美國歷的幾次大罷工

TheStrugglesofLabor(二)I.IntroductiontotheStruggles

II.SummaryAmericanFederationofLabor(AFL)▲UnderSamuelGompers’leader,AFLfocusedonskilledworkers.▲Objectives:“pureandsimple”andapolitical(與政治無關(guān)旳)increasingwages,reducinghoursandimprovingworkingconditions.▲Significance:Gompershelpedturnthelabormovementawayfromthesocialistviewsearlierlaborleadershadespoused(采納).SamuelGompers塞繆爾·龔帕斯(1850--1924)▲Samwasborninapoorcigar-makerfamilyinLondon,England.Inordertomakeabetterliving,hisfamilymovedtoNewYorkin1863.▲SambecameastudentofsocialisminEuropeoftheInternationalWorkingman’sAssociation.Andthenhelearnedwhatalaborunitymeantandthe“collectivebargaining”.

▲Intime,SamformedtheCigarmakers’

LocalNumberOne-Hundred-Forty-Four.Intheunion,allpeoplehadarepresentativevoice.Expertssay,thisunionwasthebeginningoftheAmericanlabormovement.▲

In1886,SamGompershelpedorganizeanewunionforalllaborunions,whichwascalledtheAmericanFederationofLabor(AFL).▲Samworkedhiswholelifeforonecause

improvingtherightsofworkers.However,labor’sgoalsandtheunwillingnessofcapitaltogrant(轉(zhuǎn)讓)themresultedinthemostviolentlaborconflictsinthenation’shistory.GreatRailStrikeof1877Reason:Inresponsetoa10-percentpaycut.Influence:Attemptstobreakthestrikeledtoriotingandwide-scaledestructioninseveralcities:Baltimore,Chicago,Pittsburgh,BuffaloandSanFrancisco.Solution:Sendingfederaltroopsbeforethestrikewasended.PicturesRiotsof1892▲Place:Homestead,PennsylvaniaatCarnegie’ssteelworks.▲Process:AgroupofdetectivesthecompanyhadhiredtobreakabitterstrikebytheAmalgamatedAssociationofIron,SteelandTinWorkerswerefiredand10werekilled.▲Result:TheNationalGuardwascalled,non-unionworkerswerehiredandthestrikebroken.Unionswerenotletbackintotheplantuntil1937.PicturesAPaperofThePullmanStrikeof1894

ByJonathanBassettIntroduction:GeorgePullmanfoundedtheluxurysleepingcarsfortherailroadsandbuiltthePullman’sPalaceCarCompanyinChicagoin1880,whichwascalleda“modeltown”.Pullman’stownshowedthattheinterestsoflaborandmanagementwerereallyoneandthesame,andthatresponsiblecapitalistscouldsolvesomeofthepressingsocialproblemscreatedbycapitalismitself.Butduringtheeconomicdepression,thecompanybegantolayoffemployeesandcutwages.Employeescomplainttheycouldnotaffordtheirrenting.Process:Inearly1894,theworkforceatPullmanwasorganizedbytheAmericanRailwayUnion(ARU),whichwasundertheleadershipofEugeneDebs.Theyattemptedtonegotiatewithmanagerstogainhigherwagesorlowerrents,butrefused.Then,theARUvotedtosupportthemwithanationalboycottofPullmancars.Thestrikeinfluencedthesinglerailjunction(樞紐站)basedinChicago,whichaffectedthetransportationofthedailygoods.Sabotagewasalsoafactor,astracksandswitchesweredamagedandcarswereburned.ThemanagementsideinthestrugglewasrepresentedbytheGeneralManagers’Association(GMA),a“voluntaryandunincorporatedassociation”formedbytwenty-fourChicago-basedrailroads.TheGMAaskedtheUnitedStatesAttorneyGeneralinChicagotorequestafederalcourtinjunction(強(qiáng)制令,禁止令)againstthestrike.TheinjunctionwasgrantedonJuly2.Itstermsplacedablanket(全方面旳)restrictiononallactionsthatcouldimpedethemovementoftrainsandmailandprohibitedtheofficersoftheARUfromdirectingtheboycott.Solution:PresidentClevelandorderedfederaltroopstoChicagotoenforcetheinjunction,whichquelledtheriotingandbrokethestrike.Bymid-Julytrainswererunningmoreorlessasbeforethestrike,EugeneDebsandseveralotherleadersofthestrikewerearrested.Intheauthor’spointofview,thePullmanstrikewasinstrumentalinpushingthefederalgovernmenttobegintakingamoreimpartialroleinthebattlebetweencapitalandlabor,wherepreviouslyithadbeennotedforitsstrongsupportofbusinessinterests.ComparisonofChicagobeforeandaftertheStrikeChicago,1893:TheColumbianExpositionChicago,1894:TheresultsofthePullmanStrike:thedestroyedtraincarsbyrioters.InternationalWorkersoftheWorld(IWW)Process:TheInternationalWorkersoftheWorld(IWW),oneofthemostmilitantstrike-proneunions,wasfightingforbetterconditionsintheWest’sminingindustry.TheIWW,orthe“Wobblies”,gainedpopularprominencefromtheColoradomineclashesof1903.Openlycallingforclasswarfare,theWobbliesgainedmanyadherents(追隨者)aftertheywonadifficultstrikebattleinMassachusettsin1912.Result:Theircallforworkstoppage(停工)inthemidstofWorldWarIledtoagovernmentcrackdown(鎮(zhèn)壓)in1917,whichvirtuallydestroyedthem.SummaryAsforthereasonsforthesestruggles,theysharethesimilarities.▲lowwages▲longworkinghours▲badworkingconditionsetc.Theybothbroughtthetwo-sideinfluence:▲heavilyblowingthemercenary(