Workers organized labor unions in the late 1800s to advocate for better working conditions, wages, and benefits. They used tactics like strikes and boycotts to push for change against low pay, long hours, and dangerous work. Several important unions formed, including the Knights of Labor which welcomed all workers, and the American Federation of Labor which focused on skilled trades. However, business owners opposed unions, using lockouts and hiring replacements to break strikes, while the government often sided with owners over workers through interventions like sending troops. This led to violent clashes between labor and management.

1. Growth of Labor Unions
Workers join together for change.

2. Workers advocated for higher wages, better working conditions and
protection against job loss due to injury by machines.
Issues
Tactics Used to Push for Change
• LOW PAY
• LONG HOURS
• DANGEROUS
WORKING
CONDITIONS
• WANTED BENEFITS
AND JOB SECURITY
• STRIKE-refusal to work
• BOYCOTT-refusal to buy
products of a particular
company
• SLOW DOWN-decrease in
productivity.
• Joining LABOR UNIONS

3. Development of Labor Unions
1. KNIGHTS OF LABOR
a. began in 1869
b. led by Terence Powderly
c. welcomed all workers into the union including women and African Americans
d. Membership declined after 1866 Haymarket Square Riot
2. AFL—AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR
a. began by Samuel Gompers
b. accepted only skilled labor
c. didn’t accept _women, blacks, or immigrants.
3. Eugene V. Debs
a. created 1st large scale industrial union.
b. brought together all railroad workers: skilled and unskilled.
4. Labor Unions faced harassment from law enforcement,
Managers and government.

4. Business Owners/Management
Issues Tactics Against Labor
• Granting any of the labor’s
demands would cut into
profits.
• Large supply of labor
meant workers could easily
be replaced
• The US government
showed NO support for
Labor.
• LOCK-OUT-closed factory or
place of employment
• BLACK LIST-record kept by
companies of employees who
should not be hired because
they want changes.
• HIRING SCABS-non-union,
replacement workers hired
during a strike.

5. Unions and Management Clash
Great Railway Strike 1877—July—workers at
the B&O Railroad stopped rail lines in
several states. President Hayes
intervened calling on federal troops to
end the strike.
The Haymarket Affair—
May 6, 1866—3000 workers in
Chicago to protest police brutality against
strikers. Someone threw a bomb in
the police line, police opened fire.
Several strikers and 7 police officers
were killed. Public turned against the
union movement
Pullman Strike
a. town built by George Pullman
b. company laid off several workers and cut
the wages of the remaining employees.
c. President Grover Cleveland sent troops
in.
d. Riots broke out and the union, led by
Eugene V. Debs was blamed for the
strike. Debs was arrested and the
strike collapsed.
Homestead Strike: 1892 workers at Carnegie
Steel Plant organized a strike protesting
reduced wages. Riots broke out
between strikers and security. 16
people were killed and the National
Guard was brought in to end the strike.
DURING THE STRIKES OF THE LATE 1800S THE US GOVERNMENT CONSISTENTLY
SUPPORTED MANAGEMENT AND OWNERS OVER WORKERS. THE PROGRESSIVE ERA
EFFORTS WOULD HELP CHANGE THIS.