The Homestead and Pullman Strikes

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870-1900 The Homestead and Pullman Strikes At the end of the nineteenth century, there were two last violent episodes that occurred when workers battled to develop the proper organizational framework to support a union movement in a society that was very hostile of such worker organization. The Homestead Steel Strike in 1892 and the Pullman Strike in 1894 almost destroyed the labor movement for the ensuing forty years, resulting in a decline in public support for strikes and an unprotected workforce. Before Henry C. Frick took over as plant manager in 1889, workers at the Carnegie Steel Company's Homestead mill, who were represented by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, had comparatively positive relations with the management. Long a supporter of paying his workers a livable wage, Carnegie had fled to Scotland in 1892 when the union contract came up for renewal. He trusted Frick, who was well-known for his adamant opposition to unionization, to handle the discussions. When a settlement was not reached by June 29, Frick employed 300 Pinkerton detectives to safeguard business property and ordered a lockout of the workforce. Three Pinkertons and six workers were shot and killed on July 6 as union workers along the shore confronted the arriving Pinkertons on barges on the river. The Pennsylvania militia showed up a week later to escort strike-breakers back into the factory so that work could restart. Even though the lockout lasted until November, it concluded with individual workers demanding their jobs back and the union being defeated. Public hostility toward the union was further heightened by anarchist Alexander Berkman's abortive attempt to assassinate Frick. The Pullman Strike, which occurred in 1894, two years later, was yet another setback for united labor. Pullman, Illinois, a business town where Pullman "sleeper" carriages were produced for US railroads, was the epicenter of the issue. The owner of the company, George Pullman, fired 3,000 of the 6,000 workers, reduced the wages of the remaining workers by an average of 25%, and kept charging the same exorbitant rents and prices in the company homes and store, where workers were required to live and shop, during the 1893 depression, which was sparked primarily by overconstruction and inadequate financing. On May 11, workers went on strike in response to an order from American Railway Union President Eugene V. Debs for rail workers across the nation to cease working on any trains that had Pullman cars. Practically speaking, practically every train belonged to this group, and as a result, the strike precipitated a statewide rail shutdown shortly after the 1893 slump. President Grover Cleveland went to his attorney general to find a reason to bring in federal troops, and he came up with a solution: attach a mail car to each train and then send in troops to guarantee the delivery of mail. In addition, the government gave Debs an order to stop the strike, and when he disobeyed, they took him into custody for interfering with US postal service. The workers and federal forces are engaged in a standoff, as seen in the picture below (Figure 18.14). The employment of additional employees was shielded by the army, making the strike approach essentially worthless. On July 13, the strike came to an abrupt conclusion, losing most of the public's support and yielding little labor gains. The labor movement encountered several obstacles at the start of the nineteenth century as workers struggled with the unfavorable conditions for unionization. The Homestead Steel Strike of 1892 and the Pullman Strike of 1894 were two crucial incidents that characterized violent confrontations between labor and business and nearly brought the labor movement to an end for many years. The Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers had previously represented workers at Carnegie Steel Company's Homestead facility, where they had comparatively good ties with management until the Homestead Steel Strike broke out. But when plant manager Henry C. Frick, who was well-known for his adamant anti-union views, took over in 1889, things became much more tense. After attempts to negotiate a new union contract broke down in 1892, Frick used extraordinary measures to safeguard business property during a lockout, employing 300 Pinkerton investigators. This action set up a violent altercation on July 6 that left both sides with casualties and significantly eroded public support for the union. The strike, which lasted until November, finally came to a conclusion with individual workers going back to work and the union losing. The public's animosity against the union was further heightened by anarchist Alexander Berkman's abortive attempt to kill Frick. The Pullman Strike of 1894 was a reflection of the conflict in Homestead. It took place in Pullman, Illinois, where Pullman sleeper carriages were produced for US railroads. Despite the economic collapse of 1893, George Pullman's decision to slash salaries, lay off thousands of workers, and maintain high rents and prices in company-owned businesses and houses sparked unrest among the workforce. Pullman employees went on strike on May 11 in response to American Railway Union President Eugene V. Debs' demand for a national rail strike, which resulted in a massive rail shutdown. President Grover Cleveland broke the strike when he sent out federal troops to guarantee mail delivery in response to growing pressure. The walkout was further undermined by Debs's arrest for impeding mail delivery, which put employees in a confrontation with federal agents. Though there was some public support at first, the walkout quickly lost steam and came to an abrupt conclusion on July 13, with little progress made for workers. These strikes were a reflection of larger conflicts in late nineteenth-century America brought on by industrialization and the growth of big business. A small number of businessmen, like Carnegie and Pullman, became extremely wealthy as a result of rapid industrialization, while worker rights and living conditions suffered as a result. Workers' unhappiness was stoked by the industrial titans' consolidation of economic power, which made inequality and exploitation worse. The government's brutal crackdown on strikes highlighted the long-standing hostility to organized labor and solidified the power structures that benefit large corporations. To sum up, the Homestead and Pullman Strikes served as a symbol of the labor movement's battles against corporate dominance and industrialization. The government's interference and the public's animosity were among the many challenges workers encountered when organizing and protesting against their harsh working conditions. These incidents served as a sobering reminder of the ongoing difficulties in establishing social and economic fairness in a society that is becoming more industrialized and controlled by large corporations.