Worker Organization and the Struggle of Unions: The Pullman Strike

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          The strike escalated from a local dispute to a nationwide conflict when the newly formed American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene V. Debs, joined the cause. The ARU launched a boycott, refusing to handle any train with a Pullman car. This brought rail traffic to a standstill across a large part of the country, crippling the economy and disrupting the delivery of U.S. mail. The federal government, led by President Grover Cleveland, intervened, citing the interference with the mail as a justification. Attorney General Richard Olney secured a federal court injunction against the strike, and when the ARU and its members refused to comply, Cleveland deployed federal troops to forcibly end the strike. The resulting violent clashes between strikers and troops led to deaths and injuries, and the strike ultimately collapsed. Its failure was a significant blow to the ARU and led to the imprisonment of Eugene Debs, though it also prompted Cleveland to establish Labor Day as a national holiday in a gesture of conciliation.  

Labor Organization in the Gilded Age

  The late 19th century was a period of intense labor unrest, marked by the emergence of various groups with distinct goals, philosophies, and tactics. From the clandestine violence of the Molly Maguires to the inclusive vision of the Knights of Labor and the craft-based pragmatism of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), these organizations each represented different approaches to the grievances of American workers.

• Molly Maguires: Operating in the 1870s, the Molly Maguires were a secret society of Irish-American coal miners in Pennsylvania. Their tactics were often violent and clandestine, including sabotage and assassinations of mine bosses and foremen. Their philosophy was born out of desperation and the harsh conditions of the coal mines, where they faced exploitation and dangerous working environments with no legal recourse. Their agenda represented the raw, unsystematic grievances of a marginalized group willing to resort to extreme measures to fight back.
• Knights of Labor: Founded in 1869, the Knights of Labor (KOL) was the first major national labor organization. Under the leadership of Terence V. Powderly, its philosophy was broad and inclusive, aiming to unite all "producers" into "one big union," regardless of skill, race, or gender. They sought sweeping social and economic reform, including an eight-hour workday, equal pay for equal work, and the abolition of child labor. Initially, they favored political

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Historical Context, Causes, and Outcomes of the Pullman Strike

  The Pullman Strike of 1894 was a watershed moment in American labor history, unfolding during the severe economic depression known as the Panic of 1893. The strike originated in the company town of Pullman, Illinois, a meticulously planned community where workers for the Pullman Palace Car Company lived and worked. While the town appeared utopian, it was a highly paternalistic and authoritarian environment. When the depression hit, George M. Pullman, the company's owner, cut his workers' wages by roughly 30% but refused to reduce the high rents and prices for goods in the company-owned town. This created an untenable situation where workers were trapped in a cycle of debt. After their requests for relief were denied and their grievance committee leaders were fired, the workers went on strike in May 1894.