Labor Unions and Stikes

Noble Order of the Knights of Labor Union

Apr 13, 1869

This Labor Union was organized by Philidelphia garment workers in 1869. It was opened to farmers, merchants, and wage earners. Their main objectives were 8 hour work days, abolishing child labor, and equal pay for equal work.

Labor Unions and Strikes

Period: Apr 13, 1869 to Dec 20, 2005

Labor Day Holiday Created

Sep 5, 1882

This holiday was created to give the people who worked a day off. It was founded on September 5th. It is celebrated on the first monday of September every year.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

Apr 13, 1886

This labor union is organized in 1886. This union focused on better working conditions, better pay, and union labels on produced items. This labor union was craft oriented.

Haymarket Square Riot

Apr 13, 1886

This strike was started in Chicago. It was about having 8 hour work days. Police had to come and break up the strike. 8 policemen were killed. 100's were injured.

How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis

Apr 13, 1890

This is about the poor living conditions of people in tenents in New York. The spaces were cramped. People had to hang laundry over the street for it to dry. There were many people everywhere you went, sometimes babies would be on the floor.

The Homestead Strike

Jun 30, 1892

Industrial lockout and strike. One of the most serious dispute in US labor histroy. This strike happened at teh HOmestead Steel Works in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Pullman Strike

Apr 13, 1893

With rents haigh, wages were slashed to due the panic of 1893, Pullman refused to lower the rent.The strike was led by Eugene V. Debs. There was no transportation from Chicago to the West Coast. Eugene Debs was arrested and imprisioned and the strike collapesd

The Coal Strike

Apr 13, 1902

This strike was started by United Mnie workers of America in anthracite coal fields in eastern PA. The strike threatend to shut down the winter fuel supply to all major cities. President Roosevelt set up a fact finding commision that suspended the strike. The strike never resumed.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Apr 13, 1905

This is about muckracer Upton Sinclair going to a meat place in Chicago. The conditions were terrible. The workers didn't care what went into the meat. The meat would be full of disease. There would be rats in the meat sometimes.

The Bitter Cry of Children by John Spargo

Apr 13, 1906

This is about children who had to work in mines. Little kids would be given dagerous jobs to do. They would cut up there hands while doing these jobs. Sometimes, kids would be pulled into the machines and be killed.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Jun 30, 1906

The Pure Food and Drug Act is a US federal law that provide federal inspection of meat products. This act forbades the manufacture , sale, or transportaion of adulterated food products and poisonous patent medications.

Triangle Shirt Factory Fire

Mar 25, 1911

This was a fire that happend in New York City. Somebody threw a ciggarete in a trash can. The ciggarete fire caught onto some of the shirt material. The fire was on the 8th floor of the building. It eventually spread to the 9th floor of the building. Many people that were in the building jumped to there deaths. Others were killed by the fire.

Congress of Industrial Organization

Apr 13, 1935

This union was part of the AFL until 1935. It broke awauy because it advocated organization along industrial lines rather than craft lines. IT reintergrated back into the AFL in 1955

The National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)

Apr 13, 1935

This Act alowed pro labor. This act led to the creation of the National Labor Relations Board. It also gave the power to punish unfair labor practices

GM Sit-down Strike

Dec 30, 1936

This strike shut down operation of GM plants in Flint, Michigan and other cities for a few months. This strike brought the tactic of sit down strikes to the attention of the general public. Workers would remain at the workplace while on strike so that strikebreakers couldn't be used and normal business operations could no be conducted. This is the first time in history that workers were able to participate in the running of GM.

Fair Labored Standards Act

Apr 13, 1938

This act provided a minimum age of employment. It also provided a limited number of hours of work for children. This is regulated by federal law.

Steel Strike

Apr 13, 1952

Strike by the United Steelworkers of America against US steel and 9 other steel makers. President Truman nationalized the American steel industry just hours before the strike began. The steel compaines sued to regian control of their facilities. The United Staes Supereme Court ruled that the President didn't have the to seize the steel mills. The strike lasted 53 days.

Major League Baseball Strike

Apr 1, 1972

This was the first palyers strike in the MLB. The strike lasted 13 days. Baseball resumed when a 500,000 dollar increase in pension fund payments and to add salary arbitration was agreed upon. The 86 games that were missed during the strike were never played because the league refused to pay the players for the time they were on strike.

New York Transit Strike

Apr 13, 2005

This strike was a strike that was called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100. Negotiations broke down over retiremen, pension, and wage increases. The strike began at 3:00 am on December 20, 2005. This strike effectivley halted all service on subway and busses. The strike ended at 2:35 pm on December 22. Traqnsportation systems were up and running by the morning of the 23rd.