The Pullman Strike Case Study
Terri Simmons Online Class
The Pullman Strike
George Pullman started out with humble beginnings and although
he denied having dreams; he had vision. The vision was to make travel in
rail cars more comfortable which would benefit not just the avid traveler
but himself as well.
He started out working for his older brother and quickly developed a business
sense with a knack of looking at an item be it a building or in this case railcar and
and made it work easier if not better.
The idea of the Pullman Railcar manifested when …show more content…
George was traveling and had
the uncomfortable experience of sleeping or the lack thereof in a train he
traveled in one night. After this very bumpy and unrest fully experience Pullman
thought he could design a more comfortable car for night travel and increase
his financial worth.
In 1867 The Pullman Palace Car Company was founded. The Pullman
Enterprise was such a success that Pullman was able to purchase land to build a
Town for his employee’s complete with schools, churches, and libraries;
Although only those that were able to afford the fee were able to utilize the
library. Pullman not only owned the land he owned the homes, gas and water
to live in. Therefore any immoral products where not allowed in this town such as
bars or brothels. This was to insure corruption would not find its way to the town
and seemed to be a heart felt plan however it would soon be found Mr. Pullman
was only looking out or his enterprise and not of his employees
.
After several years of success, business slowly begin to decline and as
business slowed Pullman began to cut wages and reduce hours. There were a
total of five salary reductions between May and December of 1893.
One employee stated here salary was cut from 90 cents per section of carpet to
20 cents per section. In other departments over 2500 employees were laid off.
Although cuts were made in salaries Pullman continued to demand full
amounts
of rents and other daily living expenses. These were deducted from your wages
and some where left even without a penny. Mr. Pullman was approached with
these grievances however he continued to not budged on his stance of “business as usual” even though families were virtually starving to death
Pullman was also over charging for rents as well as marking up gas and water by
as much as 500 percent. In adjacent towns a house would rent for 10$ to 12$
however Pullman would charge $16 to $18.
In 1893 The American Railway Union was formed and many current and former.
employees joined and rallied together by boycotting the Pullman Company
but Pullman did not back down and stated wages had nothing to do with the rents.
By May of 1893 the people of Pullman town began to strike. This strike not
only affected the immediate area but was felt nationally due to worldwide
members of the ARU.
All trains nationwide were blocked so much so the Attorney General became
involved stating federal mail was being interrupted. Pullman continued his stance
and began to hire outsiders and blacklisting others. Outside organizations were
hire outsiders and blacklisting others. Outside organizations were called in to
help with local need as families were literally destitute and no other place to go
inside or outside the now defunct town of Pullman.
The strike ended with no real winners. On the side of the towns people 34
lost their lives, millions of dollars in damage was done and Pullman once good
name had been scarred. Although some were able get back their jobs others
were now in worse conditions prior to the strike.
1. Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States 1492 to the Clinton Presidency in 1996. 2. Zinn, Barrens and Rebels Chapter 11.
1. Richard H Titherington, “George M. Pullman” Munsey’s magazine, June 1984.
The Pullman Strike
George Pullman started out with humble beginnings and although
he denied having dreams; he had vision. The vision was to make travel in
rail cars more comfortable which would benefit not just the avid traveler
but himself as well.
He started out working for his older brother and quickly developed a business
sense with a knack of looking at an item be it a building or in this case railcar and
and made it work easier if not better.
The idea of the Pullman Railcar manifested when …show more content…
George was traveling and had
the uncomfortable experience of sleeping or the lack thereof in a train he
traveled in one night. After this very bumpy and unrest fully experience Pullman
thought he could design a more comfortable car for night travel and increase
his financial worth.
In 1867 The Pullman Palace Car Company was founded. The Pullman
Enterprise was such a success that Pullman was able to purchase land to build a
Town for his employee’s complete with schools, churches, and libraries;
Although only those that were able to afford the fee were able to utilize the
library. Pullman not only owned the land he owned the homes, gas and water
to live in. Therefore any immoral products where not allowed in this town such as
bars or brothels. This was to insure corruption would not find its way to the town
and seemed to be a heart felt plan however it would soon be found Mr. Pullman
was only looking out or his enterprise and not of his employees
.
After several years of success, business slowly begin to decline and as
business slowed Pullman began to cut wages and reduce hours. There were a
total of five salary reductions between May and December of 1893.
One employee stated here salary was cut from 90 cents per section of carpet to
20 cents per section. In other departments over 2500 employees were laid off.
Although cuts were made in salaries Pullman continued to demand full
amounts
of rents and other daily living expenses. These were deducted from your wages
and some where left even without a penny. Mr. Pullman was approached with
these grievances however he continued to not budged on his stance of “business as usual” even though families were virtually starving to death
Pullman was also over charging for rents as well as marking up gas and water by
as much as 500 percent. In adjacent towns a house would rent for 10$ to 12$
however Pullman would charge $16 to $18.
In 1893 The American Railway Union was formed and many current and former.
employees joined and rallied together by boycotting the Pullman Company
but Pullman did not back down and stated wages had nothing to do with the rents.
By May of 1893 the people of Pullman town began to strike. This strike not
only affected the immediate area but was felt nationally due to worldwide
members of the ARU.
All trains nationwide were blocked so much so the Attorney General became
involved stating federal mail was being interrupted. Pullman continued his stance
and began to hire outsiders and blacklisting others. Outside organizations were
hire outsiders and blacklisting others. Outside organizations were called in to
help with local need as families were literally destitute and no other place to go
inside or outside the now defunct town of Pullman.
The strike ended with no real winners. On the side of the towns people 34
lost their lives, millions of dollars in damage was done and Pullman once good
name had been scarred. Although some were able get back their jobs others
were now in worse conditions prior to the strike.
1. Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States 1492 to the Clinton Presidency in 1996. 2. Zinn, Barrens and Rebels Chapter 11.
1. Richard H Titherington, “George M. Pullman” Munsey’s magazine, June 1984.