TU Gilded Age Word Scramble
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| Term | Definition |
| Growth in demand for unskilled labour | Labour demands increased, particularly in transport and heavy industry. This allowed unions to grow, such as KOL who went from 20,000 in 1881 to 700,000 in 1886. |
| First national labour federation | AFL formed in 1886, leading to more businesses negotiating with workers. |
| Wages | Rose dramatically, with some skilled workers seeing 60% rises, despite the influx of labour by immigration. |
| Sickness clubs | Established by workers, which they could contribute to, giving them some income throughout illness. |
| Workers' violence | Increased demands for workers may have encouraged militancy and violence, such as the Haymarket Affair. This damaged the reputation of unions. |
| Courts and the government | The courts usually supported employers and issued injunctions to end strikes. The government was laissez-faire and supported big business, such as in the 1894 Pullman Strike. |
| Working conditions | Many workers had long hours and dangerous conditions. Around 2,000 rail workers were killed in accidents in 1889. |
| Contract System | The 'contract system' allowed employers to lay off workers in quiet periods, becoming a large issue during the 1893 economic slump. |
| Divisions in the workforce (skilled/unskilled) | Many new workers were unskilled and had wages that were 30% of skilled workers, creating an inequality that divided workers. |
| Divisions in the workforce (African Americans and immigrants) | Divisions between white and African American workers, and with immigrants who could be used as cheap labour to break strikes. Unions would generally not allow AAs or immigrants to join. |
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Charlie_M
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