CHAPTER 5 The Labor Movement S8.912.A.39 Examine causes, course, and consequences ofthe labor movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. $8.912.A.3.10 Review different economic and philosophic ideologies. rc weber ee betas Labor Union Same! Gompers Capitalism Strike Haymarket Riot Social Darwinian Lockout Homestead Suike Communism Knights of Labor Pullman Strike Socialism ‘American Federation of Labor Ideology AnarchismFlorida “Keys” to Learning 1, Amerieds Second Industrial Revolution led to worsening conditions for many industrial worker. ‘They labored in unpleasant or dangerous condi. tions for fong hours at monotonous and repetitive jobs, and received low wages 2. Individual workers had no bargaining power ith large corporations. Some workers began to organize into labor unions to improve their condi ‘ons. Through their union, they could negotiate wages and working conditions collectively with their employer. They could also go on strike. 3. Two early national unions were the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor. The nights of Labor invited skilled and unskilled workers to become members, including women and Aftican-Americans. However, after a series of unsuccessful strikes, it collapsed. The American, Federation of Labor was a federation of unions of skilled workers with more limited objectives, -4. Management had many advantages over lbor unions inthe late nineteenth century. Government leaders and the public generally sympathized with _management and were suspicious oflabor unions. Management could fre or lockout work- er, blacklist union leaders and obtain ‘government support to put down strikes. 5, Barly major strikes were largely unsuc- cessful. People blamed union organizers when a bomb went offin Chicago during the Haymarket Rit. A large group of see! work ers striking against Carnegies Homestetd ~~ steel mill were defeated when the state mlltia intervened. President Cleveland used fed- eral troops to break up the Pullman strike, 6. An ideology isa set of related beliefs about peo ple, society and government. Several new economic and philosophical ideologies emerged in response to the Industrial Revolution. Capitalists continued to support laisse faire policies. Social Darwinists ‘thought the wealthy atthe top of society were simply superior to others. Communists predicted a vielent proletarian revolution would overthrow the wealthy ruling class and create a more just and egalitarian society in which property was held in common, Socialists also desired socal change but sought to achieve this through peaceful means. Anarchists op- posed organized government wal to photocopy a EWorkers Face New Problems ne of the main factors behind America’ rapid economic growth was the increasing explota- tion ofthe industrial worker. Gains in industrial pro- ductivity were ofter achieved a terible human costs Critics ofindustialcapitalsm complained thatindus- trial workers were being treated as no better than wage-staves” Impersonal Condkions As factories and work- places grew larger individual workers lost personal contact with their actual employers and all influe cence over their own personal working conditions Long Hours Workday hours were long by today’s standards, Workers faced a six or even seven-day ‘workweek of ten to fourteen hours labor each day Steel workers in Carnegies mills, for example, ‘worked 12-hour shifts seven days per week Boring, Repetitive Tasks Skilled workers, like carpenters. or mechanics, have extensive train- ing and perform a wide range of specialized tasks Butas industrialists broke up manufacturing into & sevies of simple taiks to achieve greater speed and efficiency, each worker became nothing more than a human cog in a vast machine. Industrial work became less skilled, more repetitive, monotonous and boring, There was litle pleasure or jb satsfac- tion in repeating the same task for hours on end. ‘And factory rules often prohibited talking among employees during working hours. Low Wages Wages were so low that many work erscould not afforé minimal requirements for food, shelter and clothirg, Every member of the family hhadto work to male ends meet,even though women and children were especially low paid. Immigrants from overseas and migrants from the countryside flooded the labor market with workers willing to work for very low wages Dangerous Conditions Conditions at work inthe late 19th and eatly 2th centuries were oftenexteemely hazardous. There were insufficient safeguards around ‘machinery and overworkeé employees were offen extremely tired, Hundreds of thousands of workers ‘were injured oF killed in accidents each year espe: cially on the railroads or in the coal mines. Others suffered debilitating illnesses from unhealthful work: {ng conditions. Child Labor “Textile mills and coal mines made use ‘of cild laborers to perform special tasks and because they were pad less than adults. As many as one out ‘of every five children under 15 years old was work- ing outside the home in 1910, These children were deprived