1. Labor Unions & Strikes
Aim: How does the rise of labor unions better the working conditions in the new industrialized America?

2. Wobblies View of the World
How do Wobblies view the capitalist economic system?

3. Less Radical—Labor Unions
Unions: improve working conditions (not overthrow the system)
Collective Bargaining
Strikes (last resort)
Best—national strike
Why was this appealing to workers?

4. Knights of Labor First important national union
Wanted to organize ALL workers: skilled, unskilled and of all backgrounds (no racial restrictions)
Set the example: negotiate, then strike if needed
Goals: 8 hour day; end of child labor
Lost influence after violent strikes

5. Other Unions American Federation of Labor (AFL):
Smaller local unions with a national organization
Wages, hours, conditions
Strikes, collective bargaining
Barred African-Americans
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
Wobblies
Socialists

6. Employers’ Reaction No Union Meetings Union organizers fired
Blacklisting
Yellow Dog contracts (Worker will not participate in a union)
Would not bargain collectively
Strikes met with violence

7. The Great Strikes
Haymarket Riot (1896)—8 hour workday (national strike); scabs hired in Chicago (fights); rally—bombing & gunfight btw. Police & strikers; Ill. Law: help with murder, then you are a murderer: 4 anarchists hanged for murder (one blew himself up in prison). Never determined who threw the bomb.
Homestead Strike (1892)—Carnegie Steelworkers called a strike (factory cut their wages) & were fired; management sent in “private” police force (fight with deaths); strike called off
Pullman Strike (1894): Company town; wages cut 25% (Panic of 1893); food prices in town NOT cut; Pullman fired three negotiators; strike; al RR traffic halted; strike ordered illegal because mail couldn’t get through

8. Collective Bargaining Activity
Miss. Zizzo & Mr. Ardis do not want these violent strikes to occur in our classroom.
We have decided to listen to negotiations to better YOUR working environment.
Take the role of a labor union and come up with a fair deal to present to us!
We will decide which deal is the fairest after hearing all proposals.

9. Aim: How does the rise of labor unions better the working conditions in the new industrialized America?
Do now: Sit in groups from yesterday. Take out “rough draft” of demands. Make sure you have a marker and a piece of chart paper.

10. Agenda For Today and Tomorrow
Get into groups from yesterday
Discuss and assign group roles
Generate a preamble and list of demands for your group
Present initial list of demands to the class
Class vote on demands
Negotiations with management over final demands
Generate a final contract
Group work rubric

11. Group Roles
Negotiator: You will represent your group during negotiations with management (teachers). You must be able to speak clearly on the issues with minimal notes and preparation
Union Leader: You will facilitate and organize your groups discussion. You must be able to focus on the task and take the job seriously. You must be able to keep team members on task.
Recorder: You will be responsible for recording your groups demands.
Presenters: You will present your groups initial demands to the class to be voted on.