Ch. 8-3: Labor’s Response to Economic Change

0Laborers worked 60-70 hrs a week0Machines were dangerous0Ventilation was very poor0Accidents were very common

Child Labor

Knights of Labor (1869)

0Included skilled & unskilled laborers0Led by Terrance Powderly0Arbitration- judging of a

dispute by an impartial person

0Goal- shorter day with more money0Haymarket Riot 1886- bomb was

thrown into a crowd killing several police officers and civilians

0Anarchists (oppose the govt.) were blamed for the bombing0Knights of Labor- lost a lot of

members b/c of the riot0Govt. supported the businesses

American Federation of Labor (1886)

0Led by Samuel Gompers 0 Brought different craft unions

together0Bread and Butter Goals: higher

wages, shorter working hours and better working conditions

0Scabs- workers that replaced union workers when they went on strike0Sweatshops- people work very

long hours for very little which is common in Asia today

International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union

0Represent women in sewing shops0Triangle Shirtwaist Co. NYC-

146 garment workers died when their building caught fire 1911

Homestead Strike 1892

0Workers striking b/c of wage reduction in a steel mill0Pinkertons (Strike breakers)-

called in to break up the strike0Workers went back for less $$

Pullman Strike (1894)0Workers went on strike b/c of wage

reduction0Workers would not allow the RR cars

to leave Chicago0They stopped interstate mail0Pres. Cleveland sent in federal troops

break the strike b/c the U.S. Mail was delayed

Viewpoint of Labor Unions0Govt. always supported

businesses over the unions0People saw union members as

violent revolutionaries0Union Goal- more $$$, less hours

and safer working conditions

Farmers & the Railroads

0RR Companies charged farmers high rates to ship their goods0Farmers depend on their

harvest which often left many in debt

Grange Movement

0Grange- brought farm families together 0Goal was to regulate RR rates

for farmers0RR companies hated the Grange

Granger Laws

0State govt. began regulate freight rates or RR companies0Munn v. Illinois 1877 supported

the Granges but later overturned