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Industrial Revolution
Increased need for unskilled factory workers and easily replaced factory workers brought a new need for unions to keep jobs secure and to increase pay and in case of injury fight for your job. -
Great Southwest Railroad Strike
the Knights of Labor went on strike at the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by robber baron Jay Gould. Hundreds of thousands of workers across five states refused to work, citing unsafe conditions and unfair hours and pay. The strike suffered from a lack of commitment from other railroad unions. Eventually, the strike failed and the Knights of Labor disbanded soon afterwards. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The law forbade any "restraint of commerce" across state lines, and courts ruled that union strikes and boycotts were covered by the law. -
The Pullman Strike
Facing 12-hour work days and wage cuts from the depressed economy, workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company walked out in protest. The workers were soon joined by members of the American Railway Union, who refused to work on or run any trains, including Pullman-owned cars. Soon enough, 250,000 industry workers joined in the strike, shutting down train traffic to the west of Chicago. The strike ended when President Grover Cleveland sent federal troops to Chicago on July 6, 1894. -
Great Anthracite Coal Strike
the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) began a strike that threatened to create an energy crisis. As the winter of 1903 Industrialist and financier J.P. Morgan made a deal with the union. The UMWAs initial demands were for a 20% wage increase. They wound up with a 10% raise. -
World war 1
As First World War approached unions were in need for many men because of job security. Many were going over seas to fight and could possibly come back and not have a job so unions secured the fighting man's jobs. -
Steel Strike of 1919
The steel strike of 1919 was an attempt by the weakened Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers to organize the United States steel industry in the wake of World War I. The strike began on September 21, 1919, and collapsed on January 8, 1920. -
The Great Depression
When the stock market collapsed many were forced out of jobs because employers couldn't afford to keep workers but unions were in need because they would secure the workers job so they couldn't be fired. -
Norris–La Guardia Act
It banned yellow-dog contracts, barred the federal courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent labor disputes, and created a positive right of noninterference by employers against workers joining trade unions. -
Wagner Act
It is a foundational statute of United States labor law which guarantees basic rights of private sector employees to organize into trade unions, engage in collective bargaining. -
World War 2
As many went to fight in the great world war again jobs were left at home insecure. However, unions would protect the fighting mans job for when he came back home so they were in high demand to join a union.
