Unions in America after 1850

1. Unions in America after 1850

2. Who is Karl Marx and what are his ideas? What is the process of the Marxist Revolution? Terms: Communist Manifesto Class Conflict Bourgeoisie Means of Production Proletariat Dictatorship of the Proletariat Socialism Marxist/Socialist/Communist/Anarchist What is a union and what is its purpose? How did owners respond to Unions? Terms: Management Labor Lockout Blacklist Strike Breaker Collective Bargaining Knights of Labor American Federation of Labor What you need to know

3. Political and economic philosopher Founder of Communism Saw history through Class Conflict His ideas: Society has two Classes Rich = Bourgeoisie= Owners of Factories, Businesses, Lawyers, Doctors, Merchants Poor = Proletariat= Workers Both groups fight each other for resources Marx- wrote his ideas in his book: The Communist Manifesto (1848) Europe He thought up a new system that could make life better for the majority of people- the workers. Karl Marx

4. Karl Marx and SocialismThe opposite of Capitalism: • He said powerful owners of factories or businesses (bourgeoisie) oppressed and exploited the weak (proletariat) • Marx saw the problems of the Industrial Revolution and said that the rich (Capitalists), Bourgeoisie or factory owners, didn't care about the workers, and squeezed their livesaway by making them work long hours and paying them as little as possible.

5. According to Karl Marx • The system of Capitalism is bad • All parts of society (political, economic, social, and religious) are controlled by the rich, or Bourgeoisie. • They own the Means of Production or the things that are needed to create wealth: land, factories, businesses, etc.

6. Marx’s Vision of the Future • Eventually the workers (Proletariat) will get tired of being mistreated and abused by the factory owners and rich (Bourgeoisie) and fight for a change in the system. • The Proletariat will rise up violently and take over society in revolution. • The Proletariat will create a new system where society will have no classes and all people will be equal. • “Each person will give according to their ability and each person will receive according to their need.”

7. Process of the Marxist Revolution   Marx says that the proletariat will take over and abolish private property= the government will redistribute the wealth to all people fairly. • First the proletariat will: 1. Take power from the bourgeoisie. 2. Take all $, land, and resources from the bourgeoisie. 3. Control everything through a government of the Proletariat (workers). 4. After society is recreated the Government will disappear and life will be beautiful for all. Each person will have food, clothing, shelter, and work, and the things they need.

8. Marxist Sayings Capitalism is “the exploitation of the many by the few.” • “Proletarians of the world have nothing to lose but their chains.” • “Workers of the world unite!” • “Government will wither away.” • “Religion is the opiate of the people.”

9. Positive People are guaranteed Jobs Place to live Basic food and Basic necessities Life should improve for the very poor Education will be more widespread Working conditions will improve Negative All communist governments have limited freedom Work incentives are not available Technology does not develop Economies are not efficient What are the Pros and Cons to Communism?

10. Why did Communism not take over in the US? • Unions • Government change with the Progressive movement • Later Government will intervene in the economy during the Depression.

11. Union: organization of workers • Labor- is the term used to refer to workers. • Gradually workers get together and form groups that try to change the conditions for the workers in an industry. • Collective Bargaining: workers unite to negotiate with owners and pressure owners/ bosses to make conditions better for workers • Strike: once a factory or industry is organized into a Union, they negotiate for the interest of the worker, if the owners don’t get negotiate, then the workers stop work in an effort to force the owner to give in to their demands.

12. Factory Owners (Management) resist changes. • Use intimidation to dissuade workers from joining unions, like firing union leaders, beating up union leaders, killing union leaders, • Lockout: closing a factory before unions can be established, refuse to let union workers work in factories • Blacklist: a list of pro=union workers is shared with business owners • Strike Breakers- people who will work for pay no matter the conditions, people who beat up striking workers

13. Two Early National Unions • Knights of Labor • American Federation of Labor

14. Knights of Labor(1868-1893) Open to all labor Terence V. Powderly, leader Wanted: 8 hour work day Abolish Child Labor Higher pay Equal pay for women Cooperatives-workers control 1886- 750,000 members Wanted to negotiate for better working conditions Powderly did not want strikes- only as last resort Some Knights did strike- loses membership due to violent strikes Lost members to craft unions Disintegrates due to Depression of 1893 American Federation of Labor Craft Union- skilled workers Founded by Gompers Begins exclusive to white males no blacks Union benefits: Illness pay Funeral expenses Jobless benefits 1892 500,000 members Many socialists Called for 8 hour work day Survives through the Depression of 1893 By World War I (1914) 2 million members Knights of Labor and AF of L

