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