Jonathan Rodrigues AP U.

S History Period: 7 2-10-12 Labor Union Effectiveness DBQ Between the time periods of 1875 to 1900 the successfulness of organized labor was mediocre at best. Over this course of twenty-five years there were countless labor interest groups, multiple strikes, and even a few brawls that resulted in the deaths of civilians, laborers, and law enforcement alike. Furthermore, labor union organized strikes cause the implementation of the unfair "Yellow-dog Contracts" which just deepened the hole that workers were in already. Furthermore, these strikes cause national tension between hard working employees, their superiors, and the government itself. Although the labor unions and other organized labor groups did set groundwork for further workers rights, in the period of 1875 to 1900 the unions did far more harm then good. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century there were to many labor unions and groups, causing tension as each of them fought for different causes and for government attention. In the latter half of the nineteenth century labor unions began to form and unrest grew as strikes became commonplace, such as the Pullman strike, or the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 which the government was forced to break. Perhaps one of the worst strikes was the Homestead Strike in Pennsylvania, July 7th 1892. This

strike was for the steel mill workers and after several days unrest a fight broke out between approximately 6,000 strikers and sympathetic townspeople and about 300 private agents. After the fight 11 deaths were reported, most of which were townspeople (Doc G). This skirmish was caused by the strikers, which were organized by a union. Although some may argue that this was beneficial because the steel workers did get what they wanted in reality it was harmful because no one should die simply for disagreeing. These union organized strikes also caused the implementation of the workers contract or a "Yellow-Dog Contract". Before starting a job workers needed to sign them, saying that they wouldnt join a union or any other organization that attempts to regulate conditions of employment (Doc E). These unfair contracts were caused because the union organized strikes and to counter-act the unions these contracts were created. In the years between 1875 and 1900 when organized labor was around wages fluctuated. From the years 1875 to 1879 wages went down and hours remained the same. However from 1879 to 1887 wages went up and hours went down. Then wages went down in 1887 and again in 1891 (Doc A). These statistics reveal that initially labor unions and organized interest groups actually made wages go down, even though the workday remained around 9.9 hours long. Although some may argue that unions are beneficial because wages did go up and hours went down in actual fact the hours only took a 0.5-drop from 9.9 to 9.4, which is an incredibly small amount of time. In addition, wages only went from 169.2 units in 1875 to 172.5 units in 1891, which is only approximately a 3-unit increase (1.3%). Furthermore, in an effort to raise wages more and more unions began to form,

causing there to be too much organized labor. In Frank Leslies Illustrated Newspaper an illustration shows that "Too many cooks spoil the broth"(Doc F). This implies that too many unions will do more harm then good, as they all want different changes and they are all fighting for the attention of company leaders as well as political figures. Although some may argue that many groups are necessary the really are not as the Anarchists dont want the same changes that the Knights of Labor require, as is evident in the Haymarket Square incident. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century organized labor unions also worked as organizations for hire, helping companies find more workers and with the new technology the companies can make things incredibly cheap. This can lead to the deletion of an entire trade. For example, if one man is a machinist he knows most of the trade. However with these new companies every employee knows only what they need to for their job, so one mans knowledge is the same as one hundred in a company (Doc D). Furthermore, with the addition of more advanced technology, fewer jobs are available which will eventually lead to higher unemployment and poverty. In addition, the labor unions in the late nineteenth century had too much power. Organized strikes such as the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 can shut down America's lifelines; this one in particular closed the railroad until the government had to arrest the strikers. Moreover, strikers were "...men to ignorant or reckless to understand their own interests" -New York Times (Doc B). Lastly, the organized strikes caused an increase in immigrant labor and immigration itself as companies hired cheap foreign labor to replace the striking workers, which would actually

increase competition for jobs and reduce wages as the immigrants usually work for less profit. The success of organized labor in 1875 up through 1900 was minimal. These labor unions decreased wages, increased immigration, and even got innocent people killed. In addition they blocked the railroad and created the need for unfair yellowdog contracts, which exploit workers as well as suffocating America with a wave of to many organizations, causing tense competitions. Labor unions did create a groundwork for the labor in America today, however in the period solely between 1875 and 1900 the organized labor unions did far more harm then good.