1 / 15

Labor Organization and Power

Labor Organization and Power. Can Americans still value capitalism while empowering workers?. Origins of Unions. Trade Unions. Workers organized by profession then as workers across industries then a cross the country. Originated as guilds then secret societies.

carmelita-aguilar
Download Presentation

Labor Organization and Power

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Labor Organization and Power Can Americans still value capitalism while empowering workers?

  2. Origins of Unions • Trade Unions • Workers organized by profession then as workers across industries then • across the country. • Originated as guilds then secret societies. • Soon required government support to exist (not received until 1910)

  3. Difficulties of Organizing Labor • Fear of losing jobs if joined union • Unwillingness to strike because of loss of pay • Public denounced unions as anti-capitalist • Strategies like boycotts and strikes disrupt life for the public (consumers) as well as company owners. • The Press and government frequently supported companies over workers. • Labor organizers stigmatized by fear of socialism.

  4. Effects of Immigration • Immigrants undermined union demand for higher wages • Provide Scab labor • Immigrants attracted by the de-skilling of jobs as technology advanced • Immigration allowed companies to rely on unskilled, low-paid workers • 1885 Congress disallows contract labor (immigrants to come to America under contract to a company)

  5. For each of the following slides What do you learn about the strike? Does the creator of the image provide support for the workers or reveal sympathy for the company owners/capitalists?

  6. Haymarket Strike Chicago, 1886

  7. Haymarket-1886 • May 4th 1886 • Rally for workers in support of 8-hour day • Bomb thrown at police as they tried to disperse crowd • Ensuing gunfire resulted in death of 7 policemen and at least 4 civilians • 8 anarchists convicted of conspiracy despite no evidence tying them to the thrower of the bomb

  8. Homestead Strike Caption: The mob assailing the Pinkerton men on their Way to prison.

  9. Homestead Strike (1892) • June 30-July 6th • Workers locked out of steel factory • Frick hired Pinkerton detectives to protect scab labor • Union struck and chased Pinkerton detectives from factory • Governor sent in militia to break up strike • 4 strike organizers prosecuted • Union (Amalgamated Steel) broke up soon after, partially because Afof L refused to support.

  10. Pullman Strike

  11. Pullman Strike 1894 • American Railway Union (ARU) v. Pullman Co., and U.S. gov’t • Began May 11, eventually involved 250,000 workers in 27 states • Troops sent in when strikers disobeyed court order to end strike and boycott • 30 strikers killed • Most public opinion and media coverage against the strike

  12. Ludlow Strike Tent camp for Strikers at Ludlow Mine in Colorado

  13. Ludlow Strike 1914 • Rockefeller-owned mine and oil well in Colorado • Strike called for better wages, conditions and union recognition • 14-hour face off between strikers and management • State militia called in and torched tent camp • Rockefeller testifies that miners had not complained of conditions • By 1915, Rockefeller goes to miner camps

  14. Fears of Labor Tactics • As you watch this video about the men punished for the bombing at Haymarket, respond to these questions: • 1. Why were industrialists’ fears of revolution understandable? • 2. Explain how industrialists believed their right to property was under threat. • Consequences of Haymarket

  15. Cities Become a Forum • As urbanization expanded and more people moved into cities, the unions had opportunities to gain sympathy and to recruit supporters.

More Related