Pullman Strike of 1894

What happens when railway workers are not paid enough and forced to work long hours? In the late nineteenth century, Pullman Palace Car Company workers were sick and tired of their working conditions. They went on strike to negotiate a better working environment. Continue reading to see how the Pullman Strike of 1894 impacted the entire country!

Pullman Strike of 1894 Definition

From May to June 1894, a railroad strike, starting in Chicago, Illinois, severely disrupted rail service in almost 27 states. The strike began with the laborers at the Pullman Palace Car Company after disputes with its owner George Pullman.

Pullman Strike of 1894 Location

The Pullman Strike began at the Pullman Palace Car Company in Illinois but had lasting impacts across the country. As the strike began, railway workers refused to touch the Pullman cars, essentially ceasing railway travel west of Chicago.

Fig. 1 The main office building at the Pullman Palace Car Company.

Pullman Strike of 1894 Reason

An economic depression occurred in 1893, setting off tensions between industry bosses and laborers. In response to the depression, the owner of Pullman Palace Car Company, George Pullman, slashed employees' wages by 25%. Most Pullman employees lived in the company town near Chicago, Illinois, where George Pullman controlled all aspects of living. Many workers faced worsening conditions due to Pullman slashing wages and refusing to lower rent.

As a result, a group of workers attempted to bring their concerns to George Pullman. He declined to hear their protests and consequently had them fired. Being ignored, the workers decided to strike and walked out of the Pullman Palace Car Company in May 1894.

American Railway Union

Labor unions represented most laborers during the Gilded Era. They were designed to deal with laborers' issues such as that at Pullman. The American Railway Union (ARU) represented roughly a third of Pullman employees.

Fig. 2 "King Debs" by WA Rogers depicts Eugene V. Debs in 1894.

President of the union, Eugene V. Debs, successfully brought railway laborers together to create the first industrial union, the ARU. The fledgling union had only been established the year before the eruption of the Pullman Strike. Debs, hesitant for the new labor union to be involved in a strike, did not wish to be involved. However, the lack of negotiation from Pullman forced the hand of the union, and they declared a boycott.

While the union did not officially decide to strike against the Pullman Palace Car company, union officials were present at the meeting that decided to strike. The union would continue to support the Pullman workers throughout the entire strike.

Pullman Strike Timeline

Firstly, we'll start with a timeline of the events of the Pullman Strike in 1894.

Pullman Strike of 1894 Public Support

Though up against a wealthy business tycoon, Pullman employees had plenty of support from the public and even some government officials. The founder of Hull House, Jane Addams, remembered:

Jane Addams' quote shows the early positive support the public gave to the strike. Yet, the peaceful strike quickly deteriorated as Attorney General Richard Olney enacted an injunction against the ARU, and President Cleveland sent 10,000 federal troops to Chicago.

Fig. 3 Damaged freight and coal cars in Illinois during the riots at Fordham Yard during the Pullman Strike in 1894.

Pullman Strike of 1894 Outcome

The 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act was seen as a reprieve from the malpractice of big business. However, like other legislation, the act was up for interpretation, ultimately leading to several judgments that favored businesses instead of workers.

Richard Olney pounced at the first sign of disorder during the Pullman Strike. He requested an injunction against the American Railway Union leaders, blocking them from using persuasion techniques on railroad workers. The evidence in favor of the injunction lay within the interpretation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. It was believed that the boycott effectively restrained interstate commerce.

In response, President Cleveland sent 10,000 federal troops to Chicago, sparking deeper tensions between supporters, strikers, and federal troops. Eventually, violence erupted, killing 13 people and severely wounding 53 others. Subsequently, public opinion shifted against the boycott.

Pullman Strike of 1894 Resolved

The turning point of the strike came with Olney's injunction and the arrival of federal troops. These two events sent strikers over the edge and ultimately led to a fragile environment for negotiations on arbitration.

Acknowledging the fragility of the strike's strength, Debs wished to call off the strike in exchange for Pullman to negotiate. However, standing his ground, Pullman refused, and Debs began involving other trade unions. Other well-known labor leaders, such as Samuel Gompers, came to Chicago to support the ARU. In response, some 250,000 union members embraced a one-day strike, but the Pullman Strike lost any negotiating power it had. The ARU ended the boycott, and while some strikers continued, many renounced the union and were hired back by Pullman.

Let's look at an overview of the reasons that the strike failed.

• The interpretation of the Sherman Anti-Trust act did not favor the workers.
• The intervention of 10,000 federal troops.
• Attorney General Richard Olney issued an injunction against the leaders of the ARU - it was the first use of a federal injunction to stop a strike.
• As violence erupted between strikers and federal troops, public opinion about the boycott turned sour - public opinion was necessary to help bolster the strength of the strike.
• Other union leaders attempted to show support with 250,000 striking for a day, but the ARU lost any negotiating power it had.

While the Pullman strike was ultimately a failure, it had two significant consequences that impacted the American working class. The strike convinced Debs that nothing could improve the environment for laborers unless it involved a hand in government. Jailed because of his actions during the Pullman strike, Debs would later go on to run for president four times and become one of the most well-known socialist leaders in the country. Public opinion also became a crucial component of the strike that bolstered its first half but helped weaken it later.

However, the public could no longer ignore the impending labor problem in America and what it had come to represent. The events of the Pullman strike facilitated reformers to protect laborers and find a balance between capital and labor.