of opportunities for sunshine, fesh at, play, (oF to improve their lives by atending school Periodic Unemployment Today, we have work- cers compensation to pay workers for injuries they receive on the ob, Bu in thelate nineteenth century, workers’ compensation did not exist. Employers also did not provide health insurance or contribute toa pension for an employees old age. There was no ‘unemployment insurance when a worker lost his or hher job, Mast companies gave no paid “sick days” Lack of Opportunity for Advancement It was dif- ficult to move from an unskilled ta skied postion or to find a new job with higher wages. These were generally no promotions or automatic increases in pay forbeing ata job along time, In times ofreces- sion or intense competition with rival companies, pay might even be eut or workers could be laid off ‘Unpleasant Living Conditions Most workers lived in crowded. inner-city slums oF in company towns. With their low wages, they could not afford bet- ter housing. In company towns like Pullman, the company controlled not only the workers’ wages, bout what workers paid in rent and for food and other supplies in the compeny store, The company controlled town officals and the police, making it almost impossible for workers to complain oF t0 ‘organize against the company Chapter § | The Labor Movement 83i F Workers Organize With the rise ofarge corporations, individual work- cers lost all their bargaining power with employ- ers Since most work was unskilled, workers could be easily replaced. The only way to achieve better conditions seemed to be through better worker organization. Therefore, industrial workers began to organize. Such organizations, known as labor tunions, generally had three main purposes. Goals of Unions | Attention Workingmen! | MASS MEETING ‘TO-NIGH: > to binge ge ana Poter Weng atone By sng gt vet hy col denen py. Serer red ee ein coder an emples ‘inal dra al hws a try sel tin ote ere mip sie wl of eos a theta Tbs oes option et al ining owertocone oor wth eg wees | topehog angen » “Mutual Aid” Societies Members of unions regularly contributed to special Funds to provide pensions and irsurance benefits in times of need, such as injury, illness, strike, or death » To Place Pressure on Government Unions also acted as “pressure groups” on government. Union leaders ted 10 coordinate workers’ votes to influence politicians in Favor oftheir demands, ‘Unions also cortributed directly to campaign funds and lobbied in legislatures. Some labor leaders Wished to go further and use unions to create a new political party that would represent workers, | The Historian’s Apprentice > Imagine you ar an industrial worker inthe late 1870s, Write leter toa friend describing your conditions at werk and how organizing a union might help to improve those conditions, > Pretend you area union organizer entering a factory in 1875, Givea speech explaining the ‘workers there why they should form a union, Workers Seek a National Voice ‘The Knights of Labor Founded by Terrence Powderly in 189, the Knights of Labor formed a single nationwide union, Both sled and unskilled workers were encouraged to join. In the decades after tre Civil War, worker organi zations were generally weak. To oppose national ‘corporations, labor lesders reasoned they needed to form their own national unions. @ Chapter § | The Labor MovementMs vant co moroony wit perission © Aican Americans, women, and rural farm workers were all welcomed. “The Knights demanded an 8-hour ‘workday, higher wages, and safety BEE codes in factories. They opposed Terence Powder child labor and convict bor and favored equal pay for women. The Knights of Labor also strongly supported restrictions on immigration, since they saw immigrants as competitors wiling to otk for lower wages. Membership in the Knights soared in the prosperous 180s. By 1886, they reached their peak strength of 70,000 members. ‘The Knights preferred the arbitration of disputes to strikes, but they were willing to support strikes whenever they believed they were necessary. In the end, however, the Knights proved to be too loosely organized. Skilled workers resented being grouped together with unskilled laborers. The general pub- lic associated the Knights with unpopular radical political ideas. After a series of unsuccessful strikes, members started leaving for other organizations and the Knights of Labor finally fll apart. ‘The American Federation of Labor ‘A new nationveide labor organization was founded in 1881 by Samuel Gompers, Jew- ‘sh immigrant who worked making cigars. In 1886, it adopted a new name as the ‘American Federation of Labor or AFL. Unlike the Knights of Labor, the AFL was federation of several national craft ‘unions, including those of cerpenters, cigar-makers, and shoemakers. Its member: ship was restricted to skilled workers. The AFL ao did not admit women, At first, CGompers insisted thatthe affiliated cra unions admit African-American workers, ut when several refused todo so, Gompers backed down. Asa result only the United