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Labor History - 27: Scab Prison Labor

April 19, 1971

Labor History - 27: Scab Prison Labor

Order Reproduction
Title
Labor History - 27: Scab Prison Labor
Creator
Wright, Fred, 1907-1984
Contributor
Lerner, James, 1911-2003 (contributor)
University of Pittsburgh (depositor)
Contributor
Lerner, James, 1911-2003
Date
April 19, 1971
Identifier
ue13.3.1.027
Description
This cartoon depicts how employers fought labor after the Civil War by blacklisting union members, importing labor from overseas, and using prisoners to act as scabs. Caption 1: As the Civil War came to an end American labor found itself up against employer offensives which included blacklists of those who joined unions; demands that they sign "yellow-dog" contracts certifying to having left unions, and newly formed employer associations. "We are opposed to every combination which has for its objects the regulation of wages," one association declared. Caption 2: Ohio iron founders and machine builders formed an organization to protect all in the industry "suffering from the same grievances." The grievances were the demands of their workers for wage increases to meet the wartime inflation. Strikes were broken by importation of contract labor from overseas. In some instances northern generals used their troops to break strikes and arrest the strikers. Caption 3: State governments helped fight unions, too. In New York the owner of an iron foundry which had been organized was permitted to do his work at the Sing Sing foundry paying New York State 40 cents a day for each convict he used instead of the union rate outside jail $3 a day. A Minnesota law (1883) put a six month jail sentence on "interference" with scabs. Clearly, national organization was needed. UE News, Vol. XXXIII, Issue No. 8
Type
still image
Genre
comics (documents)
comic strips
layouts (printed matter)
Subject
Businesses
Source
Labor History Series (Series 13.3.1), Fred Wright Publication Plates (Subgroup 13.3), Fred Wright Papers (UE.13)
Collection
Fred Wright Cartoons
Contributor
University of Pittsburgh
Rights Information
In Copyright. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
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