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Today in history, 1893: Workers for Pullman Palace Car Co. go on strike, protesting 25% wage cuts without decreases in rents and costs at the Pullman company town. It led to a large-scale strike and boycott that disrupted rail traffic for months. /1
#ResistanceRoots
#ResistanceRoots
The American Railway Union wanted to support the Pullman workers, but they didn’t exactly work on the railroads. The ARU decided it would ask its members to refuse to connect or disconnect Pullman cars from trains unless the company made concessions. /2
When switchmen began the boycott, they were fired and replaced with nonunion workers. This caused other ARU members to walk out in solidarity. By the end of June, 125,000 workers quit, leaving traffic tied up or stopped on 29 railroads. /3
As the boycott wore on, the strikers grew increasingly agitated and violent. They derailed a locomotive attached to a U.S. mail train, which caused the federal government to get involved. A court issued an injunction against the ARU and Pres. Cleveland sent federal troops. /4
This further enraged the strikers, and the ARU could not communicate with them. Hundreds of rail cars were destroyed before the strike was broken on 20 July 1893. It cost the railroads millions in lost revenue and property damage and the strikers $1 million in lost wages. /end
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