Question

Express Problems Clearly Why did labor unions such as the Knights of Labor, the AFL, and the ARU have such a difficult time carrying out a successful strike?

Answer 1

The Labor movement in the United States was was characterized by the same objectives, better pay, less hours of work, and equal wages for men and women, some of them also fought the child labor, the benefits for retired workers and the health insurance.

The collapse of the Knights of Labor occured after the Haymarket Square bombing on May 4th 1886, someone threw a bomb to the police during the last strike, and that resulted in 8 people dead and 8 convicted. This was a big seatback in the Labor organization in the US. The skilled labor members of the Knights of Labor, left the KL and formed the AFL or American Federation of Labor which wore out after the Taft–Hartley Act, or The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 that restrict the power and activities of the labor unions.

On the other hand the ARU or American Railway Union collapsed after the Pullman Strike that lasted from May 11 to July 20 1894. The strike began when their wages were reduced. 30 workers were killed that day.

Summarizing the labor unions needed more organization to carry out a successful strike, and that resulted in their collapse.