The Labor Movement Chapter 5 in Gateway Chapter

The Labor Movement Chapter 5 in Gateway Chapter 6 -3 in The Americans

I. Problems Faced by Industrial Workers A. Impersonal conditions, boring, repetitive tasks B. Long work days C. Low wages / periodic unemployment

D. Dangerous conditions / No workers’ compensation E. Lack of opportunity for advancement F. Child Labor

II. The First National Labor Unions A. Knights of Labor 1. Terrence Powderly 2. skilled and unskilled workers 3. women & minorities welcomed as members 4. collapsed shortly after Haymarket Riot

B. American Federation of Labor (AFL) 1. a federation of different unions of skilled workers 2. Samuel Gompers 3. focused on improving conditions and raising wages 4. hostile to immigration 5. most member unions refused women or African Americans

III. Milestones of Early Labor Movement: In the early days of the labor movement, public attitudes and government officials were often hostile to labor. A. Haymarket Riot (1886) 1. After an explosion during a demonstration in Haymarket Square, labor leaders were arrested and put on trial.

2. Four were hanged. 3. In the public mind, the labor movement became associated with violence and anarchism.

B. Homestead Strike (1892) 1. Carnegie and Frick decided to “break” the union and locked out workers from Homestead Steelworks when they failed to negotiate a new contract. 2. Workers went on strike, surrounded the mill with picket lines, and defeated Pinkertons in the pitched battle. 3. The state militia was called out to protect the plants, and Frick sent in strike breakers. (“scabs”) 4. Workers gave in, ending unionization in steel mills.

C. Pullman Strike (1894) 1. Pullman workers went on strike when Pullman lowered wages but not prices in his company town. 2. Eugene Debs’ American Railway Union joined in sympathy and would not work on Pullman cars, bringing trains in the west to a standstill. 3. President Cleveland sent in federal troops to end the strike.

IV. Advantages of Labor Unions A. Collective Bargaining: Workers act together in negotiating new contracts for higher wages and better working conditions.

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B. Mutual Aid Society: Save money for emergencies C. Strikes: Workers walk off their jobs and picket the factory or workplace D. “Closed Shop”: Only union members can work there

V. Tactics of Management A. Lockout: Closing down a factory or mill so that workers cannot work there B. Strike-breakers (“scabs”): Temporary workers who fill jobs during a strike, often from a different ethnic group than most of the strikers

These people are on strike and a scab is “breaking the picket line” to go in and work.

C. Black-listing: Circulating names of fired employees to other employers D. “Yellow-Dog” contract: Forcing workers to sign an agreement not to unionize E. Pinkertons: Private detectives used to break up strikes F. Injunction: A court order to end a strike

VI. Ideologies of the Industrial Age A. Ideology: A system of beliefs about society

B. Capitalism: Market-based economic system in which individuals or corporations privately own the means of production C. Socialism: Ideology in favor of government ownership of the means of production to improve conditions for workers

D. Anarchism: A radical political theory opposing all forms of government in favor of self-governing communities E. Social Darwinism: Belief that humans, like other forms of life, compete for survival and that those who are naturally superior will meet with the greatest success

1. How does this relate to Labor Unions? 2. What could the big fish represent? 3. What happens if you don’t organize?