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Haymarket Riot
The Haymarket Riot started as a peaceful rally to support striking in Haymarket square in Chicago until an unknown person through dynamite at the police who were trying to disperce the rally. The explosion and battle that insued, left seven police and four civilians dead, and fifty wounded. This event caused a large amount of anti-union sentiment, but also made the Unions more determined -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman strike began when 4,000 Pullman Co. workers From Pullman Chicago went on strike due to pay cuts. They boycotted and refused to operate the trains. Riots and sabotage caused total of $80 million in damages and thirty deaths. Finally the Federal government tryed to stop them from blocking transportation but were refused. Finally 12,000 U.S. national guard were sent city by city to stop the ordeal. In the aftermath to conciliate the workers, Labor Day was created as a Federal holiday. -
ILGWU founded
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) was origanally founded in New York NY, by seven local unions, with a membership of a few thousand workers. The union grew though and reached its peak as one of the largest unions int the U.S. with 450,000 members. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
The fire that broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhatten was one of the worst catastrophies in U.S. history. 146 workers died from burns smoke or jumping out windows because the Stairwells and exits were locked to prevent theft and stealing breaks. This caused much attention in workplace safety and spurred the growth of ILGWU. -
'yellow-dog' contracts outlawed
Yellow-dog contracts were a written agreement between employers and employees to keep them from joining unions. The yellow-dog contracts were outlawed by the Norris-La Guardia Act. this act stated that the contracts were to be unenforced and created a right to join non-violent unions. -
National Labor Relations Act
Also Called the Wagner Act, this was passed as a U.S. Labor Law. the Law guaranteed workers the right to form trade unions to bargain for better conditions, and if seed be, to go on strike. This act recieved heavy opposition but found to be constitutional in 1937. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The fair Labor Act, also called the Wages and Hours Bill was established to introduce the forty-hour work week, eight hour workday, minimum wage and overtime pay. This was a very important act and greatly improved working conditions. -
Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hatley act was an amendment to the Wagner Act. It restricted unions with a list of prohibited actions on the part of the employee. Although this act somewhat damaged smaller labor unions, it did'nt do much to the whole labor movement
