The Union Movement: Labor
Unions & Strikes
US History: Spiconardi
The Growth of Unions
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Purpose of Unions
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To protect workers
Improve working conditions
members representing workers
Collective Bargaining  union
negotiate labor issues with management
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Courts denied this right at first
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Believed a worker could find another job if they were
unhappy with wages
The Knights of Labor
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Founded by Terrence Powderly in 1869
Membership
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Skilled & Unskilled Workers
Women
Blacks
Philosophy & Practices
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Generally anti-strike
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Wanted to form cooperative relationship with management
Believed workers lost more strikes than they won
Causes
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Eight-hour workday
End to child labor
Equal opportunity and wages for women
American Federation of Labor
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Founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886
Membership
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Skilled workers predominately
Women and blacks not welcomed
Most powerful union by 1900
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Causes
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500,000 members
Worked for immediate goals in better wages and hours
Philosophy & Practices
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Supported strikes
Anti-immigration
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Believed immigrants took jobs away from American workers
Strikes
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Strikes end up being a major setback for
unions
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Violence causes public fear
Government sides with business and sometimes
sends troops in to put down strikes
Haymarket Riot
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May 1, 1886: A spontaneous labor
demonstration breaks out
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Includes anarchist & craft unions
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Anarchist  a person who believes government is
unnecessary and often harmful
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Over 100,000 demonstrators turn out in Chicago
Started peacefully and calmly
Two days later violence breaks out!
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Union members attack non-union strikebreakers
Police storm area and shoot and kill two unionists
Haymarket Riot
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Labor groups protest police
brutality the following evening
in downtown Chicago
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As police approach….BAM!
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A bomb explodes killing 7 and
injuring 67
Outcome
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Knights of Labor blamed and lose
any support
Increases distrust of unions
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Unions seen as radical groups
comprised of socialists and
foreigners
Homestead Strike
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In 1892, the AFL affiliated steel workers union strike at
the Carnegie Steel plant
Company president Henry Frick closes the plant and
brings in Pinkerton troops to protect the plant from
potential union violence
Homestead Strike
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Workers attack the
Pinkerton troops and
violence breaks out
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16 people killed
National guard called in to
break up the fighting
After 5 months, strike
ends
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Only 25% of striking
workers get their jobs back
For next 20 years, union
movement halted in steel
industry
Pullman Strike
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“We are born in a Pullman house, fed from a
Pullman shop, taught in the Pullman school,
catechized in the Pullman Church, and when
we die we shall be buried in the Pullman
cemetery and go to the Pullman hell.”
Pullman Strike
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George Pullman refused to negotiate with his
workers
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Had to cut wages 25-40%
Kept rents and prices the same
Workers Strike
Pullman closes plant
American Railway Union refused to handle
Pullman cars
Pullman Strike
President Grover Cleveland
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Railroad owners enlist help of government
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Claim action was “obstructing the railways and holding
up the mails.”
President Grover Cleveland sends troops into to
stop the strike
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Federal Government has right to regulate interstate
commerce
Question: What impact did strikes have on
workers and the United States?
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