Knights of Labor and Immigration in the Second Industrial Revolution

Describe how the Knights of Labor attempted to address the needs of many workers.

Long Working Hours: Factory workers typically endured long hours, averaging ten to twelve-hour days over six days.
Insufficient Wages: Workers earned barely enough to support their families, often requiring multiple family members to work.
Dangerous Work Environment: Work conditions were often hazardous and tedious, with little regard for worker safety.
Job Security Issues: Injured workers could be fired, and complaints could lead to dismissal.
Labor Market Dynamics: A surplus of immigrants meant many workers were willing to accept any available jobs, exacerbating labor exploitation.
Prioritization of Profit Over Workers: Factory owners focused primarily on profits, neglecting worker welfare.

Formation of Unions: Following the Civil War, there was a significant movement to form unions to advocate for worker rights.
National Labor Union (NLU): Founded in 1866 by William H. Sylvis, initially comprising about 300 local groups across 13 states.
- Inclusion Efforts: Aimed to be inclusive of women and African Americans; however, many local unions resisted inclusion.
- Growth: Membership increased to over 640,000.
- Policy Achievements: Influential in persuading Congress to limit government workdays to eight hours in 1868.
- Political Action: Expanded power by forming the Labor Reform Party and sponsoring a presidential candidate in 1872.

Foundation: The Knights of Labor, also called the Noble Order, was established in Philadelphia in 1869, spearheaded by tailor Uriah Stephens.
Inclusivity: Their motto was, “An injury to one is the concern of all,” and aimed to include all workers, regardless of gender, race, or skill level.
Secrecy and Structure: Initially operated as a secret society with rituals due to fears of employer retaliation against union involvement.
Leadership Transition: Leadership shifted to Terrance V. Powderly in 1879, significantly growing membership to around 700,000 by 1886; aimed to unite diverse workers and gain public support rather than focus on strikes.
Demands for Labor Rights: Advocated for an eight-hour workday, abolition of child labor, and equal pay for women.

Missouri Pacific Railroad Strike (1885): Some Knights initiated a strike in response to wage cuts, seen as a major success that boosted membership, including African Americans.
McCormick Harvester Company Strike (1886): Workers struck for better conditions, prompting management to hire strikebreakers; a violent clash occurred leading to police intervention.
- Haymarket Riot (May 3-4, 1886): Resulted from a protest against police violence during the McCormick strike, leading to several deaths, chaos, and public backlash against unions, notably against the Knights of Labor.
- Consequences: Significant decline in Knights membership due to association with violence, perceived as terrorists.
- Anarchists and Arrests: Many anarchists were arrested after the riot; their associations further damaged the Knights’ reputation.

Public Sentiment Shift: Following the Haymarket Riot, a wave of anti-union sentiment spread across America, reducing support for the Knights of Labor and enhancing the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
Mother Jones' Role: Mary Harris Jones, an organizer for the Knights, highlighted poor labor conditions, particularly in coal mining.

Yellow-Dog Contracts: Agreements where workers pledged not to join a union, often used to restrict union activities.
Company Unions: Unions controlled by companies to undermine genuine labor efforts, offering limited support to members.
Strike Breakers: Non-union workers hired to replace strikers, often facing violence and hostility from union members.
Management Tactics: Methods included stockpiling goods, implementing lockouts, and calling in state or federal troops during strikes, often with a favorable bias towards owners.

Public Response: Strikes often resulted in violence, police intervention, and public fear; unions struggled as many workers faced blacklisting and loss of employment.
Erdman Act (1898): Addressed labor-related issues in interstate commerce, assisting the union movement.
Legal System Bias: Labor lawyers frequently found it challenging to win cases against companies due to systemic bias favoring business owners.

Immigration Waves: Differentiated between Old Immigrants (from Western and Northern Europe) and New Immigrants (from Southern and Eastern Europe).
Cultural Challenges: New immigrants created ethnic enclaves, facing prejudice and assimilation challenges while maintaining their cultural heritage.
Settlement Houses: Established to support immigrants by providing educational resources, social services, and a sense of community—Hull House in Chicago by Jane Addams being a notable example.

Evolution Toward Modern Unions: The struggles faced by the Knights of Labor paved the way for future organization efforts, culminating in the formation of more effective labor unions like the AFL.
Social Responsibility: The era set a foundation for societal obligations toward immigrant communities, shaping policies and practices that influenced 20th-century labor standards.