12-4 Flashcards
How was life difficult for workers?
tasks were to be performed highly specific and repetitively, and had to work in unhealthy and dangerous conditions
How did industrialism see a dramatic rise in the standard of living?
the average worker’s wage rose ~50%
This is the rise in the value of money.
deflation
What did deflation lead companies to do?
drop prices and cut wages
What are the two types of workers?
craft workers (specific skills, more pay) and common laborers (average joe, less pay)
Why did employers have to deal with trade unions, and how did they feel about them?
They needed the skilled workers. They felt unions were illegitimate conspiracies that interfered with property rights.
How did companies try to prevent unions from forming?
They would have workers take oaths or sign contracts promising to not join one, or even hire detectives to identify union organizers.
This is a list that workers who organized unions or strikes were put on. You were taken off of this list if you either changed your name, trade, or where you lived.
blacklist
If unions were formed, how could companies prevent them from striking?
lockouts (workers going w/o pay and locked off property)
What is Marxism? (3 points)
belief that
- felt it was the class struggle between the workers and owners that shaped society
- workers would revolt and gain control
- after takeover, socialist society would form and wealth would be distributed
What happened in the Great Railroad Strike?
Several RR companies cut wages in July 1877, which led to protest, which led to violence, which led to the militia getting involved.
What can a strike never allow?
violence
Who were the Knights of Labor?
the first nationwide industrial union
What did the Knights of Labor call for? (5 points)
- 8 hr workdays
- Gov. bureau of labor statistics
- equal pay for women
- ending child labor
- worker-owned facilities
This is a process where an impartial third party helps mediate between workers and management.
arbitration
What happened in the Haymarket Riot?
A clash between protesters and police happened in Chicago leading to a protester’s death. An anarchist group protested this killing the next day when a bomb was thrown and police opened fire. 7 policemen and 4 workers were killed.
What happened in the Pullman Strike?
A boycott occurred after a depression led to wage cuts. This led to mail delivery being prevented from getting to recipients, which is a crime.
What was the American Federation of Labor?
organization put together by 20 trade unions
Who was the AFL’s leader?
Samuel Gompers
What were the AFL’s three main goals?
- promote 8 hr workdays
- push for closed shops (companies only hiring union workers)
- convince companies to recognize unions and agree to collective bargaining
