Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire What things in the

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire • What things in the video are now illegal? • How old were many of the workers? • What was the youngest worker that died? • What ways can conditions improve in factories?

Edward R. Murrow Corporation: A business of following order and getting work done right! Student Workers, The following changes have been made to our business and that you must obey: • 12 Hour School Day. • You are not allowed to sit. • No OPTAS • Your lunch break will be from 12: 00 -12: 15 p. m. Sincerely, Mr. Barge

Labor Unions- organization of workers who come together for the purposing of serving their interests • First union—workers same craft • Tried to join together workers of the same industry • Tried to bargain with owners, but if it did not work a strike was set up • Unions became strong political forces

Unions • Knights of Labor – 1869 – bring together all workers, including: • Blacks • Immigrants • Women – Did not believe in strikes. – Used rallies and meetings to win public support – Goals: • shorter work day (8 hours) • end child labor • equal pay for men and women • AFL- American Federation of Labor – 1886 – Admitted skilled workers into the community only – Workers joined through trade union (a union of people working in the same trade, example: typesetter’s union); the union then joined the AFL. – Goals: • higher wages • shorter hours • improved working conditions – Used collective bargaining Supported strikes to achieve its goals

Homestead Strike When: 1892 Where: Homestead, Pennsylvania Who: Steel plan owner: Andrew Carnegie, union steel workers, guards What happened: Union of steel workers refused to accept a wage reduction (decrease). Result: – Guards were called to protect the plant and replace workers – Fighting broke out between guards and strikers. – Many were killed. – After the governor called out the state militia, workers went back to work at lower wages, the union was crushed, and the unionization of the steel industry was hindered until the 1930 s.

Pullman Strike When: 1894 Where: began in Pullman, Illinois and carried across the U. S. Who: Owner: George Pullman, American Railway Union, Pullman workers, federal troops What happened: Railroad workers were forced to take several pay cuts; no reduction in rents ore groceries in the company town Result: – Workers and the union went on strike, picketed Pullman’s railway cars, and prevented them from entering of leaving Chicago. – They boycotted Pullman cars, and railway workers nationwide refused to handle trains using them – Stopped interstate commerce and the transport of U. S. mail. – Federal troops were sent to end the strike. – workers and other union officials refused – they were jailed and the railway union was broken.

As a class you are divided up into groups. Most of you are workers and two of you are factory owners. There are disputers over how the Steel Company is being run. Read the scenarios below. As a group, decide: 1. Which weapons you will use to get your needs met? 2. Write down your plan (in the space provided below). How are you going to get what you want?