Labor Strikes and Unions Pgs. 218-220. Going on Strike! Going on strike became the labor unions’...
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Transcript of Labor Strikes and Unions Pgs. 218-220. Going on Strike! Going on strike became the labor unions’...
Labor Strikes and Unions
Pgs. 218-220
Going on Strike!
• Going on strike became the labor unions’ most important way of getting factory owners to listen to them.
• Some strikes turned violent!• Violence did not help the unions. • Some labor unions lost their power due to
violence.
Going on Strike!
• In 1886 workers belonging to the Knights of Labor went on strike against the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company.
• The union wanted higher wages and an eight-hour workday.
• During one protest meeting, some strikers fought with police in Chicago.
• Suddenly someone threw a bomb!
Going on Strike!
• Seven police officers were killed, and many others were hurt.
• No one knew who threw the bomb, but people blamed the labor union.
• The Knights of Labor soon lost many of its members.
Carnegie Steel Mill Strike
• One of the most violent strikes took place at a Carnegie steel mill in Pennsylvania.
• Henry Frick, a manager at Carnegie’s mill, announced a pay cut for workers.
• The workers went on strike and Mr. Frick fought back.
• He shut down the mill and hired private police to protect it.
Carnegie Steel Mill Strike
• Three hundred police officers arrived at Carnegie’s mill.
• Mr. Carnegie was away in Scotland.• They were met by hundreds of angry
union workers. A fight broke out and seven officers and nine strikers were killed.
• The governor of Pennsylvania sent in soldiers from the National Guard to keep order.
Carnegie Steel Mill Strike
• The strike went on for four months.
• Finally, the union gave up and workers returned to their jobs.
• Many people began to think that the government should help factory workers.
Government and Business
• Workers hoped the strikes would make their lives and working conditions better.
• However, pay was still low and many children still had to work.
• Workers wanted the government to help improve conditions in factories.
• Factory owners did not want the government telling them how to run their businesses.
Government and Business
• Many government leaders agreed with factory owners.
• They believed that businesses helped make the country’s economy strong by producing goods and creating new jobs.
• For industry to grow, businesses had to be free to produce their goods in the best way possible.
Government and Business
• Business leaders did not want the government to get involved.
• They feared the government would regulate their businesses, or control them with laws.
• Business owners wanted as few laws dealing with the operations as possible.