Unit VI – A Unit VI – A Growing AmericaGrowing America

Chapter 19Chapter 19Section 3 – Industrial WorkersSection 3 – Industrial Workers

Industrial WorkersIndustrial WorkersThe Big Idea

Changes in the workplace led to a rise in labor unions and workers’ strikes.

Main Ideas

• The desire to maximize profits and become more efficient led to poor working conditions.

• Workers began to organize and demand improvements in working conditions and pay.

• Labor strikes often turned violent and failed to accomplish their goals.

Main Idea 1:Main Idea 1:The desire to maximize The desire to maximize

profits and become more profits and become more efficient led to poor efficient led to poor working conditions.working conditions.

Several factors led to a decline in the quality of working conditions in the late 1800s. Machines and unskilled workers replaced skilled

craftspeople.

These low-paid workers could easily be replaced. They brought costs down and caused production to rise.

Frederick W. Taylor, an efficiency expert, published The Principles of Scientific Management in 1909. Encouraged managers to view workers as interchangeable

parts

Injuries increased, and conditions worsened.

Workers looked for ways to bring about change.

Maximizing Profits and Maximizing Profits and EfficiencyEfficiency

Why did factories focus Why did factories focus on specialization?on specialization?

How did machines lead How did machines lead to a decrease in jobs?to a decrease in jobs?

Poor Working ConditionsPoor Working Conditions Small, crowded rooms

Specialization made workers tired, bored, and more likely to be injured.

Managers paid less attention to working conditions.

Stuffy air

Unsafe workplaces

Long hours

Low wages

No job security

Workers begin to Workers begin to OrganizeOrganize 1800’s- Laissez-faire attitude- little concern for workers (scraping 1800’s- Laissez-faire attitude- little concern for workers (scraping

by for less than $500/year)by for less than $500/year) Factory workers- 12-16 hour days, six (some seven) days a week, Factory workers- 12-16 hour days, six (some seven) days a week,

bad light, poor ventilation, and women and children make up 1/2 bad light, poor ventilation, and women and children make up 1/2 the work force.the work force.

No sick leave, no vacations, unemployment compensation or No sick leave, no vacations, unemployment compensation or reimbursement for injuries on the job.reimbursement for injuries on the job.

1882-1882- average of 675 laborers injured per week.average of 675 laborers injured per week. Wages so low all family members had to work.Wages so low all family members had to work. Kids gave up their futures to help the family survive.Kids gave up their futures to help the family survive. Horrible conditions.Horrible conditions. Sweatshops paid the worst- $.27 per day for a child working 14 Sweatshops paid the worst- $.27 per day for a child working 14

hourshours 1899- Women- $267/yr., Men- $498/yr.; Carnege $23 million with no 1899- Women- $267/yr., Men- $498/yr.; Carnege $23 million with no

income tax.income tax.

Knights of Labor

• First national labor union, founded in 1870s

• Pushed for eight-hour workday, equal pay for equal work, and end to child labor

• Included both skilled and unskilled workers

• Terence V. Powderly became leader in 1879 and ended secrecy of organization.

Main Idea 2:Main Idea 2: Workers began to organize and Workers began to organize and

demand improvements in working demand improvements in working conditions and pay.conditions and pay.

American Federation of Labor

• Organized individual national unions, such as mine-workers’ and steelworkers’ unions

• Limited membership to skilled workers

• Used collective bargaining, in which all workers acted collectively, or together, to negotiate with management

Trade UnionsTrade Unions 1842- 1842- Commonwealth v. HuntCommonwealth v. Hunt- - Supreme Supreme

Court decision that Unions were just as legal as Court decision that Unions were just as legal as any other club organized to help members.any other club organized to help members.

1866- 1866- National Labor UnionNational Labor Union- - ironworkers- ironworkers- got the 8 hour workday. Open only to skilled got the 8 hour workday. Open only to skilled workers.workers.

Trade UnionsTrade Unions 1869- 1869- Noble Order of the Knights of Noble Order of the Knights of

LaborLabor Open to all workers regardless of race, gender, Open to all workers regardless of race, gender,

or degree of skill.or degree of skill. Supported the 8 hour work day, end of child Supported the 8 hour work day, end of child

labor and equal pay for men and women.labor and equal pay for men and women. Strike was a last resort only,preferred Strike was a last resort only,preferred

boycotts.boycotts.

Trade UnionsTrade Unions Socialism and IWW- 1905- Socialism and IWW- 1905- Industrial Industrial

Workers of the World- “Wobblies”.Workers of the World- “Wobblies”. Miners, lumberers, cannery and dock Miners, lumberers, cannery and dock workers. Wanted government control of workers. Wanted government control of businesses, property and equal businesses, property and equal distribution of wealth.distribution of wealth.

Craft UnionsCraft Unions

American American Federation of Federation of LaborLabor Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers Skilled workers from Skilled workers from

one or more trades.one or more trades. Collective bargainingCollective bargaining ““Bread and Butter”- Bread and Butter”-

shorter hours, better shorter hours, better conditions, better conditions, better pay.pay.

Successful strikes.Successful strikes.

Workers OrganizeWorkers Organize

What were two important What were two important labor unions in the late labor unions in the late 1800’s?1800’s?

