Chapter 3

Haymarket Tragedy

A rally for 8-hour work day in Chicago's Haymarket Square that resulted in police officers dying from a bomb thrown by a protester, which led to the demise of the Knights of Labor (Knights of Labor were not involved in the rally but were the most visible labor organization and suffered from the media backlash and hysteria from the public)

General Motors sit-down strike

In 1936 workers in Flint took over 2 General Motors plants by sitting down and refusing to work/leave the plant, in order to have GM recognize the United Auto Workers as the employees' bargaining agent. No violence occurred and eventually GM agreed to recognize the UAW after 6 weeks of strikes

Memphis Sanitation Strike

In 1968, the death of two African American sanitation workers by an unsafe garbage compacter saw 1,000 black sanitation workers go on strike that lasted 2 months that sought improved wages and working conditions. This involved race riots and peaceful marches. This strike saw the untimely death of Martin Luther King Jr and the improvement of wages, promotions, and a nondiscrimination clause

PATCO Strike

In 1981, President Regan fired striking air traffic controllers and hired new ones which resulted in a toughened stance by private sector employers on unions

Great Uprising of 1877

Many different workers went on a railroad strike in 1877 in response to a 10% wage cut which lead to 20 deaths, and $5 million of railroad property damage (This event is more notable for its representation than its accomplishments (This event showed the frustrations of workers struggling with the forces of industrialization and conflict between labor and capital)

Knights of Labor

a union that began in the garment industry and believed in Uplift Unionism. They practiced secrecy of information confined to its members, once expansion for the union which occurred in 1881 they dropped secrecy and had over 700,000 members by 1886. eventually fading away in 1901 because of the Haymarket Tragedy (To achieve their goals, they believe in writing letters instead of not strikes and boycotts because they believe they would not achieve moral betterment (e.g. education) only financial gain)(Their goal was to replace Capitalism with a system that saw producers as controllers and owners of businesses)

Welfare Capitalism

a way to win worker loyalty and increase efficiency by improving supervisory practices, implementing orderly hiring and firing procedures, offering insurance benefits, creating a positive culture, improving the physical work environment and providing employee voice

Open Shop Movement

an effort by employers and their employer associations in the 1900s to create and maintain workplaces without union representation (Open Shop Movement portrayed to the general public individual freedom. Whereas unions depicted confinement of freedom of workers) (Open Shop Movement was renamed American Plan in the 1920s and was orchestrated by business) (Open shops were racially hostile to everyone except whites)

Uplift Unionism

aspiration to elevate workers morally, intellectually and socially as opposed to through material wealth

Great Strike Wave of 1945-46

beginning in August 1945, 4,600 strikes occurred involving 4.9 million workers and lost nearly 120 million worker-days. There were large strikes in auto, steel, coal, rail, oil refining, meatpacking, longshoring, and electrical products.

Revolutionary Unionism

complete harmony and homogeny of all workers (skilled, unskilled) against companies to overthrow capitalism

Homestead Strike

in 1892 an AFL-affiliated craft union refused to accept a wage cut by the Homestead steel mill owner Andrew Carnegie. This resulted in a strike at the steel-mill in 1892. The strike resulted in a gun battle between the AFL-affiliated craft union and Pinkerton caused a shutdown of the mill. Because of Strikebreakers and technology, the steel mill reopened after 7 days, eventually rehired only 400 of the 2,200 strikers, saw a large profit increase, and did not have a union presence until the 1930s

American Federation of Labor(AFL)

is a union federation (not a union itself) that supported independent unions by bargaining with employers, leading strikes, and resolving grievances; two of their philosophies were Business Unionism and Craft Unionism. They also were guided by the principle of Exclusive Jurisdiction. They conflicted with Employers during the Homestead Strike and the Pullman Strike which saw a employers weaken the AFL's desired level of workers and supervisory supremacy in production decisions (AFL were very harsh to unskilled laborers and discriminated against them. AFL only represented skilled workers)

Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

new federation of industrial unions that rivaled AFL federation of craft union. Developed after successes of the General-Motors sit-down strike (CIO organized the unskilled workers into industrial unions and broken through the narrow lines of craft unionism. It has welcome everyone based on race, ethnicity, gender etc...)

Exclusive Jurisdiction

only one union should represent workers in a craft (e.g. football player unions are to represent football players. It cannot represent basketball players and other unions can't represent football players)

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) (Wobblies)

radical and militant union founded in 1905 that followed the Revolutionary Unionism philosophy because of its frustration with the AFL's discrimination and conservation (IWW's direct action philosophy is to embrace short term improvements as victories and for advancing the larger struggle against capitalists)

Industrial Unionism

seeks to organize all workers in a workplace or industry regardless of occupations or skill levels. dates to 1913, but became a force in the mid-1930s (Industrial Unionism was supported by the Committee for Industrial Organization)

Pullman Strike

the Pullman Palace Company cut wages by 28% in 1893 because of the depression despite leaving stockholders' dividends the same which caused the Pullman workers to join the American Railway Union led by Eugene Debs. Pullman Palace Company refused to arbitrate disputed issues, and fired any workers who supported boycotting them. This created a national railroad strike where the strikers tampered with mail cars and Pullman cars to disrupt business. Eventually this led to violence and resulted in 13 deaths and 700 destroyed railroad cars. Eugene Debs was arrested for conspiracy to disrupt the mail and served 6 months in jail and the strike eventually died out

National Labor Union

the first federation that represent unions from different occupations and industries. founded in 1866 (This union emphasizes political activity to bring legal reform (e.g. campaigning for 8 hours working days)

Business Unionism

the improvement of wages, hours, and working conditions for employees. (Business Unionism accepts Capitalism and the need for corporations to make profits but seeks fair wages through collective bargaining. Absence of fair wages result in threat of striking)

Craft Unionism

unions are divided by occupation or trade so that each union can focus on their unique concerns and overcome the weakness of Knights of Labor