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16. 2 Labor Strives to Organize

16. 2 Labor Strives to Organize. A. The New Working Class- late 19 th century. -Demand= labor soars (factories, laborers, transport, sellers, plantations, etc) -Who?. 1. 1/3- foreign born immigrants. 2. African American men- South- no opportunity North- more opportunity

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16. 2 Labor Strives to Organize

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  1. 16. 2 Labor Strives to Organize • A.The New Working Class- late 19th century • -Demand= labor soars (factories, laborers, transport, sellers, plantations, etc) • -Who? • 1. 1/3- foreign born immigrants • 2. African American men- South- no opportunity North- more opportunity All over- service, dirty, dangerous jobs, low paying, gardener, cook, driver, textile factory, lumber, coal, iron, tobacco, etc. • 3. Woman- immigrant and native born - By 1900- 15% of work force are women • 4. Children- 1800’s- child labor doubles, 20% of American Children 10-15 worked - South- ¼ textile mill workers was a child - North- 1/20 textile mill workers was a child, the north was wealthier and could pay more

  2. B. Working Conditions • 1. Long hours- average 12 hour day-up to 16, sunup to sun down, no exceptions, meals eaten at work • 2. Low wages- esp. unskilled workers - African Am’s, Asian Am’s, Mexican Am’s- lowest • 3. 6 days a week • 4. Dangerous- no safety check, became worse with fatigue/exhaustion • 5. Company town- all owned by business Scrip- workers were paid in company paper $= used to buy goods at company store. Company has a monopoly= high prices for all

  3. C. The Knights of Labor- Union • -Organized to fight against bad working conditions • 1. Represent ALL- strikes demonstrations, marches, protests, power in numbers • 2. Strikes- not new but workers unions were expanding • Unskilled and skilled • African Americans (60,000) • Women • European immigrants • 3. Drawbacks • Chinese still excluded • Many were not hired in fear that the large #’s would strike • No end to child labor

  4. D. The Great Upheaval- 1886- the year of intense confrontation between unions and companies which led to violence • Workers ready themselves for “battle”, coming out of Economic Depression which led to massive wage cuts • B. 1500 strikes; 400,000 workers • C. Violence occurs while negotiating (employers, employees, police) Ex) Haymarket Riot- police and strikers fight 70 wounded and 7 police dead, 1 civilian dead • D.Employers decrease strikes: SHARING • Black lists- list the main supporters/strikers= hard for them to get a job • Lockouts- bar workers from the plant • Yellow dog contracts- promise not to join the union • Strike breakers- those who were not accepted in the unions ***violence slowed the unions cause—unskilled workers • -Skilled workers formed their own union American Federation of Labor (AFL)- committed to a non-violent advancement for their cause

  5. E. The Holmstead and Pullman Strikes • 1. Homestead in Pittsburgh, PA- strikers killed by the state militia who then said “now order is restored” • 2. Pullman strike- Chicago- company town - Government uses force on the strikers and sides with the business not the workers. - The railroad sides with the workers- American Railway Union

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