1. The Rise of Labor Unions

2. The Rich v. The Poor
By 1890, the richest 9% of the of Americans held nearly 75% of the national wealth
Many workers began to resent the lavish lifestyles of their rich owners, and began to organize in an effort to establish a better work system

3. What Did Workers Want?
Regardless of the type of Union formed, workers generally wanted:
Shorter workdays
Higher wages
Better working conditions
An end to child labor

4. How to enact change?
Election process of getting people sympathetic to the worker’s cause elected to government positions
Collective-Bargaining negotiations between workers and employers to avoid confrontation
Boycott products of employers that aren’t sympathetic to worker’s needs
Organize strikes in which workers refused to go to work, stopped production, or otherwise disrupted the economic process

5. Examples of Unions National Trades Union The Knights of Labor
The American Federation of Labor

6. How Did Employers React?
Many forbid union meetings on-site, fired union organizers, did not hire those who would join unions “yellow dog” contracts, and did not participate in negotiations

7. Why didn’t early Unions work?

8. Strikes
The Great Railroad Strike 1877
Wage cuts of up to 10%, and the running of double-engine trains (with double the cars) led workers in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri to walk off the job and block others from fulfilling the job duties
When the strikes turned violent, the Baltimore and Ohio RR Company asked for federal assistance

9. The Great Railroad Strike 1877
Pres. Hayes sent federal troops to Pittsburg to stop the violence, killing and wounding many
Strikers caused over $5 million dollars of damage as federal troops halted the strike
Defined the federal governments role as a strike-breaker and supporter of the employer over the employee

10. Haymarket Strike 1886
National strike of all workers calling for an hour workday
In Chicago’s Haymarket Square, during a demonstration, a bomb was exploded in police formation
A riot broke out, and dozens were killed
Four anarchists were hung
The public began to associate Unions with violence and anarchy and radicalism

11. Homestead Strike 1892 Carnegie Steel cut wages in Homestead, PA
Henry Frick called in the Pinkerton Police to kill strike leaders before the strikes could take place, and in retaliation, strikers attempted to assassinate Frick
Again, the public decried strikes and denounced Unions as violent

12. Pullman Strike 1894
Pullman built his own town to house workers for his railroad, and though ideal in many ways, some workers found the rules too restrictive (ban on alcohol..)
When the economy slowed, workers were laid-off, though rents and prices in the town remained the same, further angering those that lived there

13. The courts now support owners as well
Pullman Strike 1894
Workers organized a strike of workers and a boycott of Pullman Railroads, and even tried to stop the railroads from running their routes
The federal courts ruled the act of interfering with the railroad system illegal, as it disrupted federal mail being delivered
The courts now support owners as well

14. Immigration

15. What is a Migration?
to move from one country, place, or locality to another

16. What is an Immigrant?
a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence
immigrated to the United States from China

17. What is an Emigrant?
a person who leaves one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere
emigrated from China to the United States