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Railway Strike of 1877
A strike against the Baltimore & Ohio railroad ignites a series of strikes across the northeast. The violence and disturbances that follow result in Federal troops being called out for the first time in a labor dispute. -
Haymarket Riot
A labor rally at the Haymarket Square in Chicago, called in support of the eight-hour day, erupts into chaos when an unknown party tosses a bomb at police, who then fire into the crowd. The incident stains labor's image and creates turmoil within the movement. -
Homestead Strike
A lockout at the Homestead Steel Works turns violent as 300 Pinkerton detectives hired by the company arrive at the mills by barge. Workers picketing the plant greet the Pinkerton's with violence and the confrontation soon becomes a full-scale pitched battle -
ILGWU Strike
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) calls a strike in New York, demanding a 20-percent pay raise and a 52-hour workweek. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
A fire in lower Manhattan kills 146 women workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. The tragedy highlights the harsh conditions under which the young women had to work, evoking public sympathy for reform. -
First State Minimum Wage Law
Massachusetts adopts the first minimum wage law, setting a floor under the pay of women and minors. Other states will pass similar laws beginning the same year. -
World War I
Global fight centred in Europe lasted for four years. It resulted in the death of over 16 million combatants and civilians.
The end of World War I left many manufacturers with huge stockpiles of goods. Industries mechanized plants, which increased their ability to produce but led to an elimination of the jobs and status that skilled workers formerly occupied. As the production raised, the numbers of workers in mining, manufacturing, and farming began to slide. -
Adamson Act
Establishes an 8-hour workday for employees of interstate railroads, with overtime for working longer hours. -
World War II
Deadliest war in history, lasted 6years, resulting in the deaths of between 50 to 85 million.
WWII posed additional challenges for American workers. Women moved in increasing numbers into jobs formerly occupied by men, who left work to fight in Europe and the Pacific. More blacks also entered the manufacturing workforce. They also encountered stagnant wages and increased workloads. -
Equal Pay Act
The Equal Pay Act prohibits discrimination in wages on the basis of sex. The result: women's earnings will climb from 62% of men's in 1970 to 80% in 2004. -
Postal Strike
More than 200,000 Post Office workers walk off the job in the first national strike of public employees. Though the action is illegal and President Nixon calls on the Army and National Guard to keep the mail moving, the two-week strike proves largely successful.
