Homestead+Strike+of+1892

=Homestead Strike of 1892=

The Company
 In the Early 1890’s Andrew Carnegie’s steel company was doing better than ever. For Carnegie’s employees however at his plant in Homestead Pennsylvania, times were difficult. Andrew Carnegie, a man who has been called both a Robber Baron and a Captain of Industry, had decided to put an end to the worker’s union in the steel plant. The Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (AAISW), had protected the rights and wages of Carnegie’s workers for many years. Carnegie believed that as owner of the company and the plant, he should be allowed to decide the wages that he gives to his employees. Both Carnegie and Henry Frick, an industrialist who served as his partner were against organized labor. In 1892, they decided to cut the wages of over 3,000 employees at the homestead plant, and demolish the union. Carnegie left for Europe, and at the same time, Frick was rigging the plant with fortifications to protect against the revolt that he was sure would follow the announcement. -JB + AR



The Workers
At Andrew Carnegie’s steel plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania, the workers feared for their jobs. Carnegie had developed new methods of producing steel that eliminated the need for highly trained and experienced professionals. The workers relied on their expertise to continue being employed. Carnegie was tired of paying top price for these workers, and told them that he would be cutting their wages. This angered the workers, and the entire town of Homestead. When Carnegie and Frick abolished the AAISW steel worker’s union, the workers went on strike. Even though the union only represented about 800 of the plants employees, over 3,000 voted to strike. They decided to seize the Homestead plant, and prevent replacement workers, or "scabs" from coming in to work at the plant. - JB + AR



Strike!
After the worker’s seized the plant, they proceeded to establish order, and prevent further unnecessary destruction. They had the entire town’s populace on their side, and even the mayor. They set up a governing committee, and set up guards around the plant, and gave orders to maintain security. Frick meanwhile, had hired a group of detectives from the Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. These Pinkertons were highly trained mercenaries who were brought in to crush the revolt. Under the cover of darkness, Frick and 300 Pinkerton operatives approached the town by boat. They were spotted, and before they could land, 5,000 townspeople had come to meet them on the dock. The crowd told the operatives not to risk their lives by exiting the boat, but they did not listen. Both the townspeople and the Pinkertons open fired when they got off the boat. After 14 hours of fighting, it finally was at an end with 7 townspeople, and 3 Pinkertons dead. The crowd, outraged that both their safety of their loved ones and their lifestyle was threatened, rushed forward, and beat the Pinkertons away. Emma Goldman, a radical who participated in the strike, recalls the tension of that day on the dock. She remember how her friend and fellow radical named Alexander Berkman tried to take Frick's life during the battle. He shot Frick twice, though Frick fought back, pulling a knife on Berkman and calling a doctor. Once he had the bullets removed, he went right back to work. -JB + AR



Back to Work
The Strike finally ended after 5 months and several casualties, as previously mentioned. The plant sent in replacement workers using armored cars. The plant resumed production, as successful as ever. Finally, the strikers realized that they could not win against a cold businessman such as Carnegie. They reluctantly gave up the fight and returned to work, now often earning less that 2 dollars a day. Carnegie and Frick had won the war and the AAISW was demolished. Although Carnegie had private doubts about the Homestead Strike and its results, he publicly commended Frick for his position on the Homestead strike.- AR + JB



Impact
Once the AAISW was done away with, no new steel plant unions were formed in Western Pennsylvania until the Roosevelt Administration some four decades later. The Homestead Strike was one of the first big clashes between labor workers and corporate Leaders. It sent a message to Americans that big business leaders such as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Frick were the ones in control, and any attempt to challenge their authority would end in failure. Carnegie's iron fisted rule set the tone for big business for the next forty years. -AR + JB

Sources- Secondary "Homestead strike." //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 15 May 2011.

Yanak, Ted, and Pam Cornelison. "Homestead Strike." //The Great American History Fact-Finder//. Dec. 1 1993: n.p. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 16 May 2011.

"Henry C. Frick." //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 16 May 2011.

Primary- Emma Goldman, Living My Life (New York: Alfred Knopf, Inc,.1931)

Photo "Homestead Steel strikebreakers." Image. Library of Congress. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 16 May 2011.

"Henry C. Frick." Image. Library of Congress. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 16 May 2011.

"Andrew Carnegie." Image. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/carnegie/aa_carnegie_subj.html. 2011, Web. 16 May 2011

"AAISW." Image http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-24F. 2011, Web. 16 May 2011