IV. Unions

1. IV. Unions • Workers tried to form unions in the late 1800s • Hoping to improve wages, hours, and working conditions • Business leaders worked with some unions • Generally opposed others • Strikes during this era sometimes led to violence • Hurt union’s image and slowed their growth

2. Working in the United States • Why did workers try to form unions in the late 1800s?

3. Working in the United States • Life for workers was difficult • Dull repetitive tasks • Breathed in lint, dust and toxic fumes • Machines lacked safety devices • Industrialism led to a dramatic rise in the standard of living

4. Working in the United States • Average workers’ wages rose 50% between 1860 -1890 • Uneven division of wealth caused resentment • 1900 average wage: 22 cents per hour and worked 59 hours a week

5. Working in the United States • Deflation – a decline in the volume available money or credit that results in lower prices, and therefore increases the buying power of money • 1865 -1897 deflation caused prices to fall

6. Working in the United States • Increased buying power • Companies cut wages • Late 1800s prices fell even faster • Workers resented getting less money • Needed unions to bargain for higher wages and better conditions

7. Early Unions • Two types of industrial workers- craft and common • Craft workers were • Machinists • Iron molders • stone cutters • Shoemakers • printers • Had special skills and received higher wages

8. Early Unions • Common workers • Had few skills • Received lower wages • 1830s craft workers form trade unions • 1873 – 30 national unions • 3 largest • Iron Molders International • International typographical Union • Knights of St. Crispin; shoemakers union

9. Opposition to Unions • Employers had to negotiate with unions • Viewed unions as conspiracies that interfered with property rights • Business leaders opposed industrial unions • Industrial Union – an organization of common laborers and craft workers in a particular union

10. Opposition to Unions • Companies used technique to prevent union membership • Sign oath or contract • Hired detectives to identify union organizers • Workers who tried to organize were fired • Placed on a blacklist

11. Opposition to Unions • Companies used “lockouts” to break existing unions • Lockout – a company tool to fight union demands by refusing to allow employees to enter its facilities to work • If union called a strike employers hired replacements or strikebreakers

12. Opposition to Unions • There were no laws giving workers rights to form unions • Or for owners to negotiate with them • Courts ruled strike “conspiracies in restraint of trade” • Leaders could be fined or jailed • Restraint – the act of limiting, restricting, or keeping under control

13. Opposition to Unions • 1800s unions thought to be un-American • Karl Marx argued that capitalist society was a struggle between workers and owners • Marx believed the workers would • Eventually revolt • Seize factories • Overthrow the government

14. Opposition to Unions • Laborers supported Marx • Few supported anarchism • Anarchists believe society does not need any government • 1800 anarchists assassinated government officials and set off bombs across Europe • Hope was to begin a revolution

15. Opposition to Unions • Tens of thousands of Europeans headed to America • Anti immigrant feelings were strong in America • Became suspicious of unions • Used the courts, the police and army to crush and break strikes

16. Opposition to Unions • How did the working conditions encourage workers to form unions in the late 1800s?

17. Opposition to Unions • Working conditions were often dangerous and unhealthy, and workers wanted unions to help them gain a better work environment.

18. Struggle to Organize • What made it difficult for union workers to create large industrial unions?

19. Struggle to Organize • Workers tried many times to create large industrial unions • Confrontations with owners led to violence and bloodshed

20. The Great Railroad Strike • Panic of 1873 was a severe recession • 1877 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad announced it was cutting wages (third time) • Strike involved 80,000 workers • First nationwide strike

21. The Great Railroad Strike • President Rutherford B. Hayes called it an insurrection • Took 12 bloody days for police, state militias and federal troops to restore order • 100 people were killed • 100 million in railroad property was destroyed • Americans wanted more peaceful means to settle labor disputes

22. The Great Railroad Strike • Strikers • smashed equipment • Tore up tracks • Blocked rail service in several cities • Governors of several states called out the militia • Gun battles between the strikers and the militia

23. The Knights of Labor • Founded 1869 • Leader Terrence Powderly opposed strikes in favor of boycotts and arbitration • Arbitration – settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider

