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Knights of Labor (1869-1900)
Organized by the Philadelphia garment workers in 1869. They were trying to get equal pay for equal work, abolition of child labor, and 8 hour work days. This would be open to farmers, mechants, and wage earners. This help supported people to have a more reasonable work time and pay. -
Haymarket Square Riot
Workers from Chicago marched for and 8 hr day protesting against McComick harvesting machine. Police came to break up the strike. 8 policeman died and 100s were injured. The anarchists was blamed for the violence. This didn't help the labor unions much it just made the public see them as a problem. -
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Organized in 1886, focusing on only better working conditions. Also trying to get better pay. So that there will be union labels on produced items. This is more for craft oriented. This helped to say that there should be better working conditions and pay. -
How the Other Half Lives: Studies of Tenements in New York
Written by Jacob Riss, documentaing the living conditions of New York slums. It was very crouded that there was barely any room to sleep or walk. Families were really poor, barely having enough to feed their families. Made people mad that rents were higher then peoples pay. They had to do something about it. -
Homestead Strike
A stirke that began on June 30th culminated a battle between strikers adn private security agents on July 6th. One of the most serious disputes in US labor history. This occurred at the Homestead Steel works in Pittsburgh. The ending was that this was a major defeat for the unions and a set back for the efforts to unionize the steelworkers. This tried to help the uinionize the steelworkers but failed. -
Pullman Strike
The company built teh town of Pullman so the workers cold rent homes from the owner, George M. Pullman. But in 1893 the rents were high adn the wages were slashed. But still Pullman refused to lower the rents. Workers went on strike, led by Eugene V. Debs. Thousands of workers from 27 states went on strike. This made it so that there was no transportation from Chicago to Wast Coast. The strike stopped by militia and the Union leaders were arrested. This tried to make better work rights. -
Labor Day holiday
The first monday in each September was Labor Day. It really first started on Tuesday, September 5th, 1882. On this day 20,000 workers marched with signs saying "labor creates all wealth". Made by Peter McGuire and Matthew McGuire. This made a day for to celebrate the hardship of workers. -
Coal Strike
The strike by the United Mine Workers of America. This threatened to shut down the winter supply of fuel to all major cities. President Roosevelt became involved and set up a commision wich suspended teh strike. The strike never started again and the miners got more pay for fewer hours. This wast eh first time the goveremnt was a neutral arbitrator. This was a victory in a way for the Labor unions.g -
The Jungle
Written to describe the poor conditions of the meat packing industries. Working conditions were very bad. The meat was packed with dead rats and whatever else they picked up when packing. Used old moldy sausages from Europe. This lead up to the Pure Food and Drug Act. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
US feder law provided federal inspection of meat products. It forbids the manufacture, slae, or transportation of adulterated food product and poisonous patent medicines. This gave safer food for people to eat. -
The Bitter Cry of Children
Written by John Spargo that exposed the hardship of child laborers. Boys worked for 10 hours a day for 60 cents. They crouched over chutes for so long that the become deformed and some of them had bent backs. Children had no education or religion. Little boys had to work what John Spargo could barely do. This exposed the Child Labor Laws. -
Triangle Shirt Factory Fire
One of the most deadliest industrial disaster in New York. 146 garment workers died from the fire or from jumping out of the building. From this the legislation requiring improved factory safety standards. This helped fight for better working conditions. -
National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)
-Pro Labor
From this labor's right to organize legally has been recognized. The National Labor Relations Board was created. The power to punish unfair labor practices was now in place. Thise helped for a better working condition. -
Congress of Industrial Organization (1935-1955)
This was part of the AFL until 1935. It mainly broke away because it was for industrail lines instead of craft lines. But later became part of it again. It helped because it is basically the samething as the AFL but for different people. -
GM Sit-down Strike (1936-1937)
A strike by General Motors workers that shut down plant operations in Flint, Michigan and other cities. A sit-down strike involves workers remaining in the workplace while on strike to prevent normal business operations from starting. In weeks the sit-down tactic spread to other GM plants and to cities in other states. They soon made a contract where workers were able to participate in the running of GM. This was the first major victory for the union. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The federal regulation of child labor was achieved. From this, for the first time, minimum ages of employment adn hours of work for children is regulated by federal law. This supports the fight against child labor and now there are laws on how long and what age they can work at. -
Steel Strike
Strike by the United Steelworkers of America against 10 other steelmakers. It was planned to start on April 9th but Truman nationalized the American Steel industry hours before the workers walked out. The steel companies sued to try to get control over their facilities back. The steelworkers struck to win a wage increase. This helped fight for steelworkers. -
Major elague Baseball Strike
The first baseball strike in baseball history. The strike happened from April 1 to April 13. Baseball resumed when teh owners and players agree on a $500,000 increase in pension fund payments and to add salary arbitration to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 86 games were missed ovet the 13-day period and were never played because the league refused to pay the player for the time they were on strike. This was a victory for a sport team to help fight for workers rights. -
New York City Transit Strike
A strike called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100. A negotiations for a new contract with the metropolitan Transportation Authority. Most NY transit authority personnel observed the strike, effectively halting allservice ont he subway and buses. Many millions of workers were affected. This show how serious the union was.
