US Labor Unions: History, Key Strikes, and Worker Rights

What was the average increase in worker wages in the United States between 1860 and 1890?

50 percent

What types of workers were present in the 1800s U.S. industrial workforce?

Craft workers and common laborers

What was a common tactic used by companies to break up unions?

Lockouts

What was the stance of the Knights of Labor regarding strikes?

They opposed strikes and preferred peaceful means like boycotts and arbitration.

What event involved a strike against the Pullman Palace Car Company in 1894?

A railway workers' strike due to wage reductions.

What did the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union aim to achieve?

Better wages and benefits for workers.

What is deflation?

An ongoing decrease in prices and an increase in the value of money.

What is arbitration?

Settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider.

What was the impact of laissez-faire economics on working conditions?

Led to rapid industrialization but resulted in dangerous working conditions.

What caused resentment among workers in the late 1800s?

The uneven division of income between the wealthy and the working class.

What factors contributed to the opposition against unions?

1. No laws giving workers the right to form unions. 2. No laws requiring owners to negotiate with unions. 3. Government policies favored business owners over unions.

Who was Karl Marx and what was his influence?

Karl Marx was a philosopher whose ideas about class struggle and revolution influenced labor movements in Europe.

What was the main belief of anarchists during the labor movement?

Anarchists believed that society does not need any government.

How did anti-immigrant sentiments affect labor unions?

Anti-immigrant feelings led to suspicion of unions, associating immigrant workers with radical ideas.

What was a significant success of the IWW?

In 1912, the IWW led a successful strike of 25,000 textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to protest wage cuts.

What was the United Mine Workers of America?

A union founded in 1890 to organize coal miners, which won its first collective bargaining agreement in 1898.

What was the most powerful union in the 1800s?

The American Federation of Labor (AFL)

What were the goals of the American Federation of Labor?

An 8-hour workday, closed shops, and recognition of unions.

Who was Mary Harris Jones, also known as Mother Jones?

A famous female labor organizer.

What is an industrial union?

An organization of common laborers and craft workers in a particular industry.

What is a lockout in the context of labor unions?

A company tool to fight union demands by refusing to allow employees to enter its facilities.

What is an injunction?

A court order requiring one to do or refrain from doing a specified act.

What does a closed shop agreement entail?

A company agrees to hire only union members.

What were some of the major improvements achieved by unions?

The 40-hour work week, health and safety regulations, expanded rights to organize, and the abolition of child labor.

What was the average wage and work hours for industrial workers in 1900?

22 cents per hour and 59 hours per week.

What was the effect of deflation on workers' wages?

It increased the buying power of wages, even as companies cut wages.

What were common characteristics of laborers in the 1800s?

Common laborers had few skills and received lower wages.

What was the perception of unions in the 1800s?

Unions were often viewed as un-American.

What was the Great Railroad Strike?

A significant strike that highlighted the tensions between labor and management in the late 1800s.

What was the Knights of Labor?

The nation's first industrial labor union founded in 1869, led by Terence Powderly.

What were the main goals of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)?

1. Recognition of unions and collective bargaining. 2. Closed shops. 3. An eight-hour workday.

Who was Samuel Gompers?

The first president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

What was the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)?

A labor organization formed in 1905 that aimed to organize all workers, regardless of skill level.

What was the IWW's approach to labor organization?

The IWW sought to unite all workers into 'One Big Union' and favored strikes.

What challenges did miners face in the 1800s?

Miners faced unhealthy working conditions, low pay, and dependence on mine owners for housing and wages.

What were the conditions like for women garment workers?

Women worked in unsafe 'sweatshops' with poor conditions and low pay.

What were 'bungle brigades'?

Groups of people, often women and children, who worked at home on garment production.

What was the significance of the Haymarket Riot?

An event in 1886 that became a symbol of the labor movement and its struggles.

What was the impact of government policies on labor unions?

Government policies often favored business owners and suppressed union activities.

What was the main demographic of AFL members?

Most AFL members were white men, with discrimination against African Americans and limited inclusion of women.

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