Question

Think about what you have learned about union activities in the 1800s. How did strikes hurt unions' goals? List at least two arguments in opposition to the use of strikes.

Answer 1

Strikes often grew violent.

Striking workers often lost their jobs.

Strikes were often opposed by the public.

Striking workers could be injured or killed.

Strikes did not always work.

Answer 2

Strikes were not supported by the government--in 1894 the Pullman Strike was shut down by the Cleveland administration by use of the army. Strikes were disrupting the countries production and the government was not willing to support the action. Because strikes and unions were seen as one they hurt the union efforts. 

Strikes were seen as a anarchist or communist movement--many strikes became violent. Extreme people in the groups used bombings, beatings, killings as a part of the strikes leading to bad reputations for unions. The Haymarket Square Riot began as a strike in Chicago and ended with the execution of leadership marking the unions as extreme.