The Rise of Labor Unions

1
The Rise of Labor Unions
2
Rich versus Poor

• By 1890, the richest 9 of Americans held nearly
  75 of the national wealth
• Many workers began to resent the lavish
  lifestyles of their rich owners, began to
  organize in an effort to establish a better work
  system

3
What Did Workers Want?

• Shorter workdays
• Higher wages
• Better working conditions
• End child labor
• Collective Bargaining negotiate as a group w/
  employers

4
The Knights of Labor

• National Union
• Recruited Skilled Unskilled Workers
• Included Women African Americans
• Emphasized Education Social Reform

5
The American Federation of Labor (AFL)

• Led by Samuel Gompers
• Skilled Workers Only
• Used Collective Bargaining as a Strategy

6
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

• Unskilled Workers
• Radical Socialist Leaders
• Violent Strikes

7
Socialism

• Karl MarxGerman Philosopher who wrote Communist
  Manifesto
• Denounced capitalism

8
Socialism

• Economic political philosophy that favors
  public instead of private control of property
  income.
• Socialists believe that society, not private
  individuals, should control a nations wealth.
  That wealth should be distributed equally to
  everyone.

9
Reaction of Employers

• forbid union meetings
• fired union organizers
• forced new employees to sign yellow dog
  contracts, making them promise never to join a
  union or participate in a strike

10
Reaction of Employers

• refused to bargain collectively when strikes
  occurred
• refused to recognize union representatives

11
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

• Workers protested wage cuts unsafe conditions
• Violent Unorganized
• Pres. Hayes sent federal troops to put down the
  strike
• Employers relied on federal state troops to
  repress labor unrest

12
Haymarket Strike 1886

• National strike of all workers calling for an
  8-hour workday
• During a demonstration in Chicagos Haymarket
  Square a bomb exploded
• Rioting broke out dozens were killed
• 4 anarchists were hanged
• The public began to associate unions w/ violence,
  anarchy radicalism

13
Homestead Strike 1892

• Carnegie Steel cut wages in Homestead, PA
• Mngr. Henry Frick called in private guards to
  protect the plant
• Daylong gun battle ended w/ several strikers dead
  
• Again, the public condemned strikes denounced
  unions as violent

14
Pullman Strike 1894

• Strike of Pullman Palace Car Factory Workers
• Tried to stop railroads from running
• Courts ruled illegal b/c it disrupted mail
  delivery
• The courts now supported owners as well