Terence Powderly - Labor Leader
Profile - I was an Irish-American politician and labor union leader born January 22, 1849 in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. I was the head of the Knights of Labor, a nationwide labor union. Our main goal was to organize all workers, skilled and unskilled, into one large union united for workers' rights and economic and social reform. I was a lawyer and was elected mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania for six years. I was a Republican and served as the United States Commissioner General of Immigration in 1897.
I am most remembered for leading the Knights of Labor. I joined the Knights in 1876 and became Secretary of a District Assembly in 1877. Later on in 1879, I was elected Grand Master Workman when the Knights had only 10,000 members. I held that position until 1893. Like most labor leaders of my time, I was against the immigration of the Chinese into America. Immigrants took away jobs from us and drove down our wages. However, they did encourage the West Coast branches of the Knights to support the Chinese Exclusion Act.
The Greenback ideology of producerism influenced me more than the idea of socialism did. Producerism is the idea that the members of society engaged in the production of tangible wealth are of a greater benefit to society than aristocrats who inherit their wealth. Because of this belief, I disliked strikes. The Knights grew rapidly after our successful Great Southwestern Strike in 1885 against Jay Gould's railroad.
The Knights of Labor were recognized as the first successful national labor in the United States. In 1885 and 1886, we achieved our greatest influence and membership. I tried to focus the Knights on cooperatives and the eight-hour work day. We were able to function like a traditional labor union due to the demands for immediate improvement placed upon the Knights by our members. However, we were too disorganized to deal with the centralized industries we were striking against. The Knights of Labor soon began to lose their influence due to my disapproval of strikes; I tried to stop them if I could.
On May 4, 1886 in Chicago, there was the Haymarket Square Riot. The riot was caused by anarchists who were against the peaceful protest. The Knights were blamed for the disaster. Our membership plunged overnight because citizens thought the Knights were anarchists and terrorists. The main cause to the Knights' demise however was the disorganization of the union and our record of losing many strikes due to my disapproval. Eventually the Knights were divided completely and never recovered. I died at the age of 75 on June 24, 1924.
I am most remembered for leading the Knights of Labor. I joined the Knights in 1876 and became Secretary of a District Assembly in 1877. Later on in 1879, I was elected Grand Master Workman when the Knights had only 10,000 members. I held that position until 1893. Like most labor leaders of my time, I was against the immigration of the Chinese into America. Immigrants took away jobs from us and drove down our wages. However, they did encourage the West Coast branches of the Knights to support the Chinese Exclusion Act.
The Greenback ideology of producerism influenced me more than the idea of socialism did. Producerism is the idea that the members of society engaged in the production of tangible wealth are of a greater benefit to society than aristocrats who inherit their wealth. Because of this belief, I disliked strikes. The Knights grew rapidly after our successful Great Southwestern Strike in 1885 against Jay Gould's railroad.
The Knights of Labor were recognized as the first successful national labor in the United States. In 1885 and 1886, we achieved our greatest influence and membership. I tried to focus the Knights on cooperatives and the eight-hour work day. We were able to function like a traditional labor union due to the demands for immediate improvement placed upon the Knights by our members. However, we were too disorganized to deal with the centralized industries we were striking against. The Knights of Labor soon began to lose their influence due to my disapproval of strikes; I tried to stop them if I could.
On May 4, 1886 in Chicago, there was the Haymarket Square Riot. The riot was caused by anarchists who were against the peaceful protest. The Knights were blamed for the disaster. Our membership plunged overnight because citizens thought the Knights were anarchists and terrorists. The main cause to the Knights' demise however was the disorganization of the union and our record of losing many strikes due to my disapproval. Eventually the Knights were divided completely and never recovered. I died at the age of 75 on June 24, 1924.