Labor’s Response Labor’s Response to Industrialism to Industrialism

Working ClassWorking Class

Society begins to divide into two unequal Society begins to divide into two unequal groups based on wealth and powergroups based on wealth and power

Working class includes : Men, Women Working class includes : Men, Women and Childrenand Children

Treated like parts of the “machinery”Treated like parts of the “machinery” 6 days/10 hours a day or More6 days/10 hours a day or More Earned $1 a dayEarned $1 a day

Division of Labor~Division of Labor~ Factory system relied on thisFactory system relied on this Production divided into separate tasks, Production divided into separate tasks,

with one task assigned to each worker. with one task assigned to each worker. Efficiency Efficiency Hazardous Conditions: Deaths, toxic gas Hazardous Conditions: Deaths, toxic gas

and dustand dust Sweat Shops- constant threat of Sweat Shops- constant threat of

diseases-such as tuberculosisdiseases-such as tuberculosis Lose job if protestedLose job if protested

Child LaborChild Labor

Families couldn’t surviveFamilies couldn’t survive Children earned less then Adults- Children earned less then Adults-

expected to do the same amountexpected to do the same amount Some states enforced age laws usually Some states enforced age laws usually

14 yrs-companies ignored 14 yrs-companies ignored 6 year olds-worked in cotton mills, 8 year 6 year olds-worked in cotton mills, 8 year

olds-worked in coal minesolds-worked in coal mines

Unsanitary Living Unsanitary Living ConditionsConditions

Slums-Heavily populated parts of a city Slums-Heavily populated parts of a city marked by filth and squalormarked by filth and squalor

Tenements- run down apartment Tenements- run down apartment buildings of four to six stories, usually 4 buildings of four to six stories, usually 4 families on each floorfamilies on each floor

Labor Labor

Living conditions and work conditions Living conditions and work conditions were horriblewere horrible

Worst part as economy slumped so do Worst part as economy slumped so do workers payworkers pay

Workers could not bargain with Workers could not bargain with employers or seek help from the employers or seek help from the governmentgovernment

Workers UniteWorkers Unite

Labor Unions- group of workers organized to Labor Unions- group of workers organized to protect the interests of its membersprotect the interests of its members

3 Goals= 3 Goals= High wages, shorter hours, and High wages, shorter hours, and better working conditionsbetter working conditions

Power~ threats of strikesPower~ threats of strikes Strike- labor action in which workers simply Strike- labor action in which workers simply

refuse to go to work. ~easily shut down refuse to go to work. ~easily shut down factories, railroads, or mines. factories, railroads, or mines.

Difficult Start for National Difficult Start for National Labor OrganizationsLabor Organizations

Smaller unions join together to create large Smaller unions join together to create large “national labor federation”- union in which they “national labor federation”- union in which they sought 8 hour work day, poor leadership led to sought 8 hour work day, poor leadership led to collapse in 1872collapse in 1872

““Yellow-dog contracts”- written pledges not to Yellow-dog contracts”- written pledges not to join a union ~ not hired unless you signjoin a union ~ not hired unless you sign

Black Lists- Union members and organizers Black Lists- Union members and organizers are refused to be hired.are refused to be hired.

Common Goals, Different Common Goals, Different StrategiesStrategies

Knights of Labor- 8 hr work/day, equal Knights of Labor- 8 hr work/day, equal pay, education for working class, Abolish pay, education for working class, Abolish child laborchild labor

American Federation of Labor- increase American Federation of Labor- increase wages, improved working conditions, limit wages, improved working conditions, limit work hrs, recognition of AFLwork hrs, recognition of AFL

Industrial Workers of the World- one Industrial Workers of the World- one single union, overthrow capitalismsingle union, overthrow capitalism

Socialism- Political theory that advocates Socialism- Political theory that advocates ownership of the means of production ownership of the means of production such as factories and farms, by the such as factories and farms, by the people rather than by capitalists and people rather than by capitalists and landowners.landowners.

Collective Bargaining- Negotiations Collective Bargaining- Negotiations between employers and employee between employers and employee representatives by concerning wages, representatives by concerning wages, working conditions, and other terms of working conditions, and other terms of employment.employment.

Railroad Strike of 1877Railroad Strike of 1877 Government - Laissez-Faire (hands-off)Government - Laissez-Faire (hands-off) Workers starved, children died, rage boilsWorkers starved, children died, rage boils Railroads slash wagesRailroads slash wages 1877 workers in WV strike – Nation wide1877 workers in WV strike – Nation wide Half the nations railways shut downHalf the nations railways shut down Rutherford B Hayes- Calls Army-used Rutherford B Hayes- Calls Army-used

federal troops to restore order and get federal troops to restore order and get trains rolling again (1trains rolling again (1stst time) time)

Destruction of Union DepotDestruction of Union Depot

Haymarket AffairHaymarket Affair May 4, 1886- May 4, 1886-

Haymarket square in Haymarket square in ChicagoChicago

Began as a rally for Began as a rally for support of workerssupport of workers

Homestead strikeHomestead strike June 30, 1892- June 30, 1892-

Homestead, PAHomestead, PA Carnegie steel and Carnegie steel and

Association of Iron Association of Iron and Steel workers and Steel workers (AA)(AA)

Pullman StrikePullman Strike

May 11, 1894 - May 11, 1894 - Pullman Palace Car Pullman Palace Car Company, walk out.Company, walk out.

Government Favors Government Favors Owners over workersOwners over workers

Heroes of the Heroes of the Labor Labor MovementMovement

Rose SchneidermanRose Schneiderman

Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers

Mary Harris “mother” Mary Harris “mother” JonesJones

Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs

Rose SchneidermanRose Schneiderman devoted most of her time to the devoted most of her time to the

Women's Trade Union LeagueWomen's Trade Union League, , which she later called "the most which she later called "the most important influence on my life." important influence on my life." Within a year, she was elected Within a year, she was elected vice-president of the New York vice-president of the New York chapter, and thanks to a stipend chapter, and thanks to a stipend provided by a member, she was provided by a member, she was able to work full-time organizing able to work full-time organizing for the WTUL. for the WTUL.

After the Triangle Shirtwaist After the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, she helped Factory Fire, she helped established theestablished the International Ladies Garment W International Ladies Garment Workers Unionorkers Union and led its 1913 strike. and led its 1913 strike. Determined to outlaw sweatshop Determined to outlaw sweatshop labor, she told New Yorkers, "I labor, she told New Yorkers, "I would be a traitor to those poor would be a traitor to those poor burned bodies if I came here to burned bodies if I came here to talk good fellowship. . . . Every talk good fellowship. . . . Every year thousands of us are year thousands of us are maimed. The life of men and maimed. The life of men and women is so cheap and property women is so cheap and property is so sacred." is so sacred."

Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers

Started as a cigar maker Started as a cigar maker and local union leader in and local union leader in NYCNYC

American Federation of American Federation of Labor – president for 40 Labor – president for 40 yearsyears

Favored cooperation Favored cooperation over strikes and resisted over strikes and resisted efforts to introduce efforts to introduce socialist ideas into the socialist ideas into the AFLAFL

Mary Harris “mother” Mary Harris “mother” JonesJones

Helped coal miners, Helped coal miners, textile workers, and textile workers, and other form unionsother form unions

““Hell-Raiser”Hell-Raiser”

Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs

Locomotive firemanLocomotive fireman Helped found the Helped found the

American Railway Union American Railway Union and the Industrial and the Industrial Workers of the WorldWorkers of the World

Ran for president as Ran for president as member of Socialist member of Socialist Party of America (5X), Party of America (5X), last time while in prisonlast time while in prison