the growth of the american labor movement

Labor Force Distribution

1870-1900

Labor Force Distribution

1870-1900

The Changing American

Labor Force

The Changing American

Labor Force

Child LaborChild Labor

The Molly Maguires(1875)

The Molly Maguires(1875)

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 contractsyellow-dog contracts

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!

The Major Unions

• National Labor Union (NLU)National Labor Union (NLU)

• Knights of LaborKnights of Labor

• American Federation of Labor American Federation of Labor

(AF of L)(AF of L)

Goals of the National Labor Union

• Equal rights for African Americans Equal rights for African Americans and womenand women

• Workers’ cooperatives (workers Workers’ cooperatives (workers owned and controlled the owned and controlled the businesses)businesses)

• Increased circulation of greenbacks Increased circulation of greenbacks to help relieve debtsto help relieve debts

• Eight hour work dayEight hour work day• Higher wagesHigher wages

Knights of LaborKnights of Labor

Terence V. PowderlyTerence V. Powderly

An injury to one is the concern of An injury to one is the concern of all!all!

Knights of LaborKnights of Labor

Knights of Labor trade cardKnights of Labor trade card

Goals of the Knights of Labor

Goals of the Knights of Laborù Eight-hour workday.Eight-hour workday.

ù Workers’ cooperatives.Workers’ cooperatives.

ù Worker-owned factories.Worker-owned factories.

ù Abolition of child and prison labor.Abolition of child and prison labor.

ù Increased circulation of greenbacks.Increased circulation of greenbacks.

ù Equal pay for men and women.Equal pay for men and women.

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

ù Prohibition of contract foreign labor.Prohibition of contract foreign labor.

ù Abolition of the National Bank.Abolition of the National Bank.

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 Catered to the skilled worker.Catered to the skilled worker.

ù Represented workers in matters of national Represented workers in matters of national legislation.legislation.

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 craft Prevented disputes among the many craft unions.unions.

ù Mediated disputes between management and Mediated disputes between management and labor.labor.

ù Pushed for Pushed for closed shopsclosed shops..

Labor Unrest: 1870-1900

Labor Unrest: 1870-1900

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Tournament of Today:

A Set-to Between Labor and Monopoly

The Tournament of Today:

A Set-to Between Labor and Monopoly

Anarchists Meet on the Lake Front in

1886

Anarchists Meet on the Lake Front in

1886

Haymarket Riot (1886)

Haymarket Riot (1886)

McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.

Haymarket MartyrsHaymarket Martyrs

Homestead Steel Strike

(1892)

Homestead Steel Strike

(1892)

The Amalgamated The Amalgamated Association of Association of

Iron & Steel WorkersIron & Steel Workers

Homestead Steel Homestead Steel WorksWorks

Big Corporate Profits!Big Corporate Profits!

Attempted Assassination!

Attempted Assassination!

Henry Clay FrickHenry Clay Frick

Alexander BerkmanAlexander Berkman

A “Compa

nyTown”:

Pullman, IL

A “Compa

nyTown”:

Pullman, IL

Pullman CarsPullman Cars

A Pullman porterA Pullman porter

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!



Government by injunction!Government by injunction!

The SocialistsThe Socialists

Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs

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 capitalismoverthrow capitalism..

I W W & the InternationaleI W W & the

Internationale

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 Harris.Mary Harris.

Organizer for theOrganizer for theUnited MineUnited MineWorkers.Workers.

Founded the SocialFounded the SocialDemocratic Party Democratic Party in 1898.in 1898.

One of the founding One of the founding members of the I. members of the I. W. W. in 1905.W. W. in 1905.

Lawrence, MA Strike: 1912


The “Bread & Roses” Strike

The “Bread & Roses” Strike

DEMANDS:DEMANDS:

ù 15¢/hr. wage increase.15¢/hr. wage increase.

ù Double pay for overtime.Double pay for overtime.

ù No discrimination against strikers.No discrimination against strikers.

ù An end to “speed-up” on the An end to “speed-up” on the assembly line.assembly line.

ù An end to discrimination againstAn end to discrimination againstforeign immigrant workers.foreign immigrant workers.

The “Formul

a”

The “Formul

a”

unions unions + violence + strikes + socialists + immigrants violence + strikes + socialists + immigrants = anarchists anarchists

Labor Union MembershipLabor Union Membership

“Solidarity Forever!”by Ralph Chapin (1915)

“Solidarity Forever!”by Ralph Chapin (1915)

When the union's inspiration When the union's inspiration through the workers‘ blood shall run, through the workers‘ blood shall run,There can be no power greater There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun; anywhere beneath the sun;Yet what force on earth is weaker Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, than the feeble strength of one,But the union makes us strong!But the union makes us strong!

CHORUS:CHORUS:Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,For the union For the union makes us strong! makes us strong!

Come On Come On and and

Sing Along!!Sing Along!!

Come On Come On and and

Sing Along!!Sing Along!!

“Solidarity Forever!”“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!


“Solidarity Forever!”“Solidarity Forever!” * * * *

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


Workers Benefits Today

Workers Benefits Today

The Rise & Decline of Organized Labor

The Rise & Decline of Organized Labor

Right-to-Work States Today

Right-to-Work States Today

Unionism & Globalization?

Unionism & Globalization?

the growth of the american labor movement

Documents

prison labor

labor unrest

ma strike

labor force distribution

labor trade cardgoals

national strike fund

represented workers

debsinternational workers