The Pullman Strike

Pullman Strike

Paola Torres

 

   The Pullman strike occurred in 1894 after the Pullman Palace Car Company laid off workers and cut their wages. The owner of the company was George Pullman. To work in the company it was required to live in Pullman City, which was 3000 acres in size and was located just outside of Chicago. It wasn’t just housing either; workers also bought their goods from company stores. In Pullman City, people were charged to use the library and Clergy had to pay to be able to use the church.

   In 1893, company profits went down by 25%, causing the company to lay off workers and cut wages. Many of the workers were upset because their paychecks amounts had considerably lowered but their rent and the prices of the company goods were not. Eugene V. Debs was the leader of the ARU, short for the American Railroad Union. He was definitely not happy with how his fellow workers were being treated. He then convinced the workers to go on strike by refusing to handle any cars from the Pullman Company. The whole incident ended up interfering with U.S
mail, which is a federal crime and requires U.S. federal troops to intervene. Finally, on July 2nd 1894, an injunction saying that the strike was illegal was filed and obtained and led to the end of the strike. On July 10 1894, Debs and 3 other Union leaders were arrested for interfering with U.S. mail; Debs served a sentence of 6 months and the ARU was disbanded.