Homestead+Strike+of+1892


 * __ Homestead Strike of 1892 __**

**__ The Major Players: __**

** Andrew Carnegie ** was born in Scotland and immigrated to the US in 1848 to become one of the richest capitalists in American history. Growing up in a poor family who believed the working class should run for government and improve the workplace conditions influenced Carnegie’s future business beliefs. However, although he claimed to support the working class and unions, he did not always conform to the union’s demands or in favor of his employees. ﻿

  **Henry Clay Frick ** was born in Pennsylvania also to a poor family. He later became very wealthy off of Coke manufacturing and by using harsh business strategies. In 1881, he merged with Carnegie, but soon lost control of his stock to Carnegie. Tension later began between the two as Carnegie opposed Frick’s strike-suppressing beliefs with his pro-labor sentiment.

**__ Context: __**

During the year 1892, strikes began to spread throughout the country. A general strike began in New Orleans. The coal miners of Tennessee also struck, followed by railroad switchmen in Buffalo, New York and copper miners in Idaho. Eventually these strikes would spread to Homestead, Pennsylvania and defile Andrew Carnegie’s name as a “champion of labor.”

**__ Before: __**

What seemed like Carnegie’s invincible steel plant began its downfall due to the decrease in the price of rolled-steel products from $35 a gross ton to $22 between 1890 and 1892. Because of this decline, Henry Frick-- employed as general manager and supported by Carnegie—was driven to cut the workers’ wages and attempt to take down one of the strongest craft unions in the US at the time: the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.

The Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers included about 750 members of the 3,800 steel mill workers, but Frick insisted that he negotiate independent contracts with the employees. About 3,000 workers voted for strike preventing strikebreakers from guarding the steel mill.

With Andrew Carnegie on vacation in Loch Rannoch, Scotland, Frick was left in charge and was Carnegie’s only source of communication. Carnegie ordered Frick to produce as much armor plate as possible before their contract with the Union expired in June. Carnegie wrote to Frick, “We... approve of anything you do…We are with you to the end." With Carnegie’s support, Frick went on to cut wages and refused to negotiate with the unions but rather insisted that he negotiate with individual employees. This eventually led to a brutal outbreak at the Homestead Steel Plant.



**__ During: __**

When the workers refused to negotiate without the union, Frick responded by barricading the steel plant with a solid board fence with rifle ports and barbed wire, later to be known as “Fort Frick.” On June 28th of 1892, Frick began to shutdown the operations and when the deputy sheriffs were called in to guard the property, they were ordered out of town by the workers who began to guard the steel mill.

When the workers were informed of the 300 strikebreakers of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency of New York that had been ordered in, they immediately rushed to prevent them from coming ashore. After the first shot sound, the steel mill erupted into an outburst of gunfire. By the end of the horrific scene, three Pinkertons and seven workers were killed. Just six days later 8,500 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard were ordered by Governor Robert E. Patterson into Homestead. After the union called off the strike, few employees returned to work.





**__ After: __**

After the Homestead Strike, Carnegie returned to take the entirety of the blame for what had happened. During negotiations, Carnegie remained inaccessible to media and employees and left all negotiations to Frick. Because this violent outcome was seen as managements’ fault, the views of unions improved for most Americans. The public now saw the requests of the workers as reasonable.

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**__ Bibliography __** "American Experience . The Richest Man in the World: Andrew Carnegie . People & Events | The Homestead Strike | PBS." //PBS: Public Broadcasting Service//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2011. . Burgoyne, Arthur Gordon. //The Homestead strike of 1892//. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1979. Print. "Digital History." //Digital History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2011. . "Frick's Fracas: Henry Frick Makes His Case." //History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web//. Pittsburg Post, n.d. Web. 15 May 2011. . Garland, Hamlin. "The Homestead Strike of 1892 and the Attempted Assassination of Henry Clay Frick." //Assumption College: A Catholic College founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption//. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2011. . Goldner, Cheri. "The Homestead Strike." //BGSU :: University Home Page :: Bowling Green State University Home Page//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2011. . "The Musical Saga of Homestead." //History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web//. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2011. .