Position of unions

• Knights of Labor (KOL)

  It reached 700,000 by 1886, having had only 20,000 in 1881

  After violence of the Haymarket Affair, its reputation collapsed

  Membership fell to 100,000 by 1890

  American Federation of Labor (AFL) replaced it
• American Federation of Labor

  Effectively replaced KOL

  Seeking links to all unions and became the largest

  Leader Samuel Gompers argued to stand up to cooperations, labour had to harness the bargaining power of skilled workers

  Gompers supported strikes and boycotts

  Marcus A Hanna prepared to work with him

  By 1914, it had 2 million members , but still represented a small percentage of national industrial workers
• Haymarket Affair 1886


  Violence broke out between police and striking workers in Chicago

  4 workers killed by police

  A protest rally took place that evening

  A bomb was thrown, killing 7 policemen

  Police fired at the crowd
• Molly Maguire

  Group of Irish immigrant miners formed a secret association to fight for better conditions

  Series of strikes in 1873 resulting in from wage cuts , railroad cars derailed , coal tips set on fire and a superintendent murdered
• Homestead Strikes

  Virtually bankrupted the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel workers

  Decline of membership 24,000 in 1891 to 6300 in 1909
• Pullman strikes

  Developed from employer’s refusal to recognise right of workers to use collective bargaining to protect their living and working conditions
• The First World War: Advantages

  Union membership grown over 2 million

  Unions begun to put pressure on candidates in elections to support workers’ rights
• The First World War: Disadvantages

  Unions represented 20% of non agricultural workforce

  Many industries - steel / car manufacturing had no unions

  Many unions weren’t legally recognised -> lack real power

  Workers divided by ethnicity , gender and level of skill