History 1302 – Labor Movement – Flashcards
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From what parts of Europe did most of the immigrants arrive?
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Central/eastern Europe; from Russia, Italy, Austro-Hungarian Empire (i.e., Poles, Czechs, Serbs, etc).
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What were the principal problems that workers in America faced?
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(1) Low wages/long hours (2) poor, unsafe, working conditions (3) constant fear of unemployment (4) impersonalization of employer/employee relations (5) differences among workers--(i) skilled vs. unskilled (ii) nat'l, ethnic, racial differences (iii) anti-labor attitude of business (and public) (6) anti-labor attitude of public (7) anti-labor attitude of gov't.
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In what way did the legislative branches of gov't work against the interests of workers in the late 1800s (i.e., what particularly did they refuse to grant to workers)?
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Refused to give workers right of collective bargaining (i.e., right to form labor unions w/ which owners must negotiate). (W/o such right, unions, particularly unions of unskilled workers, have little possibility of effective action.)
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What is an "injunction?" How did the judiciary use injunctions to serve the cause of owners against workers?
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A court order commanding a person or persons not to commit an anticipated act. Courts use "injunctions" to jail strike leaders; break strikes. (Owners get injunction against strikes--now a legal matter; jail leaders.)
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What were the long- and short-term goals of The Knights of Labor?
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Long-term goal: Same as NLU--gov't ownership of resources, worker ownership of factories. (But does not advocate force/violence to achieve.) Short-term goal: wants immediate, practical, benefits of capitalist system like higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions.
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What event caused the Knights of Labor to disappear as a union so dramatically and suddenly?
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Haymarket Riot, 1886--peaceful labor rally. Local police captain sends 200 policemen to end rally, bomb thrown; panic, shooting. Some killed, 100 wounded. Panic across city; fear beginning of radical revolution. Many arrested, but non accused of throwing bomb; were convicted c/c of anarchist, socialist, views, writings, etc. Public anger directed at unions; particularly at K of L. Membership rapidly declines; union disappears.
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What important labor union--one that still-exists--developed in the same year that the K of L disappeared? What accounted for its immediate success and fact that it is today part of the dominant labor organization of America, i.e., what is its philosophy?
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American Federation of Labor (AF of L), formed in 1886 by Samuel Gompers (leader of cigarmakers union). Philosophy: Demands only practical, immediate, benefits of capitalist system (i.e., higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions.) Fully accepts capitalist system. (1995, AF of L joins w/ CIO to form today's AF of L/CIO).
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What was the name of the major strike of 1892 that developed in a steel mill owned by Andrew Carnegie's company? The strike was settled by the use of nat'l guard troops.
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Homestead Strike; in Pennsylvania.
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In 1984, a nationwide RR strike shut down the RRs, and ultimately involved the use of the US Army against American citizens. What name was given to this strike?
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Pullman Strike.
