Labor Unions Objective 5.03: Assess the impact of labor unions on industry and the lives of workers.

The Problem Employers get rich while workers can barely survive on their low wages Long hours (12 hour shifts) 6 days a week in hot, dark and dirty factories Dangerous work Injuries were common due to improper training and faulty equipment Poor ventilation and loud machines

Sweatshops The worst working environment Employed thousands of people Worked for long hours on machines Productivity was ensured through strict regulations Clock in and out, even for break time Workers were fined for breaking rules or working slowly

Child Labor Since both parents worked the children worked in factories to stay out of trouble Allowed children to make money and the family needed the money Had some of the most dangerous jobs…climb into machines and fix them Stunted physical and mental growth Eventually child labor laws were passed

Company Towns Owned by the business and rented to employees Some employees were forced to live in these isolated communities Company controlled the company store where employees had to buy their goods…expensive Company wages pay the company rent and other bills Wage slavery

Complaints from workers fall on deaf ears of the employer Labor Union Forms Complaints from workers fall on deaf ears of the employer See the complaints as a threat to their business Government is on the side of the employer/business Workers tried to gain more power by using collective bargaining (negotiating as a group for higher wages and better working conditions) Use strikes (refuse to work) to make their point

The Knights of Labor Accepted skilled or unskilled workers (trade union) Actively recruited African Americans Encouraged boycotts and strikes as worker tactics Promoted social reform

American Federation of Labor Formed by Samuel Gompers a craft union (from a specific craft or skill) Aimed to increase wages, lower working hours and better working conditions Wanted closed shops in which workers had to join the union to be hired Did not accept women or AA

Tactics Used by Employees: Strike Collective bargaining Mediation: negotiate with employer Arbitration: having a third party decide for the union and employer…the last hope Used by Employers: Lockout: lockout employees until they agree to terms Scabs: temporary workers to replace workers who strike Injunction: court order to stop a strike Blacklist: list of workers who supported labor unions…kept from employment Yellow dog contract: employee promises to not join a union in order to get hired

The Great Strike Workers response to cuts in wages A nationwide strike Would not allow the train to move until wages were increased National Guard was called in, killed 10 strikers

Haymarket Riot Workers strike for an 8 hour day Fights broke out and police were called A radical threw a bomb that killed a policeman and dozens of others Radicals are tried and executed Result: Americans are fearful of labor unions, Knight of Labor are blamed for the violence and their membership declines

Homestead Strike Workers were striking against a wage cut at a Carnegie Steel plant Pinkerton’s ( successful at breaking up strikes) are called into break up the strike, kill several strikers in a two week standoff

Pullman Strike George Pullman reduced wages at his luxury railcar factory but did not lower rent within the company town Workers that tried to negotiate were fired Ask the American Railway Union under Eugene Debs to help in their strike…entire RR went on strike Railroad traffic stops Luxury cars are not needed if RR’s are not moving President Cleveland ordered (injunction) the strike to end…Debs was arrested Proof that the government favored business over employees