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Big Business and LaborThe Workplace, Strikes, and the Rise of Labor
Unions
Monopolies - exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular
market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices
Sherman Anti-Trust Act Tried to regulate anything
that created market monopolies by outlawing
any companies that interfered with the
governments ability to regulate interstate
commerce.
The Work Force
• Immigrants• Women• Children
Piece work
Paying factory workers for each finished product, rather than by a salary or hourly wage
Sweat shop
Long Hours, low wages, unsafe conditions
Division of labor
Breaking down jobs into small, simple, repetitive (and boring) parts
The Work Environment
• Dirty• Dangerous• Long Hours
Children at Work
• Jacob Riis• Work was
very dangerous for kids
• Dirty work environment led to health problems for kids
• Kids couldn’t attend school• Families needed the money• Kids were paid less
Growing Gulf Between the Rich and the Poor
• Socialism – redistribution of wealth
Rise of Labor Unions
• Knights of Labor – Skilled and Un-skilled Workers
• American Federation of Labor (AFL) – Led by Samual Gompers– No Blacks or Women– group of smaller craft
unions, only allowed skilled labor
• Wobblies – International Workers of the World, unskilled labor only
• Eugene V. Debs – anti-violence labor activist– Spent time in prison
for his roll in the Pullman strike
– Later became a socialist
– Ran for President 5 times!
Reactions
• Firing, forbidding, yellow dog contracts, refusing collective bargaining, refusing to recognize
Railroad Strike of 1877
• Prompted by wage cuts and increased safety hazards
• Workers respond with violence
• Rutherford sends in Federal Troops
Haymarket Riot - 1886
• Protest for an 8 hour day• SCABS VS STRIKERS• Anarchists – gave speeches against “factory lords”• Violence erupts, strikers and police are killed• 8 Anarchists are arrested, and four are hung
Homestead Strike – 1892
• Strikers vs. Wage cuts in a Carnegie owned steel mill
• Carnegie’s 2nd in Command cuts wages while Carnegie is out of the country
• US Steel calls in the Pinkertons, a shootout ensues
• Public sympathize with the strikers until the anarchists arrive and attempt to assassinate Frick
• The public begins to associate unions and strike with anarchists and violence
Pullman Strike – 1894
• Pullman built a model city to attract the best workers
• Wage cuts lead to protest
• Strikes spread to the whole nation, disrupting the mail service
• Pullman appeals to the Federal Government for help
• Government helps because the strikers are interfering with the mail.
• This sets the pattern of government response to strikes for years to come.