1889 – Strike that had won a favorable three-year contract for the steelworkers The year is 1892 (contract is over) Dissolution of the Union Henry Clay Frick (plant manager) stepped up production, union refused to accept it Frick began locking all out of the plant – by July 2 nd all were discharged

9. Tried to reach out to Andrew Carnegie (previous supporter) Only 750 out of the 3,800 workers at Homestead belonged to the Union 3,000 of them met and voted to strike. Refused to dissolve their union. Slashed wages Locked out 1,100 men. June 25 th - no longer negotiations with the union: only workers individually Carnegie believed that workers would agree to relinquish their union to hold on to their jobs.. After Strike: built a fence three miles long and 12 feet high around the plant. “Fort Frick” TACTICS USED BY BOTH SIDES Frick/Carnegie/Steel PlantUnion Workers

10. ROLE OF STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Frick hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency’s private army (300 men) – met by 10,000 strikers 9 strikers and 3 Pinkerton’s were killed. Government William Stone of PA sent in 8,000 militia which arrived on July 12 th The governor of Pennsylvania ordered state militia into Homestead. Armed with rifles and guns, they took over the plant Strikebreakers who arrived on locked trains, took over the steel mills

11. OUTCOME OF THE STRIKE Authorities charged the strike leaders with murder and 160 other strikers with lesser crimes. All the strike leaders were blacklisted. The Carnegie Company successfully swept unions out of Homestead Instituted longer hours & lower wages – punishment

12. PULLMAN STRIKE - 1894

13. CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE STRIKE Panic of 1893 – Poor Economy George Pullman “knew what was best for all his employees, whether they agreed or not” Labor force reduced from 5,500 to 3,300 an average pay cut of twenty-five percent Reduction in the total number of hours that they could work. Rent in the Company Town stayed the same rate.

14. UNION LEADERSHIP Eugene Debs - founded the American Railway Union (ARU) the Pullman employees attended the first ARU national convention. The Union felt compelled to aid the people of Pullman through the use of a boycott The boycott would take effect on June 26, 1894 where all members were told to keep the Pullman cars sitting on the sidetrack.

15. “One man worked 120 hours and got a check for a measly seven cents” Inability to adequately support themselves and their families financially. The only way to change it: walk off the job and shut down all of Pullman’s operations Needed Support – American Railway Union Derailed trains, destroyed the yards, burnt everything, stopped mail delivery Did not reduce living expenses Unsympathetic to his employees Met with a committee of worker representatives but refused to restore wages or rents Pullman was set to hire strikebreakers. Federal Government sent in TACTICS USED BY BOTH SIDES George PullmanWorkers

16. ROLE OF STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Government wanted violence to have a basis to use an injunction against the strike. Injunction – a court order requiring that certain actions be stopped The strikers revolted against the government intervention by dragging baggage cars across the tracks, obstructing the passage of mail Federal troops allowed to intervene because mail delivery was being disrupted because of the stoppage of trains President Grover Cleveland sent in the federal troops to Chicago The public shifted their support in favor of crushing the strike

17. OUTCOME OF THE STRIKE Ended on July 11,1894 under the condition that employees be rehired at their former jobs. Only two-thirds of the workers returned Required to sign a “yellow-dog” contract which was an agreement that they would not join a labor union, if they did it was grounds for termination Eventual destruction of the American Railway Union

18. Carnegie destroys the Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers Pullman destroys the American Railway Union

19. LAWRENCE STRIKE 1912

20. CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE STRIKE Lawrence, Massachusetts was one of the most important textile towns in the U.S. American Woolen Company : worth of $45,000,000 employed over 40,000 people Many workers were foreign-born for low-wages. 50 percent of the workers were women and children under age 18 36% of all the men and women who work in the mill die before the time they are 25 (led the nation in death toll) Wages were poor Housing conditions horribly overcrowded Life expectancy of workers low

21. Common experience but different languages (22), religions, and ethnicities(24). Walk-out at the factory Industrial Workers of the world Demanded: 15% wage increase, double-time for overtime, and a 54 hour work week, abolition of the bonus system Reduced the wages of its workers by 3 ½% (because of State Law) TACTICS USED BY BOTH SIDES American Woolen CompanyUnion Laborers

22. UNION LEADERSHIP The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Formed a strike committee with two representatives from each nationality in the industry A network of soup kitchens and food distribution stations were set up and striking families received $2 to $5 cash a week

23. ROLE OF THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The mayor of Lawrence called in the local militia and attempts were made to stop the workers from picketing Thirty-six workers were arrested and most of them sentenced to a year in prison. It became so violent that children were sent to live with other family members in different cities The governor of Massachusetts ordered the state militia during one demonstration

24. OUTCOME OF THE STRIKE The American Woolen Company gave in to all of the strikers’ demands. By the end of that month all of the other companies had also agreed to pay the higher wages