15. Great Railroad Strike 1877 • Baltimore and Ohio RR • Owners tried to cut wages 10% • Sparked walkout • Over 1 month 10,000 workers on strike • Violence occurs- • Government represses strikes and calls militia dozens are killed • Millions of dollars of equipment are destroyed

16. Homestead Strike 1892 • Pennsylvania, Carnegie Steel vs. • Amalgamated Iron and Steel Tin Workers (AFL Union) • Carnegie wanted to Break the Union- Henry Frick was his manager • When the contract date was up Frick cut wages • Built stockade around the factory • Workers went on strike in June • Frick hired a private army to fight the strikers- after a battle the National Guard was brought in and strikebreakers did the work.

17. Results of Homestead • Workers lost 25% of work force • Increased work day • Cut wages 25% • The Union was broken

18. Haymarket Riot 1886 • Watch the movie

19. Eugene V. Debs • 1894 Railway Union organizer • Then American Socialist Agitator • "I was to be baptized in socialism in the roar of conflict.... In the gleam of every bayonet and the flash of every rifle the class struggle was revealed." • "Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder.... And that is war, in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles." • "We [propose] to destroy the capitalist & save the man. We want a system in which the worker shall get what he produces & the capitalist shall produce what he gets."

20. Pullman Strike 1894 • Pullman produced rail cars for sleeping • Very popular Palace Cars made rail travel more comfortable • Factory was located in a “Company Town” • Where the owner owned the town, the homes, the stores… and rented to workers. • Took rent and bills for groceries out of pay • Pullman also dictated behavior of the workers living in his town, workers resented the “Paternalistic Treatment”

21. Pullman 2 • When the economy went down wages were reduced • In May, Workers complained and created a list of Grievances and the leaders were fired • Workers voted to strike • The American Railway Union of Eugene Debs decided to support the strike • Rail traffic was stopped

22. Pullman 3 • Pullman asked for help from the Federal Government • Attorney General Olney (former railroad attorney) obtained an injunction, legal order to stop the strike. • President Cleveland sent Federal troops to end the strike • 26 other states experienced violence • Strike ended in July when Debs and the leaders were arrested

23. Union Slogans • Live better, Work Union! • A good union man is a good citizen. • “Every piece of progressive social legislation passed by Congress in the 20th century bears a union label.”George Meany • The history of America has been largely created by the deeds of its working people and their organizations.

24. “Those who would destroy or further limit the rights of organized labor-those who cripple collective bargaining or prevent organization of the unorganized-do a disservice to the cause of democracy.” President John F. Kennedy

25. “We want a better America, an America that will give its citizens, first of all, a higher and higher standard of living so that no child will cry for food in the midst of plenty.”Sidney Hillman • The role of a labor union is to ensure that the balance is not tipped in favor of the employer

26. Labor Slogans • It is time that all Americans realized that the place of labor is side by side with the businessman and with the farmer, and not one-degree lower.President Harry S. Truman

27. Labor Slogans • If there is no struggle, there can be no progress.Frederick Douglas • “Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country; a strikebreaker is a traitor to his God, his country, his wife, his family and his class.”

28. Labor Slogans • “A single employee is helpless in dealing with an employer; … a union is essential to give laborers an opportunity to deal with their employer. • Trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization that ever existed.

29. Labor Slogan • If I were a worker in a factory, the first thing I would do would be to join a union.President Franklin D. Roosevelt • The history of the labor movements needs to be taught in every school in this land.

30. An injury to one is the concern of all.Terence Powderly • Every advance in this half-century-Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, aid to education, one after another-came with the support and leadership of American Labor.President Jimmy Carter, 1980

31. Labor Slogans • Where trade unions are most firmly organized, there are the rights of the people most respected.Samuel Gompers • The first thing a dictator does is abolish the free press. Next he abolishes the right of labor to go on strike.

32. Labor Slogans • What does labor want? We want more schoolhouses and less jails, more books and less arsenals, more learning and less vice, more constant work and less crime, more leisure and less greed, more justice and less revenge.Samuel Gompers