14.4 Workers of the Nation Unite

Objectives:1. Describe the exploitation of workers, including women and children2. Summarize the emergence and growth of unions.3. Identify the various types of unions.4. Explain the violent reactions to industry and government to union strikes.

1

Impact of Industrialization

2

Urbanization

Long Work Hours and Dangerous Jobs

Children work too

Women’s roles change Delayed marriages Smaller families

Accentuated class division 1900: 1/10 of US owns 9/10 of US’s wealth 1900: 2/3 of Americans are “wage slaves”

Workers’ lives increasingly precarious

Workers’ Poor Conditions

3

Factories took the skill out of many positions

VERY dangerous 1882 – 675 laborers killed a

week RRs – 1 in 300

Many women and children worked to make ends meet

Children sacrificed their education

1899 – women earned $269 a year/men earned $498 That same year Carnegie

made $23 million!!

Knights of Labor

4

Collective effort needed to counter trusts

“An injury to one is the concern of all”

Founded as a secret society in 1868. Why?

Inclusive and Diverse: men and women white and black skilled and unskilled

Broad (utopian? Socialist?) goals

HURT by Haymarket Square riot, 1886, Chicago

Knights of LaborBlack delegate Frank J. Farrell introduces Terence V. Powderly, head of the Knights of Labor, at the organization's 1886 convention. The Knights were unusual in accepting both black and female workers. (Library of Congress)

5

1. The Knights of Labor were weakened by

a. Stiff competition from the National Labor Union

b. Its association in the public mind with the Haymarket riot

c. Its inclusion of both skilled and unskilled workers

American Federation of Labor

6

Skilled workers split from Knights of Labor 1886

AF of L was elitist, narrow in goals – not utopian

Led by Samuel Gompers used collective bargaining

Avoided politics and focused on union goals: Better wages Eight-hour day Better working conditions

AF of L successful in many of its strikes and in meeting many of its goals

7

KNIGHTS OF LABOR

AF of LABOR

8

What did the video yesterday show about the responses to labor action during this period of industrialization?

SOCIALISM AND THE IWW

9

Eugene V. Debs founds American Railway Union and opens it to all laborers

Debs embraces socialism

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) AKA Wobblies, organized by Debs for unskilled workers, socialist goals. Gave dignity and sense of

solidarity to unskilled workers barred from other groups

What is Socialism?

Why were people in favor of it?

STRIKES

10

HOMESTEAD STRIKE

1892

STEEL STRIKEProtest work

& living conditions

Pinkerton Detectives

protect scabs,Several deaths

US troops end it

WEAKENS LABOR

HAYMARKET AFFAIR

1886

Labor marchBomb thrown

Several deaths

8 Anarchists arrested

4 hanged, 1 suicide

PUBLIC TURNS AGAINST

LABOR

PULLMAN STRIKE1893

Pullman Comp. cuts wages

during Panic of 1893

Does not raise after ends

Workers strike

US troops end it

Debs arrestedWorkers

BlacklistedLABOR WEAK

GREAT STRIKE OF 1877

Railroad strikeParalyzed rail & commerce

Pres. Hayes Sent US troops

to end it

CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT

Strikes Turn Violent

11http://www.edteck.com/dbq/dbquest/quest11.htm

12

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

13

What were some of the problems that led to the death of 145 in the fire?

EFFECTS:

54-hour maximum work week for women and minors

Prohibition on Sunday work

Abolition of labor for children under 14

Women and Govt. in the labor movements

WOMEN GOVERNMENT

14

“Mother” Jones

Women began to organize labor movements

• Companies began to work to weaken unions.

• “Yellow Dog” contracts

• Claimed it hurt interstate commerce

• Public would become angry