Mine Workers and a few other AFL unions admitted African Americans in these yeas, Afican- ‘American leaders complained that the unions were holding African Americans back, especially by refus: ing to admit young blacks as apprentices. Gompers also failed to counteract ethnic prejudice against di ferent nationalities within particular craft unions Gompers limited the goals ofthe AFL to obtaining immediate benefits for is members—higher pay, an S-hour workday, better conditions in the work place, and a “closed shop" policy (in which the employer promised to hite only union members). Gompers believed thatthe worker’ interests were best served, ‘no by sisting industrial capitalism, butby bargsining fora greater share ofits profits. To counter the concen tration of industry in the hands of few owners, Gor pers believed workers had to band together to speak in single voice. While Gompers favored peaceful bar gaining with employers, he was willing to use strikes and boycotts when necessary. He also supported poli ‘cal candidates who backed union demands ‘The American Federation of Labor soon became the leading voice of organized labor. By 1900, thad half 1 million members. It was weak- ened, however, by the fact that in its early year it excluded unskilled workers. These constituted the bulk of the American labor force. By 1910, fewer than 5% of Ameri ‘an workers were unionized, Labor. The Historian's Apprentice > Createa Venn diagram comparing the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor. > Write one or two paragraphs explain ng why the AFL was more successful than the Knights of Chapter 5 | The Labor Movement 85levAUL UU PHURULUBY V¥ILLAUUL EL HLESSIULL The Tactics of Labor and Management ‘Organized labor had a number of tactics at its disposal. While on strike, union workers carried signs ouside thele place oferploy- ‘ment—Known as the “picket line"—to win public support and prevent the use ‘of strike-breakers (lemporary workers Fired by management to operate the {factory mine or mill while the regular ‘workers were out on strike. To support themselves during» strike, union members made contributions “while they were working toa strike fund. strike breakers were Aftican-American ‘workers or immigrant workers with diffrent ethnic backgrounds than the strikers. > Employers might force their employees to sign agreements, Jnown as “Yellow Dog” Contracts, that they would not join a union. (Such agreements were later made illegal.) > Unien leaders and members were often fired Their names might be circulated to In the early days of unions, employes had many other employers 0 that they could not get ‘ore weapons at thei disposal than today another job. This practice was known 8 > ‘The company’s managers—those people “blacklisting” running the company-—could simply fre > Employers hired private detectives, known, striking workers and hire new ones. {as Pikertons, to spy on union > Ifmanagement didnot gre to worker leaders and to break upstrikes, demand they could close the factory o keep _—_-f ith lene and some- the workers from their jobs. This was known ‘times even murder asalockout. > Finally, employers might seek a court order > When workers went on strike, management prohibiting strike. Once such an injunction ofien brought in temporary workers Known s (Coit ordet) was sued, employers could “eurke breakers" (or"scabs"). These worked cour onthe government to breakup the in factories or mins unt the dispute with stile Police or eve state troops might be the striking workers was sete. Often the used to break up the strike The Historian’s Apprentice Pretend that the Old Virginny Spinning Mule Textile Co. or "Mule Co”) isa textile company in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1885, Factory employees work atthe company for ten hours a day fr sx days a week, They receive very low wages. Factory workers have organized into a union, The managers of the factory and union leaders are about to meet. Your teacher wil appoint 3 students as managers representing the company and 5 asthe Board of Directors of Mule Co, Your teacher will appoint 2 students to act as mediators who work openly and behind the scenes to resolve deadlocked issues. Finally, your teacher will appoint 3 students as union leaders. Theres of the class will act s union. members. 86 Chapter § | ‘The Labor MovementPoslons of Management: 1. Wages must ein ow in ode forthe company ob profitable 2. Working hour ust reain the sue. @ | 5. te company hsto inves in eqspment and ise some dividends to shareholders 4 The company may hae to we srike-brekers hte anew workforce, or temporal clos its fairy to remain compete Positions of Workers: 1. 