Positive View
- The changing economy and economic growth (7% p.a.) and growing union movement meant this era saw some significant progress
- Typically a more right-wing, free-market capitalist perspective (More focused on economic performance than equality)
Negative View + Quote
- Workers were exploited by their employers
- Lived in very poor conditions
- No right to unionise or strike
- Typically a more socialist/ left-wing view
- “The African American would be put back; the strikes of white workers would not be tolerated; the industrial and political elites… would take hold of the country” - Zinn
- “Unchecked industrialisation led to deteriorating living conditions for urban labor and the working poor” - Shackel and Roller
Overall
- Period of regression with few gains
- The anti-union stance of the government
- Almost all strikes failed
- Movement weakened by internal divisions, attitudes of the fed, discrimination of employers
Role of AFL (+ve)
- Established in 1886
- First successful national labour federation
- Wanted to link all unions
- Some businesses were willing to work with it and establish mechanisms by which business and workers could negotiate
500,000 members by 1900
KOL membership and Wabash Railroad strike (+ve)
- In 1885, there was a successful strike at Wabash Railroad by the KOL to force wage cuts and recognition of their union which forced Jay Gould (owner of the Wabash Railroad) to change his anti-union stance- This was the first victory of its kind in American Industry history and led to a massive increase in KOL membership
- KOL went from a membership of 20,000 in 1881 to 700,000 in 1886 and included both women and NAs.
KOL membership and Haymarket Affair (-ve)
- The violence of strikes, which began with the Haymarket Affair in 1886, did much damage to the reputation of the KOL and its membership collapsed.
- Haymarket Affair- 1 police officer “Degan” died from a bomb after violence erupted. Media published horrific stories of the rallies.
- 1886: 700,000 members
- 1890s: 100,000 members
Impact of 1873 Slump (+ve and -ve)
- Trade Unions became important so membership grew
BUT: - Panic of 1873 and the ensuing economic slump led to workers being laid off- this offset the gains made between the 1860s and the 1880s.
- In 1873 89 of the country’s 364 railroads went bankrupt
- A total of 18,000 businesses failed between 1873 and 1875.
- Unemployment reached 14% by 1876
- By 1877, around ⅕ of the nation’s working men were unemployed.
Wage Rises
Wages rose by up to 60% owing to the economic boom as the US overtake Britain as the world’s leading economy - 7% economic growth/year.
BUT: Primarily for skilled workers
Inequality in wealth and wages
- Huge disparity between skilled and unskilled workers - skilled bricklayers could be paid $3/day in the 1870s but southern millworkers only got $0.84/day - workers were also split severely racially
- Inequality grew - top 2% of the population owned 30% of the wealth
- Wages of unskilled workers were roughly 30% of skilled workers
Federal attitudes in this period (-ve)
- Lack of protective legislation as a result of “do nothing” Presidents
- The government’s ‘laissez-faire’ policy encouraged large corporations and meant that there was no protective legislation for the workforce.
- President Hayes crushed 1877 Great Railroad strike
- President Cleveland sent in Federal troops to crush the 1894 Pullman Strike
- The courts also supported the employers and issued injunctions to end strikes.
- In re Debs (1895) ruled that the federal government had a right to issue injunctions against strikers.
BUT: - President Harrison passes the Sherman Antitrust Act (July 1890)
Sherman Antitrust Act
1890
- Attempts to try to hold up big business by restricting monopolies by which large companies were able to control a trade. Not specifically about trade unions but does help them by outlawing anti-competitive agreements.
Benefits of the prosperity of this period
- Sickness clubs, to which workers would contribute, were set up at this time. Eval: Compensation was limited
- Wealthy industrialists reinvested a lot of their profits into social welfare projects, education and culture
- Wages rose by 60%
Divisions in this period
- Ethnic divisions remained ever-present in the union movement - National Negro Labor Union not allowed in other unions
- Divisions between these groups:
- Skilled vs. Unskilled
- Whites vs. AAs
- Whites vs. New immigrants
Molly Maguires
- Molly Maguires (1873-77)- Strike put down by Pinkerton agent James Mcparland- Led to execution of 10 men- Led to wage cut and decline in union membership in the mining industry.
Great Railroad Strike
- Great Railroad Strike of 1877- Strike lasted 95 days and paralysed ⅔ of the rail network and was triggered by a 10% wage cut following the 1873 economic scare. But was crushed by President Hayes using federal troops and collapsed in 45 days
Impact of Immigration in this period
- Immigrants from Eastern Europe led a protest march at the Clavin Pardee Company in 1897 → The sheriff and deputies fired on the strikers causing 25 casualties → The lawmen were tried and acquitted
- Whites also felt threatened for their jobs
- Downward pressure on wages
- Supply of scab labour
Homestead Strike
- 1892 Homestead Strike - 9 workers killed in clashes with 300 Pinkertons (7 detectives killed)
- Strike dragged out for 143 days and led to the AA (Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers) becoming bankrupt.
- 8000 state militiamen called in to surround and protect the plant for 95 days. Ended steel unions in Pennsylvania by 1900
1892
AA (Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers) membership went from 24,000 in 1891 to 10,000 by 1894
During the 1892 Homestead Steel Strike, Frick only offered a 22% wage decrease and brought in 300 Pinkerton detectives to defend the plant as well as setting up barbed wire fences, sniper towers, etc.
State military and ‘scab’ labour arrived
Strike lasted 143 days in total
The strong reaction exemplifies the power of Big business
Pullman Strike
- 1894 Pullman Strike- Boycott of Pullman trains involving 125,000 workers across 27 states. Cleveland send in federal troops and 13 strikers were killed. Led to destruction of the ARU (American Railway Union)
Railway deaths?
- Poor working conditions continued - 2000 railway deaths in 1889 and child workers commonplace
Explain where the name ‘Gilded Age’ comes from
Gilding = Applying a thin layer of gold over a non-precious object to make it appear more valuable than it actually is
- Historians adopted the phrase to describe the period c.1875 - c.1895
- The growth and prosperity disguised the corruption of politicians and businessmen
