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Ten Greatest Labor Strikes in American History

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1) Great Southwest Railroad Strike *200,000 strikers *March-September 1886 *Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas By the end of the 1800’s, the American railroad was expanding quickly. In 1886, the Knights of Labor struck against the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by robber baron Jay Gould. Hundreds of thousands of workers across five states refused to work, citing unsafe conditions and unfair hours and pay. The strike suffered from a lack of commitment from other railroad unions, the successful hiring of non-union workers by Gould, violence and scare tactics. Eventually, the strike failed, and the Knights of Labor disbanded soon afterwards. 2) The Pullman Strike *250,000 strikers *May 11 to Mid-July, 1894 *Centered in Chicago, Illinois Facing 12-hour work days and cut wages resulting from the depressed economy, factory workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company walked out in protest.  The workers were soon joined by