24. The Knights of Labor • Powderly thought best interests of both groups must be considered • Unlike other unions the Knights welcomed • Women • African Americans • Called for an • Eight hour day • Equal pay for women • No child labor • Worker owned factories

25. The Haymarket Riot • 1886 supporters of eight hour day called for a strike • May 3, Chicago police open fire on picket line • 3,000 people gather to protest the shooting • Someone threw a bomb • Police opened fire • 170 injured 10 policemen killed

26. The Haymarket Riot • Eight men arrested for bombing • Public anger resulted in 8 convictions • 4 were executed • Critics claimed dangerous radical dominated unions • Lost strikes led to decline in membership and influence in the Knights of Labor

27. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes • Summer of 1892 led to bloodshed • Steel mill owned by Andrew Carnegie in Homestead Pennsylvania • Managed by Henry Clay Frick • Anti union business partner

28. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes • Frick proposes to cut wages 20% • He then locked out employees • Pinkerton Detectives brought in replacements • When Pinkertons and strikebreakers approached the plant strikers resisted

29. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes • 1894 Pullman Palace Car Company slashed wages without lowering rents in the company town • American Railway workers refused to handle Pullman Cars • Railroad managers arranged to have mail cars attached

30. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes • Over the next 14 hours they clashed • Governor of Pennsylvania sent in the militia • 4 months later the strike collapsed

31. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes • President Cleveland sent federal troops to keep the mail coming • Federal court issued an injunction to halt the boycott • Injunction – a court order whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act.

32. Struggling to Organize • How did major strikes prevent large industrial unions from maintaining power and influence?

33. Struggling to Organize • Such strikes often turned violent, and the reputation of the unions suffered

34. New Unions Emerge • How were the new industrial unions different from the older trade union?

35. New Unions Emerge • Workers share same complaints about wages and hours • Unskilled workers were not represented by unions • New types of unions emerged to support these workers

36. The Rise of the AFL • American Federation of Labor (AFL) • 1866 leaders of several trade unions created it • Samuel Gompers the first president • Held power until 1924 • Tried to focus on pure and simple • Wages • Working hours • Working conditions

37. The Rise of the AFL • Had three main goals • Tried to convince companies to recognize unions and agree to collective bargaining • Pushed for closed shops • Closed shop – an agreement in which a company agree to only hire union members • Promoted 8 hour work day

38. The Rise of the AFL • 1900 largest union with 500,000 members • Represented less that 15% of non-farm workers • Most members were white men • Discriminated against African Americans • Only a few women were admitted

39. The IWW • 1905 International Workers of the World • Nicknamed Wobblies • Wanted to organize by industry • Making distinction between skilled and unskilled laborers • “The working class and the employing class have nothing in common”

40. The IWW • Should be one big union • 1912 IWW led a successful strike of 25,00 textile workers • Lawrence, Massachusetts cut wages • Companies reversed itself after 10 week strike • Many IWW strikes failed • Radical philosophy

41. Women and Organized Labor • After Civil War female wages rose • 1900 women make up 18% of workforce • Society’s ideas of what constituted women’s work • Constituted – to compose, make up, or form

42. Women and Organized Labor • One third were domestic servants • One third teachers, nurses, sales clerks, clerical workers • One third in garment industry and food processing • Women paid less than men for the same job

43. Women and Organized Labor • Assumed women were helping the men • Men needed higher wages to support a family • Most unions excluded women • Mary Harris Jones (Mother Jones)

44. Women and Organized Labor • 1900 Jewish and Italian Immigrants worked in clothing business in New York • Founded the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) • 1909 strike of 30,000 workers • Won recognition of their union • Better wages • Benefits for employees

45. Women an Organized Labor • 1903 Mary Kenney O’Sullivan and Leonora O’Reilly, Jane Addams and Lillian Wald • Establish first national association dedicated to women’s labor issues • The Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) • Pushed for 8 hour day • Minimum wage • No evening work for women • Abolition of child labor

46. Women and Organized Labor • Why did women need to from their own trade unions?

47. Women and Organized Labor • Most of the existing trade unions excluded women