Unit 1 The Gilded Age Labor Unions Strikes

Unit 1: The Gilded Age Labor Unions & Strikes

Bell Ringer: �What is a labor union? What are some examples? �Do we have them in North Carolina?

�The Labor Movement in the United States | History ◦ https: //youtu. be/ewu-v 36 szl. E �History of the Holidays: Labor Day | History ◦ https: //youtu. be/FJamea 576 YY

Factory Conditions � Unsafe working conditions ◦ Unskilled work ◦ Child labor ◦ Long hours ◦ No insurance ◦ Low wages ◦ Paid 3 -12 dollars a week ◦ 400. 00 a year � From 1890 -1917 over 200, 000 workers were killed and 2 million injured � Some children chained to machines � By 1901, 1 in 5 children were working---no school

https: //youtu. be/p. OIvdhm Ma. OE

Knights of Labor �Union opened to skilled & unskilled workers ◦ including women, immigrants, & African Americans

The End of the Knights of Labor �Haymarket Square Riot: in Chicago Ppl were protesting resulted in violence (many in the Knights of Labor) � Police show up � A bomb was thrown into the crowd https: //youtu. � Many arrested be/ZT_ZWCB � Links the Knights of Labor to anarchists _1 c. M � Public turns against the K of L �

American Federation of Labor �The AFL was a union open only to skilled laborers �NO minorities �concentrated on issues such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions.

1. The Great Railroad Strike 2. Homestead Strike 3. Pullman Strike 3 Main Strikes

The Great Railroad Strike � 1877, provoked by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad’s decision to cut wages for the second time in a year � first general strike in American history � Paralyzed the nation's commerce for 45 days forced governors in ten states to mobilize 60, 000 militia to reopen rail traffic. � Over 100 people killed in strike violence � Protesting over long work hours, low wages, other groups supported them (miners, etc. )

Homestead Strike, 1892 Homestead Steel company cut wages by 20% (Carnegie) � The steel workers walked out on strike � The manager, Henry Clay Frick, locked them out � Used the Pinkerton’s (private police force) � ◦ Many workers are killed/injured ◦ the strike ultimately culminated in a battle between strikers & private security guards hired by the company � Strike was a failure b/c union eventually gave in

Pullman Strike of 1894 � Pullman built luxury train cars � They were like a house on the rails � His workers lived in company towns

https: //youtu. be/Ozf. Wu. AF 2 HDE

Pullman Strike of 1894 � During the Panic of 1893, Pullman laid off more than half of its 5800 employees � On the rest it cut wages 25 – 50% without cutting the cost of employee housing. � Pullman hires strikebreakers to keep the trains running and things get violent. A total of 30 workers were murdered by railroad agents and their allies. � President Grover Cleveland sent federal troops to keep the trains moving

Business Tactics � Scabs ◦ Strikebreakers, a lot of time immigrants and black who work for less money ◦ People are paid to beat up strikers and union workers � Lockouts ◦ Owners would literally lock out their employees ◦ Ways for owners to get what they wanted � Black List ◦ Employees on this list would be considered troublemakers and less likely to get hired

REMEMBER!! �Governmen t supports business �Unions decline in the early 1900 s

Exit Ticket �Do you think there is a need for labor unions today? Why or why not and list 3 reasons. �How do you think it compares to be a worker in the US vs. China today? ◦ https: //youtu. be/5 It. LIywwep. Y