Labor Unions & Big Business

The Knights of Labor:

a. Identification- Labor organization founded in 1860 by Philadelphia garment cutters. Had a total of 730,000 members of all races, gender, and skilled/unskilled workers. Believed they could get rid out all conflict by creating a society where all workers worked for themselves. Their goal was, "Every man his own employer".

b. Significance- Was one of the only labor organizations to survive the depression of the awful working conditions, and created the largest labor demonstration on May 1st, 1886.

The Haymarket riot:

a. Identification- Took place in downtown Chicago, where labor unions rallied to strike about police brutality. (because on May 1st police killed two unionists and wounded several others trying to break up a fight between a group of unionists and non unionists.) Police marched in but were quickly killed because the unionists had set off a bomb killing seven police officers, and injuring sixty seven. The result was the arresting of anarchists and unionists.

b. Significance- The riot drew even more attention to the growing fury of the labor workers and their poor treatment, and the middle classes fear of radicalism.

The American Federation of Labor:

a. Identification- Emerged from the 1886 violent change as the major workers' organization. Had about 140,000 (mostly skilled native born workers) members led by Samuel Gompers. Prefered only skilled workers unlike the AFL. But later grew to 2.5 million by 1917. Their main goals were to create higher wages, shorts hours, and the right to bargain collectively.

b. Significance- Had even more members than the Knights of labor, and was the largest labor organization in the country.

Samuel Gompers:

a. Identification-Immigrant who lead the Cigars Markers' Union, and the AFL.

b. Significance- Led the largest labor organization in the country.

The Homestead strike:

a. Identification- Occurred on July 1892 in Pennsylvania. The Amalgamated Association of Iron and steelworkers refused to accept pay cuts, reacted violently, and went on a strike against their plant. Angry workers attacked guards that were guarding the closed down plant, but soon gave up after 5 months.

b. Significance- Made the publics opinion turn against the strikers because of a young anarchist attempt to kill Henry C. Frick the president of the Carnegie Steel Company.

The Pullman strike:

a. Identification- In 1894, workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company protested against exploitative policies (company owned and controlled ALL land and building). The workers were extremely furious on account of Pullman would not negotiate with them, and cut their wages 25- 40 percent. The workers sent a committee to Pullman protesting his policies and he reacted by firing 3 of these people and closing down the plant. The workers, being led by Eugene V. Debs, refused to handle all Pullman cars and defied the courts injunction to prevent the union from "obstructing the railways and holding up the mails."

b. Significance- The Pullman Strike made it clear that the government had not been supporting unionists, and were favoring the businesses because more businesses only made their country stronger.

Eugene V. Debs:

a. Identification- Led the workers that protested against Pullman.

b. Significance- Defied the court, and was sentenced to six months in prison. And created the grounds that the federal government had the power to remove obstacles to interstate commerce.

the Industrial Workers of the World:

a. Identification- A new labor organization formed in 1905. Unlike the AFl, and like the Knights of Labor, this organization included all unskilled and skilled workers. Its mottos was, "An injury to one is an injury to all" And its goal was, "One big Union"

b. Significance- Went beyond the goals of the Knights of Labors, and created its own acts of violence and sabotage.