us history

Final Project: Labor Disputes from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era

Students will prepare a Google slides presentation providing background on labor disputes in the Gilded Age leading into the Progressive Era. Then, they will research a modern-day labor dispute and compare and contrast these disputes over time.

Presentation format:

Slides 1, 2, 3:

· Background on Wealth and Inequality in the Gilded Age.

· The relationship between labor and management during the late 1800s in the United States.

· The goals and tactics of labor unions during this period.

· CHOOSE ONE LABOR MOVEMENT we learned about in class (or find your own) to highlight specific goals and tactics

· Haymarket Affair, Homestead Strike, Pullman Strike, Ludlow Massacre, National Child Labor Committee, National Child Labor Committee (Or, choose your own, must be approved by me)

Include information on the following in your slides:

· Working conditions

· Labor demands

· Protest/labor tactics

· Government intervention and involvement

Useful sources:

The Gilded Age

Homestead Steel Strike (you may also find information from the other strikes we read about in class)

Encyclopedia of Chicago

Encyclopedia Britannica

Slides 4, 5, and 6:

· Introduce your modern-day labor dispute, who are the parties involved, provide background that led to the conflict, and/or how workers formed the union.

· What are the specific labor demands, and/or what tactics are being used to push for these demands?

· Was the labor dispute resolved? For the corporation? In favor of the union? Is there ongoing litigation? What is the future outlook?

Include information on the following in your slides:

· Corporate/Company information

· Working conditions

· Labor demands

· Protest tactics

· Government/political intervention and involvement

Students must include sourcing for slides 4 through 6 (Slide 8 can be devoted to listing all resources)

Slide 7:

Compare and contrast labor disputes and conditions of the Gilded Age to current labor disputes and conditions. (Choose one of each from the two separate time periods). Could a labor conflict such as the Homestead steel strike occur today? Consider the changes that have occurred since the strike with respect to labor rights and protections, the role of government in labor disputes, and the power and influence of big business.

Slide 8: All sources used must be included on this final slide. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL BE COUNTED AS PLAGIARISM AND GRADED AS A ZERO.

You will research one of the following Unions or actions to Unionize:

Fair Food Program and Wendy’s Boycott

Major League Baseball Players Union

United States National Soccer Team Players Association

(USNSTPA)Women’s National Major League Soccer Players Union

WNBA

National Football League Players Union

College Athletes

Chicago Public Teachers Union (CTU)

Starbucks Union/ize

Amazon Union/ize

Meatpacking Unions

National Farmers Union

Frito-Lay (2021)

Whole Foods (2020)

Walmart (2020)

Verizon (2016)

Tesla Automotives and Unions (2016– )

Issues supported by AFL-CIO