Mr. WellsHickory Ridge HS

Mr. WellsHickory Ridge HS

Labor UnionsLabor UnionsEQ: EQ: Why were they developed?Why were they developed?

• Working conditions: unsanitary, dangerous

• Wages: too low

• Hours: too long, 12 hour days

• Child Labor: no school, cruelty (low pay, long hours)

The Changing American

Labor Force

The Changing American

Labor Force

Child Labor

- Early 1800s: ages 7-12 made up 1/3 of workforce in US factories

- 1848: Pennsylvania establishes age of 12 to work in silk, cotton, wool mills

- 1853: Many states adopt 10 hr. workday for children

- 1900: 1/5 of all American children were employed

- 1924: Congress prohibits labor under 18

Child Labor

- Early 1800s: ages 7-12 made up 1/3 of workforce in US factories

- 1848: Pennsylvania establishes age of 12 to work in silk, cotton, wool mills

- 1853: Many states adopt 10 hr. workday for children

- 1900: 1/5 of all American children were employed

- 1924: Congress prohibits labor under 18

Child LaborChild Labor

“Galley Labor”“Galley Labor”

The Molly Maguires

- Secret Irish organization in coal fields of Pa.

- Striking because of a 20% pay reduction

The Molly Maguires

- Secret Irish organization in coal fields of Pa.

- Striking because of a 20% pay reduction

The Molly Maguires(1875)

The Molly Maguires(1875)

JamesJamesMcParlandMcParland

Labor Unrest: 1870-1900

Labor Unrest: 1870-1900

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

- Baltimore & Ohio railroad workers protest 2nd wage cut in two months

- President Rutherford B. Hayes intervenes by sending in federal troops saying strike was impeding interstate commerce

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

- Baltimore & Ohio railroad workers protest 2nd wage cut in two months

- President Rutherford B. Hayes intervenes by sending in federal troops saying strike was impeding interstate commerce

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Homestead Steel Strike

(1892)

Homestead Steel Strike

(1892)

Steel workers went on strike at the Carnegie Steel Steel workers went on strike at the Carnegie Steel Company’s plant in Company’s plant in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

Homestead Steel Homestead Steel WorksWorks

Pinkerton Agents

- used to infiltrate unions and to keep strikers and unionists out of factories. (The Homestead Strike)

- used as guards in coal, iron, and lumber disputes in Illinois, Michigan, NY, Pa.

Pinkerton Agents

- used to infiltrate unions and to keep strikers and unionists out of factories. (The Homestead Strike)

- used as guards in coal, iron, and lumber disputes in Illinois, Michigan, NY, Pa.

The Corporate “Bully-Boys”:

PinkertonAgents

The Corporate “Bully-Boys”:

PinkertonAgents

Management vs. Labor

Management vs. Labor

““Tools” of Tools” of ManagementManagement

““Tools” of Tools” of LaborLabor

““scabs”scabs”

P. R. campaignP. R. campaign

PinkertonsPinkertons

lockoutlockout

blacklistingblacklisting

yellow-dog yellow-dog contractscontracts

court injunctionscourt injunctions

open shopopen shop

boycottsboycotts

sympathy sympathy demonstrationsdemonstrations

informational informational picketingpicketing

closed shopsclosed shops

organized organized strikesstrikes

““wildcat” strikeswildcat” strikes

A Striker Confronts a SCAB!

A Striker Confronts a SCAB!

• Trade UnionTrade Union—group of workers —group of workers organized principally for the organized principally for the purpose of increasing wages and purpose of increasing wages and improving conditionsimproving conditions

• Craft UnionCraft Union—union that admits —union that admits only workers of a particular trade, only workers of a particular trade, skill, or occupationskill, or occupation

Video: Union OrganizationVideo: Union Organization

Video: Union OrganizationVideo: Union Organization

The Knights of Labor

The Knights of Labor Founded secretly in 1869 by

Uriah Stephens Grouped workers by industry, not by trade or skill Women and African Americans allowed membership

Chinese excluded

Goals of the Knights of Labor

Goals of the Knights of Laborù 88 hour workday. hour workday.

ù Use Use arbitrationarbitration instead of strikes instead of strikes

ù WorkerWorker-owned factories.-owned factories.

ù Abolition of child and Abolition of child and prisonprison labor. labor.

