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Noble Order of hte Knights of Labor
The Noble Order of hte Knights of Labor was orgainized by Philadelphia garment workers in 1869. It was opened to farmers, merchants, adn wage earners. Their objectives were, equal pay for equal work, the distruction of child labor, and an eight hour work day. -
"How the Other Half Lives"
"How the Other Half Lives" is an early publication of photojournalism by Jacob Riis. It is about the living conditions in New York. Workers would live in tenements. These buildings were very small and can have many people living at once in the same one. People suffered in these living conditions. During the summer it gets very hot in the buildings. -
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
American Federation of Labor, or AFL, was organized in the year 1886. It focused on better working conditions and pay. AFL was craft oriented and put union labels on produced items. -
HayMarket Square Riot
The Haymarket Square Riot was when workers in Chicago marched for an 8 hour day protest. They were protesting against the McComick Harvesting machine. Police had to come to break up the strike. Hundreds of people were injured and 8 policemen died. The public saw unions and anarchists as a problem when this event occured. -
The Homestead Strike
An industrial lockout and strike begun on June 30th in 1892, cumlinating in a battle between strikers and private security agents on July, 6, 1892. It was one of the most serious issues in US labor history. This occured at the Homestead Steel Works in the town of Homestead, Pennsylvania. This was between Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and the Carnegie Steel company. It was a major defeat for the union and a minor setback for efforts to unionize steelworkers. -
The Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike started because George M. Pullman raised the rent of homes due to the Great Depression. Workers went on strike, which was led by Eugene V. Debs. within days thousands of railroadworkers in 27 states went on strike. Most state governors supported the businessside, but Governor Peter Aletgeld was sympahtetic towards workers and did not send state militiary but others asked the federal government to send military. Union leaders were arrested orimprisoned; the strike collapsed. -
Labor Day Holiday was Created
Labor Day is to celebrate all workers across the United States. Labor Day was created after the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. Military in 1894. The believed man to have thought of this holiday was Peter J. McGuire. On June 28th, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first monday in September Labor Day across the U.S. -
"The Coal Strike"
"The Coal Strike" was a strike led by the United Mine Workers of america in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. This event threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply to all major cites. President Theodore Roosevelt was involved and set up a fact-finding comminsion that suspendd the strike. The strike never resumed and the miners received mor pay for fewer hours. It was the first labor event that the federal government intervened as a neurtral arbitrator. -
"The Jungle"
"The Jungle " was written by Upton Sinclair. He described the disgusting conditions from the meat packing industry. His book led to the passage of the PUre Food adn Drug Act and the Meet Inspection Act. One specific event he described was when an old man would clean out a trap filled with meat scraps that was connected the pipe with the good meat when it was washed. Scraps of meat and the good meat were shoveled in to on truck to be delivered. -
"The Bitter Cry of Children"
"The Bitter Cry of Children was written by John Spargo in 1906. It describes the hardships suffered by child laborers. Coal mining was a job he described. Coal mining is an extremley hard and dangerous job epecially for a child. John describes the children having injuries such as a cuts, broken or crushed fingers, and hurt backs. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The United States federal law that provided federal inspection of meat products and forbade the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated food products and poisonous patent medicines. Anybody whom violates any of the Act's provisions will be charged with a misdemeanior. This Act basically prevented foods and drugs from being mistreated and allowed to eat or consume. -
Triangle Shirt Factory Fire
The Triangle Shirt Factory Fire is the reason why we now have fire codes. This event occured on March 25, 1911. People from the ages of 14 to 48 died. The youngest that died were two fourteen year old girls, and the oldest that died was 48. All of the stairwells and exits were all locked by the managers before the fire started. The fire was started by a cigarette bud. People either died by jumping out of the burning building or the fire itself. a 146 total people died. -
Congress of Industrial Organization
The congress of Industrial Organization was a part of hte AFL until 1935. They broke away becuase it advocated organization along inustrial lines rather than craft lines. The finally reintegrated into AFL in 1955. -
The National Labor Relations Act
The National Labor Relations Act is also known as the Wagner Act. It granted Labor's right to organize legally recognization. It also granted them power to punish unfair labor practices. This Act was passed. -
GM Sit-down Strike
This strike is not like other Strikes. Instead of not working until the workers either made a deal or got what they wanted. These workers remained working while on strike to prevent normal business operations from being conducted. The strike was by the General Motors employees that shut down plant operations in flint, Michigan. Other cities from December 30, 1936 - February 11, 1937. The strike spread and the President wanted it to end, so the workers were then able to participate in running GM -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act is the Act that granted and finalized minimum ages of emplyment and hours of work for children. It guarenteed "over time" to some available jobs. This was regulated by the Federal law. -
Steel Strike
This strike was by the United Steelworkers of America against U.S. Steel and nine other steelmakers. The strike was supposed to start on April 9, 1952, but instead, President Truman nationalized the American steel industry hours before the workers walked out. Steel companies sued to regain control of their facilties. On June 2, 1952 the Supreme Court ruled that the President lacked the authority to seize the steel mills. The workers had a wage increase and lasted 53 days total. -
Major League Baseball Strike
Major League Baseball players wanted an increase in Pension funds. It was the first Baseball Strike in history and went form April 1, 1972 until April 13, 1972. The games missed during this 13 day period were never played becuase the league refused to pay the players for the time they were on strike. -
New York City Transit Strike
This strike was held in New York City and called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100. This was caused when a new contract with the MTA broke down over retirement, pension, and wage increases. The strike began at 3:00 a.m. on December 20, 2005. Millions of commuters were affected and the strike officailly ended at 2:35 p.m. on December 22, 2005. The transportations were fully operational by the morning of the commute on the 23rd.
