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Haymarket Square Riot
This riot started out as a nonviolent protest of Chicago workers. After one participant threw a bomb, the police began opening fire and shot into the crowds. With 8 dead and 100 wounded, these lives lost became seen as martyrs and died for their cause. -
Homestead Strike
The protest began as a lockout in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The the strike became violent when Pinkerton agents snuck towards a large crowd of families in the middle of the night and opened fire. In the end, this event was seen as a major defeat for the union and a definite setback for their efforts to unionize steel and iron workers. -
The Pullman Strike
Factory workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company walked out in protest. They were eduring 12-hour work days and upcoming wage cuts which were the result of depressed economy, The strike ended when President Cleveland sent federal troops to Chicago to break up the strike. This struck a chord across America and empowered the "pro-union" movement. -
The Great Railroad Strike
This protest was a nationwide strike among railroad workers across America. President Harding proposed a settlement, which would have given little to those in the labor unions, but the members refused. The strike lasted a little over a month before ending. In result of this protest, 11 strikers or family members were killed. -
The Great Depression
When the Stock Market Crash of 1929 began the start of the Great Depression, unemployment rates sky rocketed. With so many people unemployed, the numbers of union members dropped from 5 million to 3 million. When there's a decrease in labor workers, there is also a decrease in labor unions. Additionlly, with those that were still employed, they likely couldn't afford to pay their union dues. -
Wagner Act
The law was created by the National Labor Relations Board. The Congress that passed the act was sympathetic towards labor unions. It addressed relations between unions and employers in the private sector. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
This law established minimum wage, child labor regulations, overtime pay, regulated hours worked, and record keeping. As many work-related laws made at this time in history, the FLSA gave workers protected rights in the workplace. It was seen as a huge win for the labor unions. -
World War II
After World War II began, employment rates went up. As a result, the amound of workers that joined unions reached new highs. At the highest point during the war, 35% of labor workers were in labor unions. -
Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
This act protects union resources, particularly their funds. It promotes the democracy of unions. It requires labor groups to file annual financial reports, and requires union officials, employers, and labor consultants to file reports about certain labor relations practices. The act also established standards for the election of union officers. -
Hurrican Katrina
This storm was the costliest hurricane in American History. The Labor Department estimated that Katrina was responsible for the loss of 230,000 jobs in total, as well as a significant drop in the unemployment rate in the United States. The fluctuating populations and shifting of people in the South also affected employment for jobless citizens. -
Baoyuanfeng Factory Fire
A fire broke out at the Baoyuanfeng poultry factory in China. With the death of at least 33 workers, the fire was said to be cause by the lack of enforcement of China's safety regulations. This event brought awareness to the rights of the safety of workers and made people realize that these factories need to be monitored in order to protect the lives of the factory workers.
