In 1893, the American
economy suffered a severe depression (known as the Panic of 1893), and American
industry was not immune. Low demand for passenger train cars and reduced revenue
forced the Pullman Palace Car Company to cut wages. Workers complained that cost
of living in the company town had not been reduced along with pay. Pullman
owner, George Pullman, refused to acknowledge their concerns.
Stripped of their ability
to speak up, workers turned to the American Railway Union (ARU) who refused to facilitate
any train containing Pullman cars. In just a few days, over 250,000 workers
across the country had “left their post” before handling a Pullman car.
President Cleveland wanted
the trains moving again, based on his constitutional responsibility for the security
of the U.S. Postal Service. (Many trains consisted of Railway Post Office
Cars.) Under presidential order, thousands of United States Marshals and over 12,000
United States Army troops took action.
The ARU was not happy, and
their peaceful protests turned violent. During the course of the strike, 30
strikers were killed, 57 were wounded, and property damage exceeded $80 million
(over $2 billion today).
With blood on the
President’s hands, quick action was needed to show support for the American
labor movement. A mere 6 days after the Pullman Strike ended, the U.S. Congress
unanimously voted to approve Labor Day as a national holiday.
Although it’s creation occurred
during a low point for government/labor relations, Labor Day has stood to honor
worker contributions in the United States. Contributions that add to the
strength, prosperity, and well-being of our economy.
This Labor Day weekend, join us in
supporting American laborers by buying American-made products. Unsure where to
start? Click through dozens of qualified vendors on the American Field website.
Or come see them yourself
at an
