Strikes+(1-3)

a. Haymarket Riot 1865: Men like Marshall Field, George Pullman, Cyrus McCormick and Phillip Danforth Armour were against most work days. There was no question that conditions in many work areas (especially in the slaughter houses) were questionable at best and men worked 10-12 hours, six days a week, for not alot of pay. Strikes and protests became a commonplace by the time of the Haymarket Square Riot in 1886. Recent troubles at the McCormick Reaper Works had turned Chicago into a labor battleground. There was trouble in the city, threatening to explode. On Tuesday night, May 4, a mass meeting of workers was called to protest police actions against striking employees at the McCormick factory, who were trying to force and eight-hour work day. A crowd of 20,000 had been expected but a cool rain kept many away. Eventually, about 2,500 spectators showed up to hear the speeches by Albert Parsons, Samuel Fielden and August Spies. All three men were considered and “anarchists” by city business leaders however Mayor Carter Henry Harrison, issued a parade permit for the gathering. The rally began at 8:30 pm, and the crowd was damp from the drizzling rain. Mayor Harrison rode by on his horse a short time later and was satisfied that it was a reasonable gathering. He ordered Bonfield to send the reserve officers home. The police inspector didn't and two hours later, he ordered his men to disperse the crowd. The speakers were approached by Captain William Ward, who commanded the meeting to end. Suddenly, according to author Richard Linberg, a poorly made pipe bomb was thrown at Randolph and Des Plaines Streets. The bomb exploded in the midst of a 200-man police column. Officer Mathias Degan was killed instantly and six others were mortally wounded. Although momentarily stunned, the officers quickly recovered and began shooting into the fleeing crowd of laborers. The shooting continued for over five minutes. Eventually, eight people had been put to trial for the riot and seven of them were sentenced to the death sentence, while the eighth was given 15 years in prison. All of them were tried and sentenced on conspiracy charges to induce violence that led to the deaths of the police officers. On November 11, 1887, August Spies, Albert Parsons, George Engel and Adolph Fischer were hanged at the Criminal Courts Building on Hubbard Street. The Haymarket riot had paved the way for future riot and movements. Such as the million man walk, the riots gave americans the strength to stand up for what they believe in.

b. Bethlehem Steel strike: As the Bethlehem plant grew, so did its workforce, attracting immigrants of many nationalities. Until 1910, the Bethlehem plant remained relatively free of workplace violence or conflict, but in that year workers staged their first major strike over the issue of forced overtime. More than 1600 men at the plant were involved with the strike of machineists, who were demanding time and half time for extra work. Several hundred men joind them during the strike. The strikers were no organized but they had telegraphed Samuel Gompors who was the president of the american labor association to come to thier aid. After that the president of the steel company who was Charles M. Schwab agreed to take them back and adjust to the grievances but it must be sbmitte in writting.n 1910, Schwab broke the Bethlehem Steel strike by calling out the newly-formed Pennsylvania State Police. Schwab kept labor unions out of Bethlehem Steel, which was not organized until 1941, two years after his death.

Group 3