Labor Unrest:

Transcription

1 Labor Unrest:

2 The Railroad Strike of 1877 Haymarket Riot of 1886 The Homestead Strike of 1892 The Pullman Strike of 1894

3 Major economic downturn Overexpansion and stock market crash Decrease in the money supply 25% Unemployment Most who were employed did not have full time jobs Salaries slashed

4 One Response to the crisis: The Molly Maguires (1875): A secret Irish society active with immigrant coal miners in Pennsylvania / accused of using threats and violence James McParland Pres. Pinkerton Detectives

5 The Corporate s Bully-Boys : Pinkerton Agents

6 Management vs. Labor Tools of Management Tools of Labor scabs P. R. campaign Pinkertons lockout blacklisting yellow-dog contracts court injunctions open shop boycotts sympathy demonstrations informational picketing closed shops organized strikes wildcat strikes

7 A Striker Confronts a SCAB!

8 Knights of Labor Terence V. Powderly An injury to one is the concern of all!

9 Knights of Labor Knights of Labor trade card

10 Goals of the Knights of Labor ù ù ù ù ù ù ù ù ù Eight-hour workday. Workers cooperatives. Worker-owned factories. Abolition of child and prison labor. Increased circulation of greenbacks. Equal pay for men and women. Safety codes in the workplace. Prohibition of contract foreign labor. Abolition of the National Bank.

11 The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

12 B&O RR cut wages Workers in several states also went on strike. Protests, demonstrations, sabotage, violence State militia & Federal troops called up to break the strike.

13 Burning of Pennsylvania Railroad and Union Depot, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 1877 Burning of Union Depot, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 1877

14 Burning of Pennsylvania Railroad and Union Depot, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 1877, engraving from Harper's Weekly Strikers in Pittsburgh burned in total 39 buildings, 104 engines, passenger cars, and 1,200 1,383 freight cars. Damage estimates ranged from five to 10 million dollars

15 The Tournament of 1890 s: Labor vs Management

16 The Haymarket Affair 1886

17 On Saturday May 1, ,000 went on strike in Chicago to march in support of the 8 hour day. It was a one-day strike because everyone worked on Saturday.

18 On Monday workers continued the strike at the McCormick Reaper Plant Violence broke out and four worker died. A Protest Meeting was called for the next day in Haymarket Square in Chicago

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20 About 3,000 persons assembled that evening in Haymarket Square and listened to speakers denounce the greed of the thieving masters who sent their bloodhounds out to shoot you, to kill you! The crown had dwindled to a few hundred when 180 policemen showed up, and ordered the crowd to disperse. A speaker said the meeting was almost over when...

21 A bomb was thrown. 66 policemen were hurt, 7 later died. The police then fired into the crowd, killing several, wounding 200.

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24 8 anarchists were rounded up and arrested. Anarchists were people who believed that the government and the industrialists worked together to keep the working man and woman down. They argued against all organized government and said workers had to take the law into their own hands.

25 We urgently call upon the wage-earning class to arm itself in order to be able to put forth against their exploiters such an argument which alone can be effective: violence. - Parsons and Spies Keep them (Parsons and Spies) in view. Hold them personally responsible for any trouble that occurs. Make an example of them if trouble occurs. - Citizens Committee of businessmen to the Police

26 All 8 were found Guilty of Murder. If you think that by hanging us you can stamp out the labor movement- the movement from which the downtrodden millions who toil and live in want and misery, the wage slaves, expect salvation- if this is you opinion, hang us! Here you will tread upon a spark, but there and here... everywhere, flames will blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out - August Spies 7 were sentenced to death.

27 4 were hanged: Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolph Fischer and George Engel. 1 committed suicide in prison. 2 had their sentences commuted to life in prison 1 was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

28 The funeral

29 The Reaction Among working people: outrage and then fear; many stop supporting unions and workers movements. Others became radicalized by the verdict and sentence: Emma Goldman, Clarence Darrow and Alexander Berkman Among the Captains of Industry : renewed confidence that opposition to them would be dealt with severely by the authorities.

30 Pivotal Questions: 1. Is violence justified when an injustice is occurring? 2. Are we responsible for the actions of others if acted because of our words? Is there any limit on free speech?

31 Governor John Peter Altgeld In 1892 this German-born politician won the governorship as a reformist candidate. In 1893, at the urging of Clarence Darrow and labor leaders, he granted clemency to three surviving men convicted in the Haymarket Riot. The controversial pardon provoked an outcry from conservatives and contributed to his defeat for reelection in 1896.

