Homestead Strike Of 1892 Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Homestead Strike Of 1892?

The Homestead Strike of 1892 is considered one of the most significant labor disputes in American history. The strike pitted the steelworkers of Carnegie Steel Company’s Homestead plant outside Pittsburgh against the company’s management and its owner, Andrew Carnegie. It began when Carnegie Steel cut wages and attempted to break a union that had been formed at its facility. The workers responded by striking and occupying the factory, stopping production for more than two months before they were ultimately defeated by a combination of police force and hired Pinkerton agents.The Homestead Strike began on June 30th, 1892 when Andrew Carnegie refused to recognize the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (AAISW) as the official union representing his employees at his Homestead plantthe largest steel mill in the country. This decision followed a failed attempt to negotiate a new contract between Carnegie Steel’s management and AAISW leader Hugh O’Donnell in late June. When negotiations broke down, O’Donnell called for a strike at all nine of Carnegie Steel plants. At Homestead, 3,800 workers walked off their jobs on July 1st in response to their employer’s refusal to recognize their union rights or sign an agreement with them concerning wages or working conditions. In response to this action, Henry Clay FrickCarnegie’s business partner and manager of his steel interestsdecided to hire 300 Pinkerton agents from Chicago who were sent by train on July 6th under orders from Frick himself. When they reached Pittsburgh they were ferried across the Monongahela River where they met resistance from thousands of armed strikers who had gathered around the plant after hearing rumors about an impending attack on their worksite. In what became known as The Battle Of Homestead there was fighting between strikers and non-unionized workers hired by Frick which resulted in three deaths (including two members of Pinkertons). Following this incident Governor Robert Pattison eventually sent 8 thousand state militiamen intoHomestead with orders to restore peace following an endorsement from President Harrison himself who called it one of those conflicts between capital and labor which so frequently occur.