1. Chapter 19, Section 3 Industrial Workers

2. Decline of Working Conditions
Machines run by unskilled workers were eliminating the jobs of many skilled craftspeople
Low paid workers could be easily replaced
Specialization made workers tired, bored and more likely to be injured

3. Knights of Labor
Who? – members included all factory workers (skilled and unskilled); founded by Terence Powderly
What? – first national labor union which pushed for equal work, end to child labor, and govt. regulation of trusts
When? – 1870s
Where? – US (cities)
Why important? – first national attempt to improve working conditions for industrial workers
POWDERLY
EMPLOYER
SCAB
GOSPEL OF THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR:
“We work not selfishly alone, but
extend the hand of fellowship to all
mankind” -- Terence Powderly

4. American Federation of Labor
Who? – members included skilled workers only; founded by Samuel Gompers
What? – early national labor union that linked smaller crafts unions for different trades together into one national organization
When? – late 1800s
Where? – US (cities)
Why Important? – tried to get skilled workers better working conditions, hours, and working conditions

5. Collective Bargaining
Who? – workers and management
What? – workers get to negotiate with management as a group instead of individually to hopefully improve their working conditions
When? – began in late 1800s
Where? – US
Why Important? –
Private sector workers have this right.
Should public workers, too?

6. Mary Harris Jones
She was an Irish immigrant who became a well-known speaker for workers rights
She was a dressmaker and after her husband and three children died of yellow fever and her workshop burned down she became an organizer for the Knights of Labor
Later she helped organize miners strikes and educate workers
She gained the nickname “Mother Jones” when she was still organizing workers well into her 60s

7. Haymarket Riot
Workers at the McCormack Harvester Company in Chicago went on strike for an 8 hour day
2 strikers were killed by police at the strike
The next day a workers rally was held to support the strike at Haymarket Square
A bomb exploded killing some police officers
The police opened fire on the people at the rally
People connected this kind of labor to the Knights of Labor, and membership in that union sharply declined

8. Homestead Strike
Workers at Andrew Carnegie’s steel mill at Homestead, PA protested a company plan to buy new machinery to cut jobs
The company hired strikebreakers to take the place of striking workers
The workers seized the plant and shot at the Pinkerton agents hired to take back the plant
The Governor of PA called in the state militia to restore order
Fighting took place for months, but the union was defeated

9. Pullman Strike
Workers in the company town for George Pullman’s railroad car factory went on strike
They were protesting the lay off of half of the workers and the lowering of pay for the remaining workers
Workers stopped traffic on railroad lines
Federal courts ordered workers to return to their jobs, but they refused
President Grover Cleveland sent federal troops to Chicago to stop the strike