The%20Growth%20of%20the%20American%20Labor%20Movement

1
The Growth of the American Labor Movement

• APUSH

2
1. How did industrialization impact Americas
class structure?
3
1

• It enhanced a sense of belonging to a class
• New Jobs
• Upper class owned the factories
• Middle class small businessmen BUT also
  managers to run factories doctors and lawyers
• Lower class (working class) factory workers low
  wages
• New Products
• The poors lack of ability and the richs ability
  to get products enhanced their senses of class

4
2. Why did the lower (working) class grow
alienated?
5
2

• Low wages
• Bad living conditions
• Boring jobs
• Scientific management Workers HATED it
• Structured workplaces
• Dangerous workplaces

6
3. Management vs. Labor
7
Labor Unrest 1870-1900
8
Management vs. Labor
Tools of Management
Tools of Labor

• scabs
• P. R. campaign
• Pinkertons
• Lockout
• Blacklisting
• Yellow-dog contracts
• Court injunctions
• Open shop

• Boycotts
• Sympathy demonstrations
• Informational picketing
• Closed shops
• Organized strikes
• wildcat strikes

9
A Striker Confronts a SCAB!
10
4. How did the working class protest the bad
condition it lived in?
11
4

• The working class formed labor unions

12
4A. National Labor Union

• Tried to unite all workers in the United States
• Won 8 hour day for federal government employees

13
4B. Knights of Labor

• Terence Powderly
• Desired socialist society
• Included African-Americans women (weakness)
• Divided on strikes
• Declined after Haymarket Riot (Chicago) in 1886

14
Knights of Labor
15
4C. American Federation of Labor

• Samuel Gompers
• Concentrated on wages and working conditions
• Craft workers skilled, white males (strength)
• 2 million members by 1904

16
American Federation of Labor
17
5. How did management respond to the labor
unions?
18
5

• Lockouts
• Blacklists
• Yellow-dog Contracts
• Private Guards and State Militias
• Court Injunctions
• Promoted idea that unions were anarchist and
  un-American

19
The Corporate Bully-Boys
Pinkerton Agents
20
6. Who generally won in the battle between labor
unions and management?
21
6A. Great Railroad Strike (1877)
22
Great Railroad Strike of 1877
23
6B. Haymarket Riot (1886)
24
Haymarket Martyrs
25
6C. Homestead Strike (1892)
26
Pullman Cars
Pullman Porter
27
6D. Pullman Strike (1894)
28
6C. Pullman Strike (1894)
29
7. Arguments for and against labor unions
30
Arguments Against Labor Unions

• Employers right to control own property and be
  free from what could impair the value of his
  capital
• Employees dont have the right to take away
  employers power and control
• Unions encourage foreign labor
• Unions encourage non-union labor that will result
  in better pay and hours for these workers

31
Arguments Against Labor Unions

• Unions provide an opportunity for nonunion
  laborers to move up and advance
• Union strikes have caused too much violence and
  loss which are beginning to breed disunity
• Continued failure of strikes only proves that
  workers cannot control capital
• Workers if unhappy with conditions dont have to
  continue working there

32
Arguments For Labor Unions

• Employers posses too much power and workers
  cannot make changes on their own
• Retain high-priced lawyers
• Buy up local press
• Bribe judges for injunctions on strikes
• Lockouts
• Manipulate workers to sign nonunion contracts
• Blacklist troublemakers
• Hire thugs or scabs

33
Arguments For Labor Unions

• Workers have the right to work in safe, healthy
  conditions
• Workers shouldnt have to give whole life to
  employers what about inalienable rights of
  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness???
• Workers have a right to earn wages comparable to
  the benefits their work gives their employer and
  that provide a sustainable life for their families

34
Arguments For Labor Unions

• National wealth obtained by the sacrifice of the
  masses is not healthy
• Havent trusts and monopolies themselves been
  created through a cooperative effort???
• Unions have brought about safer working
  conditions, child labor laws, and reform within
  the workplace