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Civil War
The Cival War augmented the Industrial Revolution that had occurred not too long before. Manufacturing increased, which raised the demand for workers. Unions are just now starting to form. -
Great Southwest Railroad Strike
By the end of the 1800s, the American railroad was expanding quickly. In 1886, the Knights of Labor went on strike at the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by robber baron Jay Gould. Hundreds of thousands of workers across five states refused to work, citing unsafe conditions and unfair hours and pay. The strike suffered from lack of commitment from other railroad unions. -
Antitrust Laws Established
After 1890, courts used antitrust laws to rule unions illegal. Unions almost completely disappear from the labor force. Working conditions for the labor force plummet. -
The Pullman Strike
Facing 12-hour work days and wage cuts resulting from the depressed economy, factory workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company walked out in protest. The workers were soon joined by members of the American Railway Union (ARU), who refused to work on or run any trains, including Pullman-owned cars. -
Steel Strike of 1919
Following World War I, United States Steel Corporation workers represented by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) organized a strike against poor working conditions, long hours, low wages and corporate harassment regarding union involvement. The number of strikers quickly grew to 350,000, shutting down nearly half of the steel industry. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression called on people to join unions, swelling their numbers. Strikes became increasingly common. Unions help people find and keep jobs during this rough economic time. -
Norris-LaGuardia Act
This act states that businesses couldn't prohibit workers from joining unions. Unions are still swelling their numbers and will continue to throughout the 30s. Businesses are not happy with this act. -
The New Deal
Labor unions experienced extensive gains during the 1930s. This resulted, in part, from the pro-union stance of the Roosevelt administration and from legislation enacted by Congress during the early New Deal. People wanted to join unions. -
Textile Workers Strike of 1934
On Labor Day in 1934, after years of long hours and low wages, American textile workers set out to strike in response to the negligent representation of textile labor in FDRs National Recovery Administration. The United Textile Workers (UTW) organized 400,000 to walk out for just over 20 days, but a lack of outside support and an excess of textile materials, especially in the Southern states, forced the strike to end without any of the original demands being met. Union spirit reached new lows i -
The Fair Labor Standards Act
This act established the minimum wage, overtime payment, and child labor laws in order to protect workers. Unions began to decline a little. This is because working conditions are now enforced by law. -
World War II
America is fed up with labor’s refusal to give an inch in the midst of a national crisis. Unions start to decline. Most of the labor force is now employed to support the war movement.
