Evening star., 1938-06-26
History of Strikes
in America
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


ploye existed then as now. The one big
difference is that, just as there was no
mass production of goods by machiNery,
SO there was no mass organization of
labor. But there were strikaA
Strikes occurred even In Colonial Gays
under the British crown, but they were
less frequent. One reason for this doubt.
less was that a larger number OF work.
men, even skilled workmen, still were
under indentures and were close to the
line Of slavery. Penalties imposed upon
such servants for showing insubordina-
ton or any independence Of spirit were
severe in the extreme.
II one counts the first beginning of
the United States as an Independent
Nation from 1776, when the Declaration
Of Independence was proclaimed, then
the strike Of the New York printers in
that year must take precedence over all
others for priority in our strike history
Perhaps the very Declaration had stirred
up spirit of freedom and revolt, but,
at any rate, even when New York City
actually was occupied by British troops,
and when much Of the city populace
was decidedly pro-British, the printers
demanded an increase in wages When
the master printers refused this the jour-
neymen ordered what then was called a
turnout-that is they struck In view
of the presence of the British troops,
it seemed rather remarkable that they
won their demands.
Other strikes occurred elsewhere and
with varying results. The great differ
ence in technique then and now is that
there were no permanently organized
unions. When the workers in one COM
munity, in few plants or even in a
single establishment. wanted more wages
they organized union to stage strike
1t was a one-strike union. When the
strike was over, whatever the outcome,
the union disbanded.
Those earliest strikes were all for
higher wages. Wages were very low a
century and half ago. A skilled man
would be paid less for fortnight's work
then than he would receive In a day
now. What might be called the first
strike, not on wage issue, but on work.
ing conditions, occurred among Philadel-
phia carpenters in 1871. They sought
a 10-hour day, which then was a revos
lutionary demand. They lost the strike,
but it must be recorded as the first
10-hour day effort
At the turn of the century-the 18th
century-there were number of strikes
among journeyman shoemakers and in
1905 notable one occurred 1t appears
that shoemakers of New York and Phila-
delphia acted in concert. This was the
first occasion on which employers had
n Suit hrp bt 4
under English common law, which had
carried over here. under the conspiracy
charge. There was no antitrust law
then, of course. but the old doctrines
contained in the Elizabethan statutes of
laborers and of monopolies were invoked
and the strike leaders were found guilty
"of combination to raise their wages"
In 1909 there was another shoemakers'
strike, in New York against one en-
ployer. When it was found the employer
was getting his work done by other
master shoemakers an effort was made-
to bring about general strike. The
leaders were indicted, but 1t seems public
opinion had turned in their favor, for
they were fined only 81 and costs.
X \
In 1924 women first appear as strikers
in American history. At Pawtucket,
r. l., certain female weavers" struck
with men to resist reduction in wages
and an increase in hours. The tai
loresses OF New York struck alone In
1885,
1t should be understood that there
were no factories in the modern sense in
those days. A master printer, master
weaver, and so on, would employ hand
full of workers. A great difficulty faced
by the workers in winning strikes was
that there were many workers in the
same trades who felt they had no in
terest in dispute between one master
or half dozen and his journeymen
There was no union solidarity. The
employer more often than not could pick
up as many workers as he wanted prac-
tically overnight.
In the period between 1776 and 1880
there were many similarities to those of
today, as far as individual tactics were
concerned, even though there were no
permanent unions. There were attempts
at organization, and back there. over a
century ago, walking delegates and pick
cts were in evidence. Strike benefits.
were sometimes available. although there
were no rich union treasures. The
trike-breaker or scab appeared, and
physical violence was far from unknown
Employers were using much the same
tactics as today. i.
Strikes increased during the 30s, and
public alarm grew at the increased man
Hesitation of independence on the part
Of labor. The Philadelphia Gazette in
June, 1885, said "The times are COM
pletely out of joint. Our streets and
squares are crowded with an idle popu-
lation. Some manifestations of violence
already have taken place. Business gen.
orally is considerably impeded" In the
same month the New York Advertiser
observed: Strikes are all the fashion
1t is an excellent time for the Journey
men to come from the country to the
CITY,"
In 1886, In a strike of bookbinders in
Philadelphia, employers introduced the
boycott. The book publishers were en-
listed by the master binders, and the
book sellers in turn we're lined up. An
agreement was reached that no work
would be given to master binder who
employed union labor. While wages rez
manned an important issue. there was
an increasing number of strikes for the
10-hour day or shorter hours than were
being worked, for the closed shop, for
the abolition of night work. for set pay
days and for payment in cash instead
Of store scrip, for that practice already
was in vogue among employers. A good
many of these strikes were successful.
There were few strikes during the Civil
War neri0d hut in lQ6s pittch,,rot, jro,,