10% asin pay. 2. bight-hour workday 2. Moe protection needed apis factory aces, 4 ifthe demands are not met they may go out nse > Have both sides mes spate to pear thirrespetne postions rte neottions. The smembersfthe management um shoud preset proposals tothe union aes The union member shod gather behind thr nion adr, souing encouragement, defiance and ppt for union leer > Several session may be rested ith the ws of mediators, as necessary. > tfan agreement reiced wil have tobe accepted by Male Cos Board of Directors and separ bythe unlen members > What did you learn about collective bargaining from ths activity? © FTE * Unlawful to photocopy without permission The Role of Government ‘The attitude of government was critical tothe for- and ideas brought over by recent European tunes ofthe ealy labor movement. In the late 19th immigrants century, government leaders were often parts! y pysneses contributed to politiciany campaign towards business and took a hostile view of unions ‘There were many reasons why the federal and state ‘governments favored management over unions; funds, wile business and government leaders often shared the same general outlook. Govern: ‘ment officals believed America owed mach of > Only a small number of workers were actually {ts economic success to its business leaders. unionized > Laisse: faire attitudes gave businessmen the > Government leaders sw their proper role Power to hire or fire employees as they pleased, a providing prowettion to private property > Government leaders feared the disruptive effect Strikers seemed to threaten the security of. of strikes. n 1895, the Supreme Court applied property the Sherman Antiteust Act to union sctivities, ruling that strikes were an ileal inter- ference with interstate commerce. In several strikes, state governors @ telat ‘or even the President of the United > Union activity was associated inthe public States Sent in troops to suppress ‘mind with violence, anarchism, socialism the strike and restore order. > Public opinion was hostile to unons. The public believed that union demands would Chapter | The Labor Movement 87Milestones of the Early Labor Movement (One effect of the organization of labor was the occur- rence of strikes. There were more than 20,000 strikes involving six million workers in the twenty years from 1880 to 1900, Early strikes were often violent and workers were sometimes killed. Here are three of the milestones ofthe erly bor movement. ‘The Haymarket Riot (1886) ‘A nationwide strike in favor ofthe eight-hour work: day was held on May 1, 1886. Two days later, striking ‘workers gathered infront of the McCormick Harvest {ng Machine factory in Chicago. Strikers began fight ing with strikebreakers until police fired into the crowd, killing several demonstrators. Anarchist lead rs, most of them immigrants, called fora rally to be held the next evening at Haymarket Square in response, Anarchists believed in ‘overthrowing capitalist society and cstablshing sel governing com- ‘munities. Their advertisements in English and German, accused the police ofkiling strikers on behalf of ‘business interests. On the evening ‘of May 4th, the rally t Haymarket ‘Square began pace. However afer several speak: cersaddressed the rally large police force approached the speaker’ stand and ordered the crowd to disperse. ‘A dynamite bomb was thrown atthe police, killing ‘one policeman instantly. What happened next is unclear, but according to most reports the police ‘opened freasthe crow ran inalldiretions. Six other policemen and four demonstrators later died from their wounds. In the public mind, unions became associ- ated with anarchism and violence Police arrested several labor lead- cers and searched their meeting halls and offices. Eight (five of them German immigrants) were Mathias Degan, eleeeantiein put on trial and found guilty the Haymarket Riot eventhough only one was inked by any evidence at all to the explosion, Sei ane sa 9° 2 2 changed to hile imprisonment by the governor, while one of the defendants committed suicide; four others were hanged. Much of the public wrongly assciated these events with the Knights of Labor, ‘which dissolved soonafterwards. Homestead Strike (1892) In 1882 and 1889, the steel workers! union held 690 successful strikes at Andrew Carnegie’ steelworks at Homestead, Pennsyvania, Carnegie and his partner Henry C, Frick belived that ‘union rules were slaving dawn stel pro: duction and preventing the use of more advanced machinery. so they decided tobreak the union when itcame time to negotiate @ new contract. Carn fegie, who had spoken in favor of HeniyC Fek ‘unions, put Frick in charge and leffor Scotland, Frick ‘made unrealistic offers in the next contract negotia tions and locked out the workers from the steel mill at Homestead. The workers went on strike and sur rounded the plant with thelr picket lines. Frick hired Pinkerton detectives to reopen the steel mill, The Pinkertons attempted to break through the picket lines at night, leadiag to a violent battle with the strikers. After the strikers defeated the Pinkertons, the state militia was called in to restore order—allow ing Frick to bring in strke-breakers (‘scabs’) to run the mill. A misguided attempt to assassinate Frick further increased public sympathy forthe company and against the unions. Mem: bers of the steel workers union were fired and “blacklisted” from employment in the see industry, ‘while thei union colapsed. 