32 The American Federation of Labor: 1886 Samuel Gompers

33 How the AF of L Would Help the Workers ù ù ù ù ù ù ù Catered to the skilled worker. Represented workers in matters of national legislation. Maintained a national strike fund. Evangelized the cause of unionism. Prevented disputes among the many craft unions. Mediated disputes between management and labor. Pushed for closed shops.

34 Homestead Steel Strike (1892) The Amalgamated Association of Iron & Steel Workers Homestead Steel Works

35 Andrew Carnegie

36 Andrew Carnegie $ Gospel of Wealth (1901). $ Inequality is inevitable and good. $ Philanthrophy: Wealthy should act as trustees for their poorer brethren. $ Anglo-Saxon race is superior

37 Big Corporate Profits

38 Carnegie Steel Co. Vs. Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers 1889 Strike 3 year contract 1892: Carnegie wants to avoid another expensive contract. Solution: break the union. Instructs his plant manager to step up production demands; when they refused these new rules, enforce a lockout of the skilled tradesman (20% of 3,800 workers) The other 80% vote to walk out in solidarity

39 Frick hires 300 Pinkerton guards They arrive by barge Thousands of strikers meet them and a battle ensures.

40 Attempted Assassination! Henry Clay Frick Alexander Berkman

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42 George Pullman developed the first Pullman car after spending a very uncomfortable night in a sleeping car on a trip from New York to Chicago.

43 The first Pullman Car was designed to be a luxury railroad car that was a day-coach that turned into a sleeper car at night.

44 At first railroads where not interested in this new car as it was higher and wider than other railcars. The presidential railroad car

45 In 1867, George Pullman incorporated the Pullman Palace Car Company.

46 He expanded his business to include dining cars, parlor cars, private cars as well as the sleeping cars.

47 A luxury Pullman Car

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49 Pullman Cars A Pullman porter

50 George Pullman s ambitions spread also to developing a safe and clean place for his workers to live.

51 The problem was that Pullman controlled everything in the town

52 1893 Depression Pullman did not allow the residents to own their homes and he hired people to watch the residents for any inappropriate behavior. To make matters worse, a depression occurred in the country in

53 The Pullman Strike of 1894

54 The Pullman workers joined this union in the spring of 1894, after George Pullman ignored their pleas

55 The three representatives of the committee who met with George Pullman were laid off. 90% of the remaining workers voted to strike on May 11

56 ARU refuses to handle Pullman cars The strike extended to encompass all of the 24 rail lines out of Chicago

57 The Pullman Strike of 1894

58 As a result of the boycotts and accompanying strikes, the U.S. mail delivery by the railroad and interstate commerce is affected. Federal troops are called in to help because of the mail stoppage.

59 July 1 st, injunction against Eugene Debs and American Railway Union July 4 th, President Cleveland sent federal troops to protect the Pullman factory

60 President Grover Cleveland If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card will be delivered!

61 Federal troops ended the blockade and trains began moving again Debs is arrested Strike officially ends as of July 12, 1894

62 - Workers return for lower wages. - Negative reaction by most people in the U.S. towards UNIONS

63 The strike proved that a large number of workers would be sympathetic to the plight of other workers to cause an interruption of a major service Highlighted the ongoing dispute between states rights and federal powers

64 Eugene V. Debs The Socialists

65 International Workers of the World ( Wobblies )

66 Big Bill Haywood of the IWW Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.

67 I W W & the Internationale

68 The Hand That Will Rule the World One Big Union

69 Mother Jones: The Miner s Angel Mary Harris. Organizer for the United Mine Workers. Founded the Social Democratic Party in One of the founding members of the I. W. W. in 1905.

70 Lawrence, MA Strike: 1912

71 The Bread & Roses Strike DEMANDS: ù ù ù ù ù 15 /hr. wage increase. Double pay for overtime. No discrimination against strikers. An end to speed-up on the assembly line. An end to discrimination against foreign immigrant workers.

72 Lawrence, MA Strike: 1912

73 The Formula unions + violence + strikes + socialists + immigrants = anarchists

74 Labor Union Membership

75 Solidarity Forever! by Ralph Chapin (1915) When the union's inspiration through the workers blood shall run, There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun; Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, But the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!

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77 Solidarity Forever! Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite, Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might? Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight? For the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!

78 Solidarity Forever! * * * * Through our sisters and our brothers we can make our union strong, For respect and equal value, we have done without too long. We no longer have to tolerate injustices and wrongs, Yes, the union makes us strong! CHORUS: Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong!

79 The Rise & Decline of Organized Labor

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82 Right-to-Work States Today

83 Unionism