The Homestead Strike: Labor Conflict at Carnegie's Steel Plant

Andrew Carnegie's Steel Plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania

Background of Andrew Carnegie

• Andrew Carnegie's steel plant is located in Homestead, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh.

• Unique aspect of Carnegie in comparison to other industrialists:

  • He believed that unions were acceptable and even valuable.

  • Most industrialists were opposed to worker organization, often blacklisting union members as "unhirables".

Union Formation and Early Relations

• The workers formed a union in 1876 and engaged in several contract negotiations leading up to the Homestead strike.

• During prior negotiations, the workers had successfully walked off the job (striking), which pressured management to negotiate.

• The workers sought better pay and safer working conditions through their union.

Key Individuals and Conflict

• Management Perspective:

  • Carnegie himself is not heavily involved in the conflict; he has delegated authority to Henry Frick.

  • Henry Frick strives to diminish labor costs by:

  • Paying workers less per ton of steel produced.

  • Creating tension during negotiations by proposing cuts in wages when unions demand increases.

• At this stage, workers announced a strike, a method to pressure Frick into negotiations.

Management Response and Lockout

• In response to the strike, Frick decided to lock out the workers, preventing them from accessing the job site while hiring strikebreakers.

• Key Vocabulary:

  • "Crossing the picket line": refers to strikebreakers continuing to work despite the strike, becoming a point of conflict.

  • "Strikebreakers" - often referred to by workers as "scabs", derogatory term for individuals who fill in for those on strike.

Escalation of the Conflict

• Frick procured the services of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, hiring 300 private security guards to protect the strikebreakers entering the mill.

• When the Pinkertons attempted to land via barge, they were met with resistance from approximately 10,000 steel workers, who were armed, some with rifles, and even brought cannons to confront them.

• The Pinkertons faced extreme hostility and were ultimately outnumbered and forced to surrender after a prolonged confrontation lasting around twelve hours.

Involvement of Military

• Following the Pinkerton surrender, the governor of Pennsylvania dispatched 8,000 National Guard troops to restore order and protect both the factory and the strikebreakers.

• This intervention illustrated the influence of business interests over governmental actions during this era, raising concerns about corruption and collusion.

Consequences for Workers

• As the strikebreakers entered the factory under military protection, the solidarity of the striking workers began to fracture.

• The presence of the troops demoralized the remaining strikers, leading to individual actions rather than collective resistance against the strikebreakers.

Education and Documentation Related to the Event

• An educational reference to look up will be found on Google Classroom regarding the Homestead strike; it includes:

  • A timeline reiterating key events discussed.

  • Excerpts from Emma Goldman's autobiography, examining her perspective as a radical political activist advocating for workers' rights.

  • This document is a recollection from nearly forty years post-event, offering personal insights into the Homestead strike.

  • An interview with Henry Frick, in which he outlines his opposition to demands made by the union, showcasing the managerial stance.

Analysis and Critical Thinking Exercise

• Students will create observations comparing Goldman and Frick’s claims about the strike.

• Research task: Quick search for information regarding Emma Goldman, focusing on her relevance to labor rights.

• Observation task: Compare and analyze claims from both Goldman's and Frick's perspectives in their respective documents to assess credibility and bias.

• Develop an assertion regarding responsibility based on presented evidence.

• Direct writing prompt for examination preparation regarding document reliability, focusing on audience, purpose, bias, and point of view.

  • Suggested language frameworks for critical analysis.

Conclusion

• The purpose of this discussion and associated materials is to foster critical thinking about historical documents, assessing their reliability and the intentions behind their creation.

• Students are encouraged to ask questions and seek clarity on these complex labor relations and historical analyses.