88 Chapter § | The Labor Movement@ @ ) PTE # Unlawful to photocopy without permission Pullman Strike (1894) George Pullman invented railroad cars in which passengers could sleep and made a vast forcune His workers lived in Pullman, Ilinois—a company town, Pullman owned their houses and company stores in the town. His workers went on strike when Pallman lowered their wages but refuced to lower his own rents and food prices. After their rent was deducted, many Pullmen workers were only being paid a few cents aday. Labor leader Eugene V. Debs had helped form the American Rallway Union (the "ARLU). He called on its members not to handle Pullman cars during the Pullman Palin load ce alowed sonar towel aur and ren proied seeping bath Strike. The strike thus Drought railroads in the western United States to virtual standstill, Presi dent Cleveland. sent in federal troops to end the strike,on the grounds that hheneeded to guarantee delivery ofthe mails. In fac, the strikers had not interfered with the mil. The government also used a court injunction to sop the strike, on the grounds that it interfered with inter state commerce. The US. Supreme Court upheld the injunction in 1895. The collapse of the strike destroyed the American Railway Union, Eugene Debs sas sent to prison for six months, where he became a socialist. Velen erupt stoops Intervene the Pullman ‘These three strikes demonstrated the cootinaing sympathies ofthe government and the public n favor ‘of employers and against labor unions. However, atti tudes would change in the early 20th century The Historian’s Apprentice > Make an illustrated timeline ofthe most important events in the early labor movement, including the formation of he Knights of Labor and AFL. and the three strikes described above > Use the Internet or your school library to find out more information about one of these strikes. ‘Then present your findings in the form ofa research report or oral presentation to the class Be sure o include contemporary illustrations or photographs that depict these events The Rise of Ideology Responses to industralization also led to the rise of different ideologies. An ideology isa system of related beliefs and ideas about people, society and government Capitalists believed tha free market capitalism was the best system. Influenced by the earlier writings ‘of Adam Smith, they argued that capitalism gave ‘enterprising individuals the freedom to develop Chapter 5 | The Labor Movement ‘new businesses. By pursuing their on profi these entrepreneurs also benefitted all of society by pro ducing better goods at lower costs. Social Darwinists were influenced by the works of CCharles Darwin, the biologist who first formulated the theory of evolution. Social Darwinists argued that societies were subject to the same laws as other organisms, Both individuals and whole societies werefo MULL WHYS BELLIS in fact in competition with one another, and only the strongest would survive. Although some people might suffer, it was natural thatthe best and stron gest people would rise tothe top and enjoy positions of pow, wealth and authority. Likewise it was only fitting that more advanced societies, lke the United States, should rule over les advanced ones, ‘Communists followed the ideas of Kael Marx. They challenged the clase structure of industrial society. In ‘The Communist Manifesto (1848), Marx and his co. author Friedrich Engels declared that all of history wasthehistory of classtruggle, in which therich took advantage ofthe poor. Inthe new industrial society, the bourgeoisie exploited the proletar- iat (workers), Although the proletariat added value to goods by their labor, this added vale went to the factory owner as proft. Brentually, Marx and Engels predicted, the proletariat would rise ‘violent revolution. Then they would establish an ideal classless, Communist society. Private property would be abolished, Socialists believed that workers were generally ‘oppressed but that their conditions could be gradu- ally impenved without» violent revlition. Ry elect- ing government ofcials favorable to labor, they could introduce needed reforms lke social security and fiee public school, Socialists believed that the {government might ven take over some businesses, such as railroads and the telephone, to operate them for the public good. Eugene Debs was one of the founders of the American Socialist Party and se eral times became its candidate for | President ofthe United States. Anarchists were alarmed atthe influ: ‘enceof the rich on government. They pve aban xt gover ‘up and overthrow the bourgeoisie in a ments, by volenceifnecesary gene Bebe posterin 1912 The Historian's Apprentice ‘Male your own thre-columa chart comparing these ideologies. Make the frst column “Kdeology” the second column “Famous People” and the third column “Important Ideas” Then fil n the chart using information from this chapter and from your own research in your school library oon the Internet. 90 ‘Chapter § | ‘The Labor Movement