Pullman+Strike+of+1894

=__**Pullman Strike of 1894**__= __**The Company:**__ The Pullman Palace Car Company was a company that manufactured train cars that are used to transport all kinds of materials. During the Economic Panic of 1893 the Pullman Car Company was forced to cut wages as demand for their train cars was low. This was necessary for the company as they were paying for the production of too many cars when they needed less. In the newspaper article "The Rumored Pullman Strike" the company did not want anyone to know about their role in causing the strike. So when asked about the strike they said no comment.

__** The Workers: **__ As the company took a losses in the demand for their cars some employees had wages cut and days extended while others were fired as they were no longer needed. Around 300 workers were let go by the Pullman Palace Car Company and this deeply enraged the workers and rumors of a strike began. Workers that were not layed off had wages cut and forced to work longer days that were about 16 hours long. This angered them as well. When asked about the strike workers said they would not strike in the newspaper article "The Rumored Pullman Strike". __** The Strike: **__ As a result of the company's decisions the rumors came true and the workers went on strike causing a temporary work stoppage of Pullman Cars in Illinois. 4,000 workers went on strike and occupied the main factory's city Pullman, IL. Most workers were members of the American Railway Union. They quickly started a boycott which was supported by the Union. In the boycott workers refused to operate trains with Pullman Cars. Many people who still operated the trains with Pullman Cars on them were attacked and even derailed while operating the train. Most Pullman Cars were completely destroyed where ever they were. Those striking feared that the strike would not work and that the company would use their factories in St. Louis and Detroit even more now. This fear is shown in the article "Pullman Strikers Quietly Waiting."

__** Impact: **__ The short term effects were that many Pullman train cars were destroyed and violence against workers who operated the trains with Pullman cars began and was severe until President Cleveland sent Federal Troops to protect them. The Pullman Car Company was shut down for the boycott as they no longer had enough workers to produce their train cars. Many of the leaders of the boycott and strike were jailed but only for short periods of time. Long term effects were t he boycott paralyzed the American railroad network west of Chicago and help cause more problems with the economic depression of 1893-1898. Also President Cleveland and a Federal Judge got involved which led to the eventual end of the strike. Many labor unions lost memberships after the crackdown on the American Railway Union as people feared they would be jailed.

__** After: **__ The Pullman Company was forced to put wages back and reduce the number of hours of labor per day for each worker. They were also forced to give up their ownership of the company and the factory was later moved to Chicago.

__** Resources: **__


 * Brooks, Thomas R.. //Toil and trouble; a history of American labor,//. 2d ed. New York: Delacorte Press, 1971.
 * "Pullman Strike." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USApullman.htm (accessed May 11, 2011).
 * //New York Times//, "Pullman Strikers Quietly Waiting." May 13, 1894. http://hn.bigchalk.com/hnweb/hn/do/document?set=search&start=1&rendition=x-article-image&inmylist=false&urn=urn%3Aproquest%3AUS%3BPQDOC%3BHNP%3BPQD%3BHNP%3BPROD%3Bx-article-image%3B106904763&mylisturn=urn%3Aproquest%3AUS%3BPQDOC%3BHNP%3BPQD%3BHNP%3BPROD%3 (accessed May 13, 2011).
 * //New York Times//, "The Rumored Pullman Strike." April 27, 1891. http://hn.bigchalk.com/hnweb/hn/do/document?set=search&start=1&rendition=x-article-image&inmylist=false&urn=urn%3Aproquest%3AUS%3BPQDOC%3BHNP%3BPQD%3BHNP%3BPROD%3Bx-article-image%3B103304550&mylisturn=urn%3Aproquest%3AUS%3BPQDOC%3BHNP%3BPQD%3BHNP%3BPROD%3 (accessed May 11, 2011).
 * // American History //, s.v. "Pullman strike," accessed May 11, 2011. [].

By: Will Melley