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The US economy revolves around the factory
In the mid 1800's most of the economy was run by farms, but that soon changed. towards the end of the 18th century America's economy had switched from the rural farms to the urban factories. These factories had a lot of problems and the workers wanted to solve them. -
Labor union formed
The National Labor Union was formed to fix problems that the workers had. Things like wages, working hours and safety were the main things that they fought for. They also fought for the end of child labor in the factories. -
American Federation of labor
Samuel Gompers created the American Federation of Labor right here in Ohio, columbus to be exact. It was founded from a dispute from the knights of labor and worked to solve racism and sexism in the workplace. -
NWSA
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony formed the National Women's Suffrage Association (NWSA). This association strived to get women the rights that the needed. Things like women voting was the main thing they worked for. -
The Knights of Labor
This labor union was formed from all the workers who were striking against the national railroad. They wanted 8 hour work days and wanted restrictions on child labor. This labor union was special in the fact that they wanted to unite all the labor unions to make an unstoppable force, also they didn't like striking to get their point across. -
Haymarket Strike
Andrew Carnegie, one of the most famous robber barrons, cut wages on his steelworkers and in response they went on strike. This strike ended up being a riot in Haymarket Square, hence the name. A civilian threw a bomb and killed a police officer and in response several civilians died. afterwards, this whole thing was blamed on a few labor unions, which made labor unions out to be violent. In the end a lot of labor unions lost credibility. -
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company strike
One of the first strikes that happened during this time period, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company lowered the salary of the railroad workers by 10%. In response to this the workers drove all the trains into the roundhouse and declared that they wouldn't work until their pay was raised. Only after federal troops came, the strike was stopped. They didn't get their pay, but they got their point across that strikes aren't meant to be taken lightly. This started the great railroad strike. -
The Martinsburg Strike
As another random strike in the Great Railroad strike of 1877, this strike would have been insignificant if it weren't for the fact that this strike got a lot more support than expected. Other strikers, like the workers at Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads, joined this strike and covered a lot of the midwest. -
Mass Railroad Strike Ending
Most strikes were violent and the workers rarely never got their demands. A great amount of supplies were destroyed and a great portion of people died, but what they did accomplish was that the workers did have some power. Who knows, maybe if they didn't strike, their pay would've gone down more. The threat of the workers striking could have scared some employers into not dropping their pay. -
Homestead Steel Strike
Another one from Carnegie's steel company, this strike also rose when the workers wages were cut. After the general manager, Henry Frick sent people to stop them and that didn't work, the state militia was called and ended the strike. This was a major loss for unions. -
Pulman Strike
This strike was a nationwide strike on the Pullman Palace Car company. Like most strikes before, this one started after many workers were laid off and wages were lowered. This strike lead to the formation of the American Railway Union, or A.R.U. for short. -
Boycotts and Sabotoge
The workers realized that most strikes were not successful so they moved to two other tactics, boycotting and sabotaging. Sometimes the workers would call on the help of the townspeople to help them. When this happened the townspeople would not buy the product from the company until the workers demands were met. This didn't work on big monopolies though. Sabotaging was when the workers illegally destroyed or tampered with the factory until their demands were meant. -
Great Anthracite Coal Strike
The united mine workers began a strike that threatened to create an energy crisis. Seeking better wages and conditions, the union went on strike in eastern Pennsylvania -
McKees Rock Strike: Turning Point for Immigrant Workers
The strike took place at the huge Pressed Steel Car Co. plant in McKees Rock, a few miles down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, where between 5,000 and 8,000 mostly immigrant workers from some 16 nationalities created railway cars. -
The end of the Knights of Labor
Most members abandoned the movement in 1886-87, leaving at most 100,000 in 1890. Many of them chose to join groups that helped to identify their specific need, instead of the KOL that addressed many different types of issues.Remnants of the Knights of Labor continued in existence until 1949, when the group's last 50-member local dropped its affiliation. -
Spongebob and Squidward go on strike
Years after the previous events, a strike happens at the krusty Krab. The two workers, Spongebob and Squidward's wages were cut. In response they went on strike. This strike failed miserably as the strike attracted customers instead. Squidward and Mr. Krabs, the owner of the Krusty Krab, reach an agreement only to return to the restaurant to find that Spongebob has destroyed it. placed up. -
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_Labor
http://www.aflcio.org/About/Our-History/Key-Events-in-Labor-history
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/08/09/10-biggest-strikes-in-american-history.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Labor_Union
https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/coalstrike.htm
History/McKees-Rock-Strike
https://www.britannica.com/event/Pullman-Strike
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Strike
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Railroad_Strike_of_1877
