Trade Unions

Question 1

Outline the Haymarket Affair 1886

Answer 1

• Strike leading to Affair was at McCormick Harvester Plant
• Strike because of low wages
• A bomb was thrown, killing 7 police officers
• Police returned fire, killing 4 strikers
• Protest march organised against the killings

Question 2

What were the consequences of the Haymarket Affair 1886?

Answer 2

• Blame put on German immigrants - 8 arrested and convicted
• 4 of them executed and became symbols for the fight for organised labour
• Unions were blamed, leading to further dislike of unions
• Knights of Labour’s reputation destroyed

Question 3

Outline the Homestead Strike 1892

Answer 3

• Carnegie Steel Co. had dispute with Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, as steel prices fell, wages had to fall too
• Managers locked union out of factory - failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement
• Managers advertised for replacement workers
• Carnegie paid for professional strikebreaker, Henry Frick
• Violence at Homestead Factory - strike lasted 143 days
• Workers killed Frick
• Battle between strikers and Pinkertons (private security firm)

Question 4

What were the consequences of the Homestead Strike 1892?

Answer 4

• Strike collapsed because Carnegie won - unconditional surrender from strikers
• Violence broke union and caused decline in membership
• Carnegie Steel Co. remained non-unionised for 40 years
• No factory in Pennsylvania was unionised in 1900 due to fear of Pinkertons
• Strike seriously harmed the progress of workers getting more rights

Question 5

Outline the Pullman Strike 1894

Answer 5

• Major strike by mail workers
• Federal gov. broke with laissez-faire and intervened by issuing an injunction to end the strike
• President Cleveland sent 2000 troops to break the strike when it continued after the injunction
• 4 strikers killed by army in street battles

Question 6

What were the consequences of the Pullman Strike 1894?

Answer 6

• Gov. ready to break with laissez faire to prevent strikes and help employers
• Gov. also intervened to bring in the Omnibus Indictment Act, which made it illegal to encourage others to go on strike

Question 7

How were unions restrictive in the Gilded Age?

Answer 7

• Early unions were for skilled workers only
• Refused to let unskilled workers in
• No understanding of the concept of “strength through numbers”
• Limited the size and therefore impact of any strike action

Question 8

How were union members able to get sick pay during the Gilded Age?

Answer 8

Workers began contributing to sickness clubs

Question 9

What led to white hostility towards black workers?

Answer 9

Widespread fear among white worker after the abolition of slavery that freed slaves would take away their jobs

Question 10

By what percentage did wages rise during the Gilded Age?

Answer 10

60%

Question 11

Why did the Supreme Court have a negative impact on the progress of trade unions?

Answer 11

Supreme Court always took employers’ side

Question 12

There was a rapid growth in two things for trade unions during the Gilded Age. What were they?

Answer 12

• Membership of the major unions, e.g. KOL and AFL
• Number of unions

Question 13

Define laissez-faire

Answer 13

Gov. didn’t interfere with how companies treated employees