Labor Unions & Big Business

the Knights of Labor

a. Identification-founded by Philadelphia garment cutters in 1860, opened to other workers in the 1870s.  Terence V. Powderly was elected grand master.

b. Significance-These laborers formed a Union because they were unhappy with their working conditions.  Unlike other unions, the Knights welcomed women, African-Americans, immigrants and unskilled and semiskilled workers.  Powderly said the goal of the Knights was to “eventually make every man his own master- every man his own employer.”  Technological changes were preventing this from happening.  Most Knights opposed striking because strikes took away attention from the larger goal and workers usually lost them.  On the other hand, some Knights did support aggressive action.  Eventually the ones who did support violence broke away, thinking they could achieve more on their own.  The membership of the Knights lowered significantly, and their goal of labor unity disappeared.  

the Haymarket riot

a. Identification-On May 4, 1886 in Haymarket Square, near downtown Chicago, labor groups joined and protested police violence.  A bomb went off, killing seven and injuring sixty-seven.

b. Significance-Radicals protested police violence because they thought that it was unnecessary and brutal.  The day before, the police had killed two unionists and wounded several others.  Eight of the people who had protested were tried and convicted of the bombing.  Four were executed; one committed suicide; and the governor of Illinois pardoned the remaining three.  This riot drew attention to the unhappiness of laborers and brought back the fear of radicalism in the middle class.  There was a sense of crisis and police forces and armories throughout the country were strengthened.  Employer associations tried to prevent labor aggressiveness by agreeing to resist strikes and by purchasing strike insurance.

the American Federation of Labor (AFL)

a. Identification-The major workers’ organization in 1886, led by Samuel Gompers.  It was an alliance of national craft unions and most of the members were native-born workers.  

b. Significance-Unlike other associations, they had no ultimate goals and just wanted immediate results that would be seen within a few years.  They accepted industrialism and wanted to improve conditions within the wage and hours system, instead of changing everything completely.  

Samuel Gompers

a. Identification-Led the American Federation of Labor, headed the Cigar Makers’ Union.

b. Significance-He was an important leader when laborers needed one.  He helped earn recognition for workers.

the Homestead strike

a. Identification-In July 1892 the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steelworkers weren’t happy with pay cuts and went on strike in Homestead, PA.  The president of the Carnegie Steel Company, Henry C. Frick, shut down the plant and hired three hundred guards.  On their way there, the guards were attacked by workers.  It took five months for the workers to give in to the pay cuts.

b. Significance-Public opinion turned against strikes because a young anarchist tried to kill Henry C. Frick.

the Pullman strike

a. Identification-George Pullman owned a town of the workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company.  He owned everything in the town, and there were many rules for the residents in the town.  In 1893, when hard times were threatening his business, he cut wages 25 to 40 percent while keeping the rent and products in the town the same prices.  Workers were unhappy and called a strike.  

b. Significance-The cause of this was George Pullman was not willing to negotiate with the unhappy workers. When workers went on strike, Pullman closed the plant. Troops were sent to stop the strike, and within a month the strikers gave in.

Eugene V. Debs

a. Identification-The leader of the American Railway Union

b. Significance-He voted to help the strikers involved in the Pullman Strike, by refusing to handle Pullman cars.  He was jailed because he was “obstructing the railways and holding up the mails.”  He was kept in prison for six months because the government had the power to “remove obstacles to interstate commerce.”

the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

a. Identification-A labor organization established in 1905 by Colorado miners.

b. Significance-Unlike the AFL, the IWW wanted to unify all laborers, skilled and unskilled.  Its motto was “One Big Union.”  The IWW supported socialism and acts of violence.  They believed that workers should take over and run the nations’ industries.  The IWW collapsed during the First World War when many of its leaders were sent to jail.