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The Rise of Labor Unions

The Rise of Labor Unions. Rich versus Poor. By 1890, the richest 9% of Americans held nearly 75% of the national wealth Many workers began to resent the lavish lifestyles of their rich owners, & began to organize in an effort to establish a better work system. What Did Workers Want?.

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The Rise of Labor Unions

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  1. The Rise of Labor Unions

  2. Rich versus Poor • By 1890, the richest 9% of Americans held nearly 75% of the national wealth • Many workers began to resent the lavish lifestyles of their rich owners, & began to organize in an effort to establish a better work system

  3. What Did Workers Want? • Shorter workdays • Higher wages • Better working conditions • End child labor • Collective Bargaining – negotiate as a group w/ employers

  4. The Knights of Labor • National Union • Recruited Skilled & Unskilled Workers • Included Women & African Americans • Emphasized Education & Social Reform

  5. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) • Led by Samuel Gompers • Skilled Workers Only • Used Collective Bargaining as a Strategy

  6. Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) • Unskilled Workers • Radical Socialist Leaders • Violent Strikes

  7. Karl Marx—German Philosopher who wrote Communist Manifesto Denounced capitalism Socialism

  8. Socialism • Economic & political philosophy that favors public instead of private control of property & income. • Socialists believe that society, not private individuals, should control a nation’s wealth. That wealth should be distributed equally to everyone.

  9. Reaction of Employers • forbid union meetings • fired union organizers • forced new employees to sign “yellow dog” contracts, making them promise never to join a union or participate in a strike

  10. Reaction of Employers • refused to bargain collectively when strikes occurred • refused to recognize union representatives

  11. The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 • Workers protested wage cuts & unsafe conditions • Violent & Unorganized • Pres. Hayes sent federal troops to put down the strike • Employers relied on federal & state troops to repress labor unrest

  12. Haymarket Strike 1886 • National strike of all workers calling for an 8-hour workday • During a demonstration in Chicago’s Haymarket Square a bomb exploded • Rioting broke out & dozens were killed • 4 anarchists were hanged • The public began to associate unions w/ violence, anarchy & radicalism

  13. Homestead Strike 1892 • Carnegie Steel cut wages in Homestead, PA • Mngr. Henry Frick called in private guards to protect the plant • Daylong gun battle ended w/ several strikers dead • Again, the public condemned strikes & denounced unions as violent

  14. Pullman Strike 1894 • Strike of Pullman Palace Car Factory Workers • Tried to stop railroads from running • Courts ruled illegal b/c it disrupted mail delivery • The courts now supported owners as well

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