Economic Factors Of Big Business Development During The Gilded Age

The Strike was a national railroad strike. The main conflict began when nearly 4,000 factory employees of the Pullman Company began a wildcat strikes in response to a reduction in wages. Most factory workers lived in the company town. The town was mostly owned by Pullman himself. When Pullman laid off workers and lowered wages, he did not reduce rents, and this caused workers called for a strike.

The Knights of Labor held a notion that, “there was a conflict of interest between the wage system of labor as well as the republic system of government. The Knights believed that the government should be determined by the people/average citizen while the production should be determined by workers. By doing this they felt that they could restore independence to the American citizens.” (Rosenzweig 95-96). Due to drastic wage cuts that came with the economic downturn of the early 1880’s this group was able to grow rapidly with their victories against two of the country’s most powerful railroads.

The bombing happened at a labor protest event where an unknown person threw a lit piece of dynamite at police officers The American Federation of Labor (AFL) quietly grew in power during the more volatile years following the great depression, coordinating efforts for several dozen independent labor unions. The American Federation of Labor only represented skilled white men. They pursued better wages and shorter workdays for their members. Even though the AFL only represented a small group of people this union survived the Gilded Age and would become one of the most powerful labor unions in the new century.

The Pullman Strike marked a turning point in American labor history, illustrating the importance of labor rights and the strength of collective action. The strike also brought attention to the dire working conditions that many laborers faced at the time, including long hours, low wages, and dangerous working conditions. These issues were not unique to the Pullman workers but were prevalent throughout many industries in America. The strike and the resulting attention to these issues prompted significant changes in labor laws and

During these times of greed and self-serving from union leaders, many of the union workers themselves just wanted fair wages, fair hours, and the ability to have health insurance for their families, however for the union leaders this wasn't enough so they pushed for more and more until business found alternative ways to achieve the same goals. This left union workers standing in a strike line that they did not always believe in fighting for a cause that no longer resembled their original complaint and finally looking for another job as the union leaders talked them right out of a job. The workers that managed to get back to work seemed to live in a constant state of fear that the work they were doing would one day be able to be manufactured overseas for minimal money. This could leave them without a way to earn a decent wage, afford every day necessitates for their family and ultimately lose all that they had worked for and sacrificed for through the

The organized labor of 1875-1900 was unsuccessful in proving the position of workers because of the future strikes, and the intrinsical feeling of preponderation of employers over employees and the lack of regime support. In 1877, railroad work across the country took part in a cyclopean strike that resulted in mass violence and very few reforms. An editorial, from the Incipient York Time verbalized: "the strike is ostensibly hopeless, and must be regarded as nothing more than a rash and splenetic demonstration of resentment by men too incognizant or too temerarious to understand their own interest" (Document B). In 1892, workers at the Homestead steel plant near Pittsburg ambulated out on strike and mass chaos the lives of at least two Pinkerton detectives and one civilian, among many other laborers death (Document G).

The AF of L wanted “unionism” and opposed socialism. TheKnights of Labor, another labor union, was created in 1869 and enlisted in their ranks not only alllaborers but also everyone who could be truly classified as a producer. Labor unions, the two major depressions and the three “robber barons” were three of theforemost reasons the Gilded Age got its name. The “robber barons” invested in things that wouldultimately lead to a “Golden Industrial Age” but they didn’t achieve it totally legitimately, and thecreation of the labor unions sided with the workers, but at times, grew violent in their methods.

The businesses took advantage of their workers by extending work hours but also leaving their wages the same. They were trying to work them for every penny they could not caring who they were hurting in the process. The people also disfavored the new political system they did not agree with politicians no longer listening to the opinions of the people, they felt that they were being silenced and they could do nothing about it. The corporations may have lowered the costs of a few accommodations but it was outweighed by the unfairness the people had to deal with.

The Pullman Strike in 1894 was also a secret union and again, it’s illegal but they risked it for better working conditions, an eight-hour working day, and thirty percent back to their wages. This strike was formed because the government cut the wages by thirty percent which affected three thousand citizens (lecture, February 12). These people struggled for social justice and equality and these organizations improved society and the Gilded Age which is soon to be the Progressive

The labor movement of the late 19th century was somewhat successful. This is because many of the strikes and actions taken during this time period were often put down and had little effect other than raise awareness. In the time period of the labor movement, strikes and riots were put down by U.S. troops showing the superiority of the government over the workers. This was most distinctly shown in the Homestead Strike, which had demonstrated the difficulty of having a successful strike. The instantaneous result of these strikes were usually death, violence, and especially in the Haymarket Square Riot, fear.

These two industries grew and pushed the country into the Industrial Age, or sometimes known as the Gilded Age. This era was so profitable because circumstances

The inability to pay their workers caused a lot of people to lose their jobs. This led to a big problem because many people

However, the economic crises in 1837 collapsed the labor unions because of economic hard times, and with immigrants coming in surplus willing to work for cheap, regular people could not compete and thus had to work at the beckon of the factories. Labor unions worked when the economy was resilient, but when the economy was shocked, everyone was too afraid of demanding more when there were those willing to work for

Strikes were executed more by the industrial workers, but the farmers did have a few. Strikes were common during the Gilded Age because as industrialization increased, working conditions and labor requirements got worse. The industrial workers were having to work ten to twelve hours, five days a week at the least and not even being paid enough to compensate for their work. Barely scraping by with the amount of work the workers do for their company angered them, and prompted strikes. Some well-known strikes are the Pullman Strike and the Homestead Strike.

The AFL advocated for most of the same things as the Knights of Labor. The American Federation of Labor used strikes and boycotts against owners to try and get what they wanted. Two major strikes that occurred were the Pullman Strike and the Homestead Strike. Both strikes were very dangerous and had millions of dollars of damage. Some of the strikes and boycotts did work and wages were raised, however some backfired and many workers ended up losing their