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Major Labor Fights. The Haymarket Riot- 1886. May 1 st - Chicago workers strike for the 8 hour day Anarchists and radicals become involved in the campaign May 3 rd - shooting occurs at McCormick Reaper plant when strikers and police altercate(2 workers killed)
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The Haymarket Riot- 1886 • May 1st- Chicago workers strike for the 8 hour day • Anarchists and radicals become involved in the campaign • May 3rd- shooting occurs at McCormick Reaper plant when strikers and police altercate(2 workers killed) • May 4th- protest meeting is called for at Haymarket Square (see flyers)
2nd Flyer Printed 20,000 new copies distributed, but old ones remained
Haymarket Rally • August Spies and other labor leaders spoke to between 600 and 3000. • The Chicago Police advanced towards the speaker Samuel Fielden as he was finishing his speech • A bomb was thrown that led to the death of 7 police officers • At least 4 demonstrators were killed, 70+ injured
The Aftermath • Labor is attacked and investigated big time • Fear of Anarchists • 8 radicals arrested and 7 get the death penalty (some for “inflammatory speeches”) • 4 are executed, 1 commits suicide, and 3 others are released on a pardon by Governor Altgeld.
The Pullman Strike (1894) • George Pullman created a “model town” to house workers of his company • Town outside Chicago had nice parks, library, banks, and homes for workers • Panic of 1893 lowered demand for luxury railroad cars • Pullman cut wages of workers but did no lower rent
Wages, Rent, and Strike • Wages were cut by 25% while the rent was still 25% higher than normal • Pullman workers go on strike • The American Railway Union (led by Eugene Debs) boycotts Pullman cars across the country
The Government • Strike becomes first real national strike in US history • President Grover Cleveland sends in federal troops to Illinois against Governor Altgelds wishes • Presence of federal troops incite violence • Riots occur, troops fire in crowd killing at least four and wounding many
The Result • The General Managers Association wins • Strike is broken by federal government • Mail delivery is resumed • Eugene Debs is arrested, convicted, and becomes a Socialist • Pullman workers go back to work for lower wages