Chapter 9Industrialization

Section 4Unions

Working in the U.S.

Difficult life for industrial workers◦Monotonous ◦Conditions (unhealthy, dangerous)◦Average: $.22/hr, 59hr/wk◦Deflation

Wages-increase in buying power Companies wanted to cut wages

Early Unions

2 types of industry workers◦Craft (special skills/training/higher wages)◦Common (few skills/low wages)

Trade Union◦For craft workers◦By 1870-30

Industrial Union◦Craft & common workers

Opposition◦Employers worked more with trade unions◦Blacklists & lockouts◦No laws protecting rights to organize

Fear of Marxism

Struggle to Organize

Great Railroad Strike of 1877◦Wage cuts◦80,000 RR workers in 11 states◦2/3 of nations railways◦President Hayes-militia

Chicago-100 dead, millions in property damageKnights of Labor

◦1st nationwide industrial union◦Haymarket Riot-Chicago

Pullman Strike◦American Railway Union & Pullman Co.

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Pullman Strike

AFL & Working Women

American Federation of Labor (AFL)◦Samuel Gompers◦Closed shops◦Small gains

Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL)◦8-hour day/minimum wage/no evening

work/abolish child labor

Samuel Gompers