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LaborDayandthePullmanStrikeof1894ForDummies
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LaborDayandthePullmanStrikeof1894
ByAndrewHollandbeck
LaborDay,observedonthefirstMondayinSeptemberintheUnitedStates,isconsidered
bymanytomarktheendofsummer.Althoughitisostensiblymeanttocelebratethecivic
andeconomiccontributionsofAmericanworkers,itisalsoconnectedhistoricallytoworkers'
repressionandpoliticalappeasement.
ExactlywhofirstcameupwiththeideaofLaborDayisunclear,buttwostoriesareatthe
frontoftherunning:
Inthefirststory,PeterMcGuire,cofounderoftheAmericanFederationofLabor(AFL)
andgeneralsecretaryoftheBrotherhoodofCarpentersandJoiners,firstsuggestinga
LaborDayholidaytohonorthosewhosesweatandtoilcreatedthecountry'sprosperity.
Inthesecondstory,theholidaywasconceivedbymachinistMatthewMaguirein1882,
whileheservedassecretaryoftheCentralLaborUnionofNewYork.Documentsshow
thattheCenteralLaborUnionadoptedaLaborDayproposalandcreatedaplanning
committeeforademonstrationandpicnic.
Regardlessofwhoseideaitwas,thefirstLaborDaywascelebratedonTuesday,
September5,1882,inNewYorkCitythesecondwascelebratedexactlyayearlater.In
1884,thefirstMondayinSeptemberwaschosenastheholiday,andtheCentralLabor
Unionurgedotherlabororganizationstobeginobservingtheholiday.Supportforanational
LaborDaycelebrationgrew.
Meanwhile,nearChicago,GeorgePullmanfoundedPullman,Illinois,in1880,tohousethe
employeesofhisrailroadsleepingcarmanufacturingcompany.Theentiretownwas
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LaborDayandthePullmanStrikeof1894ForDummies

designedandbuilttohousethePullmanCompany'semployees.
AllwaswellwiththePullmanCompanyuntilaneconomicdepressionsweptthecountryin
1893.Inresponsetoafallingdemandforsleepercars,Pullmanbeganloweringwages,but
rentalcostsinPullman,IL,(whichwerecontrolledbyandautomaticallypaidtothePullman
Company)remainedunchanged.Facingplummetingtakehomepay,Pullmanemployees
beganwalkingoffthejob.
EugeneV.DebsandtheAmericanRailwayUnion(ARU)pickedupthecause,andpretty
soon,railroadworkersacrosstheUnitedStateswereboycottingtrainsthatcarriedPullman
cars.
PresidentGroverCleveland,citingthenowdelayedmailsystem,declaredthestrikeillegal
andsent12,000troopstobreakit.Twomenwerekilledintheviolencethateruptednear
Chicago.Debswassenttoprison,andtheARUwasdisbanded,andPullmanemployees
henceforthwererequiredtosignapledgethattheywouldneveragainunionize.
SensingthepoliticaluneasecausedbyhisantilaborstanceduringthePullmanstrike,
PresidentClevelandputreconciliationwithlaborforcesatthetopofhistodolist.LaborDay
legislationwasrushedthroughCongressandpassedunanimouslyonJune28,1894,just
sixdaysaftertheendofthePullmanstrike.

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