Why did collective Why did collective bargaining give workers a bargaining give workers a greater chance of success?greater chance of success?

Haymarket Riot

• Erupted between protesters and police in Chicago

• Resulted in decline of Knights of Labor

Homestead Strike

• Strike occurred at Carnegie Steel Company in Homestead, Pennsylvania.

• Resulting fight left workers and Pinkerton guards dead.

Main Idea 3:Main Idea 3: Labor strikes often turned Labor strikes often turned

violent and failed to violent and failed to accomplish their goals.accomplish their goals.

Pullman Strike

• Began with workers who made Pullman train cars

• Spread to workers who worked on trains pulling sleeping cars

• Federal troops stopped strike.

Labor ProblemsLabor Problems 1886- Haymarket Affair- 1886- Haymarket Affair-

Chicago- The International Chicago- The International Working People's Association Working People's Association organize a meeting May 4th, organize a meeting May 4th, 1886 in Haymarket Square, 1886 in Haymarket Square, ChicagoChicago Wage cuts, workers gather at Wage cuts, workers gather at

Haymarket square to protest.Haymarket square to protest. Bomb thrown, 11 dead, 100 Bomb thrown, 11 dead, 100

wounded. wounded. Public turns on labor.Public turns on labor. 8 anarchist leaders are 8 anarchist leaders are

arrested, yet 7 were not at arrested, yet 7 were not at the meeting and one was the meeting and one was speaking at the time of the speaking at the time of the bomb. 4 were hung.bomb. 4 were hung.

Homestead Strike 1892Homestead Strike 1892

Andrew Carnege left Henry Clay Andrew Carnege left Henry Clay Frick in charge of Homestead Frick in charge of Homestead Steel while he was in Scotland.Steel while he was in Scotland.

Frick refused to negotiate with Frick refused to negotiate with union on new contract and union on new contract and eventually locked the entire eventually locked the entire work force out.work force out.

Frick hires 300 strike breaking Frick hires 300 strike breaking “Pinkertons”.“Pinkertons”.

No one knows who fired the No one knows who fired the first shot, but the detectives first shot, but the detectives opened fire on the crowd and opened fire on the crowd and wounded several workers.wounded several workers.

Labor ProblemsLabor Problems 1892- Homestead Strike- 1892- Homestead Strike-

Homestead, Pennsylvania.Homestead, Pennsylvania. The battle lasted from 4 a.m. on The battle lasted from 4 a.m. on

July 6 until 5 p.m., with workers July 6 until 5 p.m., with workers finally agreeing to the surrender of finally agreeing to the surrender of the Pinkertons. Three Pinkertons the Pinkertons. Three Pinkertons and seven workers died and many and seven workers died and many more were wounded in the fight.more were wounded in the fight.

The national guard was eventually The national guard was eventually called in called in

The union was broken, Carnege The union was broken, Carnege and Frick win. There would be no and Frick win. There would be no steel workers union for 45 years. steel workers union for 45 years.

Labor ProblemsLabor Problems 1893-94- Pullman Company 1893-94- Pullman Company

StrikeStrike.. Laid off 3,000 of 5,800 workers Laid off 3,000 of 5,800 workers

and cut the wages of the rest by and cut the wages of the rest by 50%.50%.

Eugene V. Debs organizes the Eugene V. Debs organizes the American Railway Union (ARU)American Railway Union (ARU)

Union asks for arbitration- Union asks for arbitration- Pullman refuses and Union Pullman refuses and Union workers boycott Pullman trains.workers boycott Pullman trains.

Pullman hires strikebreakers Pullman hires strikebreakers Pres. Cleveland sends in troops- Pres. Cleveland sends in troops-

strike threatens US mail.strike threatens US mail. Strikers fired or blacklistedStrikers fired or blacklisted

Labor StrikesLabor Strikes

What were union members What were union members protesting during the Homestead protesting during the Homestead Strike?Strike?

Did the Haymarket Riot help or Did the Haymarket Riot help or hurt the labor movement?hurt the labor movement?

Do you think strikes are an Do you think strikes are an effective and appropriate way to effective and appropriate way to handle labor disputes?handle labor disputes?

Pullman Railroad strike of Pullman Railroad strike of 18941894

"About the only difference between "About the only difference between slavery at Pullman and what it was down slavery at Pullman and what it was down South before the war, is that there the South before the war, is that there the owners took care of the slaves when they owners took care of the slaves when they were sick and here they don't."were sick and here they don't."

At the Pullman factory, employees lived At the Pullman factory, employees lived in the company town, much like slaves in the company town, much like slaves lived on the plantations where they lived on the plantations where they worked. Pullman residents lived in worked. Pullman residents lived in constant fear of their employer. constant fear of their employer.

Residents felt that the company had Residents felt that the company had taken over every aspect of their life, and taken over every aspect of their life, and had taken their identity in the process.had taken their identity in the process.

The company cut wages a number of The company cut wages a number of times in the 1880s and '90s, but failed to times in the 1880s and '90s, but failed to reduce the rent in the company owned reduce the rent in the company owned housing.housing.

Federal troops were called in to keep the Federal troops were called in to keep the trains moving and to break the strike, trains moving and to break the strike, prompting violence and looting in prompting violence and looting in Chicago.Chicago.