Impact of the Pullman Strike

Learn about the hardship the rail workers had to endure, the lack of welfare they had received and how all this led to violence.

How the Transcontinental Railroad Was Built Part 3/7 Jim Henley: The Pullman Strike is a very interesting factor in not only local history but certainly American history. It’s generally considered to be the first national strike. Speaker: The Pullman Company near Chicago had run into economic hard times and reduced workers’ salaries— but they didn’t reduce housing and food costs. Railroad workers across the country made the collaborative decision to strike. Jim Henley: There’s enormous violence in Chicago and lots of people are killed there. It’s a really horrific experience but there’s a spot of violence all across the country and probably the next most violent place is here in Sacramento. Bill Burg: Now because Sacramento was the nexus for railroading in California, if the workers in Sacramento said ‘things aren’t moving from this point’ they wouldn’t move anywhere in California. They literally brought railroad traffic to a halt for several weeks. Speaker: But the railroad brass had a plan to thwart striking workers. Jim Henley: They took a Pullman car and attached it to every train and especially the mail trains. And when the boycott refused to move a train that had a Pullman car on it they stopped the US mail. And essentially the president of the United States said no, no, no you can’t stop the mail so he called up federal troops. Speaker: Ultimately the strike was unsuccessful, but area workers did prove strength in numbers could affect positive change. Jim Henley: Because of the fact that all trains virtually going north south east or west go thru here, close to 1900 probably one third of all men, women and children living in Sacramento region are employed by the railroad, and I emphasize children. Children are a major force in the rail yards. Speaker: Low wages, menial jobs, tiny hands that fit into tiny places are all reasons the railroad had for hiring children— they’re also the reasons underage labor opponents had against. Jim Henley: People start to think a little bit and they begin to be concerned about child labor and there’s a serious movement in Sacramento to try and stop child labor by the 90’s.” Speaker: Soon, Sacramentans would have another battle on their hands—one that would have reaches far beyond the transcontinental rails.