1. Big Business and Labor The Workplace, Strikes, and the Rise of Labor Unions Topic 1.3

2. Monopolies - exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices

3. Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1890 law banning any trust that restrained interstate trade or commerce
Interstate Commerce- movement of goods from one state to the other

4. The Workforce
Immigrants
Women
Children

5. Piece work
Paying factory workers for each finished product, rather than by a salary or hourly wage

6. Sweatshops
Long Hours, low wages, unsafe conditions

7. Division of labor
Breaking down jobs into small, simple, repetitive (and boring) parts

8. The Work Environment
Dirty
Dangerous
Long Hours

9. Children at Work Jacob Riis Work was very dangerous for kids
Explained the impact of factory work on children in his book Children of the poor
Work was very dangerous for kids
Dirty work environment led to health problems for kids
Children at Work

10. Kids couldn’t attend school
Families needed the money
Kids were paid less

11. People are tired of the Growing Gulf Between the Rich and the Poor
Karl Marx, Socialism/Communism– redistribution of wealth, public control of property

12. Rise of Labor Unions
Labor Union- Organization of workers formed to protect the interest of its members
Labor unions begin to form to protest worker wages, safety, and long hours

13. Knights of Labor Skilled and Un-skilled Workers, Women and Minorities
Farmers
Factory workers
Office workers
Equal pay for equal work
End child labor

14. American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Led by Samual Gompers
No Women
group of smaller craft unions, only allowed skilled labor
Most exclusive union

15. Wobblies Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) or Wobblies
Unskilled labor only
Most radical union

16. Eugene V. Debs – anti-violence labor activist Later became a socialist
Ran for President 5 times!

17. Reactions
Firing, forbidding, yellow dog contracts, (promised to never join a union or participate in a strike) refusing collective bargaining, refusing to recognize

18. Railroad Strike of 1877 First major strike!!
Prompted by wage cuts and increased safety hazards
Workers respond with violence
President Rutherford B Hays sends in Federal Troops

19. Haymarket Riot - 1886 National demonstration 8 hour day
Strikes in several cities
SCABS VS STRIKERS
Anarchists – gave speeches against “factory lords”
Violence erupts, strikers and police are killed
8 Anarchists are arrested, and four are hung

20. Homestead Strike – 1892
Strikers vs. Wage cuts in a Carnegie owned steel mill
Carnegie’s 2nd in Command (Henry Frick) cuts wages while Carnegie is out of the country

21. US Steel calls in the Pinkertons
A private police force known for their ability to break strikes
shootout ensues

22. Public sympathize with the strikers until the anarchists arrive and attempt to assassinate Frick
The public begins to associate unions and strike with anarchists and violence

23. Pullman Strike – 1894 Created luxury sleeping car
Larger than existing railroad cars
Pullman built a model city to attract the best workers
Company town
Owned by the business and rented out to employees
Wage cuts lead to protest
Strikes spread to the whole nation, disrupting the mail service

24. Pullman appeals to the Federal Government for help
Government helps because the strikers are interfering with the mail.
This sets the pattern of government response to strikes for years to come.