-
The Great Southwest Railroad Strike
During this time the railroad industry was taking off. Many workers went on strike due to unsafe working conditions and unfair pay/hours. Eventually the strike failed and they had to go back to work. -
Homestead Strike
Workers went on strike and the owner hired pinkertons which were designed to destroy and prevent unions. The workers heard about this so they waited for the pinkertons to arrive. When they cam the set fire to the boat and then it was a really big gun fight. -
The Pullman Strike
The workers were complaining that they had too low of wages to pay for their rent so they went on strike. More and more people kept joining the strike and it came to 250,000 workers. The strike eventually ended when president Grover Cleveland sent troops to Chicago. -
Ludlow Massacre
Many people went on strike and the owner (Rockefeller), said that they couldn't live in the houses that surrounded the factory. So then people built tents outside of town and lived in there. Then people opened fire on their tents killing 200 people. -
The Great Depression
This was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. It lasted from 1929-1939. Many people lost their jobs and couldn't support their families. -
The Norris-LaGuardia Act
This act banned yellow-dog contracts. It was an agreement between owners and workers that they would not remain or join a labor union. It also banned the federal courts from issuing injunctions. -
The New Deal
Franklin Roosevelt used the New Deal to help get the country out of the Great Depression. There were many steps that he took to get it to work. Eventually it got people their jobs back. -
Social Security Act
This was part of the New Deal to address growing poverty among the elderly, this law provides old-age, survivor, and disability benefits and health insurance. It also establishes the right to receive unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. -
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
It was designed to put a ceiling over hours and floors under wages. It established a maximum 40 hour work week and minimum wage of 40 cents. It also prohibited most child labor. -
World War II
World War II did not stop unions. They were mostly with women though. This is because more and more women were entering the workforce. -
The Vietnam War
Many people were getting drafted into this war. So people were protesting against the war. They were also creating labor unions.
