Posted by Sir Four at 3:59pm Jul 6 '09The strike actually began on Jun 30, 1892. But it was on July 6 that a deadly battle took place between the strikers and private security agents.
The place was Homestead, PA (near Pittsburgh). The company was Carnegie Steel. It was a time when unions were just becoming powerful forces for labor negotiation in the US.
The company wanted to break the union. Instead of the pay raise the union wanted, the company offered a 22% pay cut. Anticipating hostilities, the company had set up a barbed wire fence around the facility, as well as watch towers with search lights and water cannons at the entrances. The strike began peacefully, but workers set up 24-hour picket lines determined not to let non-union workers into the steelworks. People from out of town were kept out. Patrols were set up to watch for the company bringing in workers. The county sheriff was powerless to do anything against the thousands of striking workers.
The company hired the Pinkertons, a sort of private security force/militia-for-hire, to hold the strikers at bay and get the steelworks open on July 6. Three hundred Pinkerton agents were equipped with rifles and sent on barges up the river toward the steelworks plant. They attempted to disembark under the cover of night at 4am, but the strikers were aware of their presence. Shots were fired, most likely first by the strikers. The agents fired back, into the crowd of strikers killing 2 and wounding 11. The crowd continued to return fire, killing 2 and wounding 12.
The exchange ceased as both sides sought cover, the Pinkerton agents remaining on the water. Later, at 8am, the agents attempted once more to get onto land. Shots were exchanged, and four more strikers were killed. A number of the agents began trying to flee, recognizing the severity of the situation. The strikers continued to fire on the barges, killing another agent at around noon. They then attempted to burn or blow up the barges, using various tactics (including leftover 4th of July fireworks) which failed.
The standoff continued, until the next day when the Pinkerton agents raised the white flag and the strikers declared a ceasefire. The agents were then allowed onshore, though they faced abuse from the angry crowd.
In total, 9 workers and 7 agents were killed. The strike was later broken when state and federal troops were brought in. The steelworks reopened with non-union labor, and the union had been dealt a defeating blow.
The place was Homestead, PA (near Pittsburgh). The company was Carnegie Steel. It was a time when unions were just becoming powerful forces for labor negotiation in the US.
The company wanted to break the union. Instead of the pay raise the union wanted, the company offered a 22% pay cut. Anticipating hostilities, the company had set up a barbed wire fence around the facility, as well as watch towers with search lights and water cannons at the entrances. The strike began peacefully, but workers set up 24-hour picket lines determined not to let non-union workers into the steelworks. People from out of town were kept out. Patrols were set up to watch for the company bringing in workers. The county sheriff was powerless to do anything against the thousands of striking workers.
The company hired the Pinkertons, a sort of private security force/militia-for-hire, to hold the strikers at bay and get the steelworks open on July 6. Three hundred Pinkerton agents were equipped with rifles and sent on barges up the river toward the steelworks plant. They attempted to disembark under the cover of night at 4am, but the strikers were aware of their presence. Shots were fired, most likely first by the strikers. The agents fired back, into the crowd of strikers killing 2 and wounding 11. The crowd continued to return fire, killing 2 and wounding 12.
The exchange ceased as both sides sought cover, the Pinkerton agents remaining on the water. Later, at 8am, the agents attempted once more to get onto land. Shots were exchanged, and four more strikers were killed. A number of the agents began trying to flee, recognizing the severity of the situation. The strikers continued to fire on the barges, killing another agent at around noon. They then attempted to burn or blow up the barges, using various tactics (including leftover 4th of July fireworks) which failed.
The standoff continued, until the next day when the Pinkerton agents raised the white flag and the strikers declared a ceasefire. The agents were then allowed onshore, though they faced abuse from the angry crowd.
In total, 9 workers and 7 agents were killed. The strike was later broken when state and federal troops were brought in. The steelworks reopened with non-union labor, and the union had been dealt a defeating blow.
The Homestead Strike, 117 years ago today - Sir Four