Strikes Turn Violent Industry and government responded forcibly to union activity, which they saw as a threat to the entire capitalist system

Brain Stretcher Why do you think industry leaders and some government officials thought unions were a threat to the capitalist system? Do you agree with them?

The Great Strike of 1877 July, 1877: Workers for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) had their wages cut for the second time in 2 months In response, they went on strike. Their stoppage halted freight and passenger traffic covering 50,000 miles of track for a week. This disrupted interstate commerce forcing President Rutherford B. Hayes to intervene- calling in federal troops. President Hayes’ move ended the strike. The impact of the strike soon spread to other labor leaders to continue pressing for change

The Haymarket Affair May 3, 1886: A striker at the McCormick Harvester plant was killed and several wounded. May 4, 1886: 3,000 people gathered in Chicago’s Haymarket Square to protest police brutality. Rain started at 10 am. The crowd was leaving when police arrived. Someone tossed a bomb into the police line. Police fired upon workers. Seven officers and several workers died in the chaos.

Haymarket Affair No one know who threw the bomb into the police line. But 3 speakers, and 5 other radicals at the demonstration were charged with inciting a riot All 8 were convicted, 4 were hanged, 1 committed suicide This marked a turning point and the public began to turn against the labor movement.

Homestead Strike Violence and rising public anger did not turn workers away from striking. Carnegie Steel- June 29, 1892: Company President, Henry Clay Frick announced plan to cut wages. Fick hired armed guards (Pinkerton Detective Agency) to protect the plant to hire “scabs” (people hired to keep the plant operating during a strike) A battle ensued between the Guards and workers leaving at least 3 detectives and 9 workers dead. The steelworkers forced out the guards and kept the plant closed until the PA National Guard arrived on July 12.

Homestead Strike Cont. The strike continued until November But the damage was done: The union lost most of its support and gave in to the company. It would be 45 years before the steel workers unionized again.

The Pullman Company Strike Economic depression and Panic of 1893 forced Pullman to lay off more than 3,000 of its 5800 workers and cut wages by 25- 50% of those who remained. After paying rent, workers took home less than $6 per week The Strike began when the economy improved but the company didn’t increase the wages Debs and the ARU asked for arbitration but Pullman refused to negotiate.

Pullman continued… ARU began to boycott Pullman trains Pullman hired scabs to continue production causing the strike to turn violent. President Cleveland sent in federal troops to break the strike in order to keep the mail running Aftermath: Debs was jailed for his involvement Striking workers were fired and blacklisted from other companies- never allowed to work in railroad again

Women Organize Women were often banned from many unions, but did unite together. Demanded: better working conditions, equal pay for equal work, end to child labor Mary Harris Jones “Mother Jones”: Most prominent organizer of women Supported Strike of 1877 Organized the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) Endured death threats and jail time with miners 1903: led 80 children with severe work related injuries on a march to the home of FDR (helped pass child labor laws)

Women Organize cont… Pauline Newman: A garment worker from the age of 8 1909: At 16 yrs old, organized the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) Supported the “Uprising of the 20,000”- a seamstress’ strike that won labor agreements and improved working conditions As the result of a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, killing 126 women the public could no longer ignore working conditions in factories .