ù Increased circulation of Increased circulation of greenbacksgreenbacks..

ù Equal pay for men and Equal pay for men and womenwomen..

ù Safety codesSafety codes in the workplace. in the workplace.

ù Prohibited hiring Prohibited hiring foreignforeign labor. labor.

Haymarket Riot (1886)

- May 4th 1886

- 3,000 people in Chicago protest killing

of striker at harvester plant by police

- bomb tossed, police open fired.

- 7 officers & several strikers killed

- Result: Public turns against labor movement

Haymarket Riot (1886)

- May 4th 1886

- 3,000 people in Chicago protest killing

of striker at harvester plant by police

- bomb tossed, police open fired.

- 7 officers & several strikers killed

- Result: Public turns against labor movement

Haymarket Riot (1886)

Haymarket Riot (1886)

McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.

Governor John Peter Altgeld

- Gov. of Illinois: Criticized because he pardoned 3 men convicted of bombing

Governor John Peter Altgeld

- Gov. of Illinois: Criticized because he pardoned 3 men convicted of bombing

The American Federation

of Labor: 1886

The American Federation

of Labor: 1886

Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers

How the AF of L Would Help the

Workers

How the AF of L Would Help the

Workersù favored the favored the skilledskilled worker. worker.

ù Maintained a national strike fund.Maintained a national strike fund.

ù Evangelized the cause of unionism.Evangelized the cause of unionism.

ù Prevented disputes among the many Prevented disputes among the many craft unions.craft unions.

ù Mediated disputes between Mediated disputes between management and labormanagement and labor.. (Called (Called collective bargaining)collective bargaining)

ù Pushed for Pushed for closedclosed shops. shops.

A “Compa

nyTown”:

Pullman, IL

A “Compa

nyTown”:

Pullman, IL

The Pullman Strike of 1894 - 3,000 workers laid off

- wage decrease 25-50%

- workers went on strike

- Pullman hires strikebreakers (scabs)

- Violence breaks out

- Pres. Cleveland send in troops

- striking workers were fired or blacklisted

The Pullman Strike of 1894 - 3,000 workers laid off

- wage decrease 25-50%

- workers went on strike

- Pullman hires strikebreakers (scabs)

- Violence breaks out

- Pres. Cleveland send in troops

- striking workers were fired or blacklisted

The Pullman Strike of 1894

The Pullman Strike of 1894

President Grover Cleveland

President Grover Cleveland

If it takes the entire army and navy to If it takes the entire army and navy to deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card deliver a postal card in Chicago, that card

will be delivered!will be delivered!

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory

1911 in 1911 in NYCNYC – Fire in clothing factory – All – Fire in clothing factory – All doors locked except one – doors locked except one – 146146 women die – women die – owners acquitted of owners acquitted of manslaughtermanslaughter – public – public outraged – NY creates task force to study outraged – NY creates task force to study working conditionsworking conditions

Triangle Shirtwaist FireVideo ClipVideo Clip

The SocialistsThe Socialists

Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs

Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926)–One of the leaders of the

IWW–5 time Socialist Party

candidate for President of the U.S. •Socialists believe that the means of production should be owned by the workers, not the rich minority

International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)

International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)

“Big Bill” Haywood of the

IWW

“Big Bill” Haywood of the

IWW

Violence was justified to Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.overthrow capitalism.

The Hand That Will Rule the World One

Big Union

The Hand That Will Rule the World One

Big Union

Mother Jones: “The Miner’s Angel”

Mother Jones: “The Miner’s Angel”

Mary HarrisMary Harris..

Organizer for theOrganizer for theUnited MineUnited MineWorkersWorkers..

Founded the Founded the SocialSocialDemocratic Party Democratic Party in 1898.in 1898.

1903, led 80 mill 1903, led 80 mill children to home children to home of of T. Roosevelt T. Roosevelt demanding child demanding child labor laws.labor laws.

Labor Union MembershipLabor Union Membership

Workers Benefits Today

Workers Benefits Today

Right-to-Work States Today

Right-to-Work States Today

SourceDoc Wells – Hickory Ridge HS, NC

Susan M. Pojer -Horace Greeley HS, NY

SourceDoc Wells – Hickory Ridge HS, NC

Susan M. Pojer -Horace Greeley HS, NY