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The Great Southwest Railroad Strike of 1886
This strike included over 200,000 strikers, occured throughout Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Texas, and lasted 6 months. They protested against unsafe conditions, low wages, and long hours. -
The Great Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902
147,000 coal miners of the United Mine Workers of America union went on strike went on a strike for 5 months seeking better pay and better conditions. Teddy Roosevelt intervened but was not successful. J.P. Morgan also intervened and the miners settled on a 10% wage increase. -
Seattle General Strike After WW1
Although shipyard workers agreed to not strike during World War 1, they began a strike a few months after it ended. During the war, very strict wage controls were mandated by the federal government so 35,000 workers protested for higher wages. This strike after WW1 inspired labor movements around the world. -
The Steel Strike of 1919
350,000 steel workers went on strike in Pittsburgh in protest of long hours, low wages, corporate harassment and poor working conditions. The U.S. Steel Corportation linked them to communism and immigration problems in order to lower public opinion of them which eventually caused the strike to be unsuccessful. -
The Railroad Shop Workers Strike of 1922
400,000 workers went on strike after the Railroad Labor Board cut wages by 7 cents. Instead of negotiating, railroad companies replaced 75% of strikers with non union workers. The rest of the workers settled for a 5 cent pay cut. -
Railyway Labor Act
The RLA required employers to bargain collectively and also prevented them from discriminating against unions. This helped the labor movement because it protected them in a major industry. It was later extended to airlines involved with interstate commerce. -
Great Depression
During the Great Depression, unions suffered greatly.In the U.S.,only 3 million were in unions, compared to the 5 million a decade earlier. Although they would prosper soon after the Depression, it certainly impeded the labor movement. -
Norris LaGuardia Act
The Norris-Laguardia Act made it so employers could not prohibit workers from joining a union. This would make it so there would be less fear of punishment from an employer when forming a union. It also stopped employers from preventing workers from gaining leverage to fight for better conditions and benefits. This law made a very positive impact on the labor movement. -
Taft Hartley Act
The Taft Hartley Act banned closed shops and allowed states to pass right-to-work laws. The bill also allowed the government to call off a strike if national interests are threatened. This law gave more rights to business' and employers which hurt the labor movement.
