[Video] Today in History: From the Pullman Strike to Labor Day

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Today in History: [Video] From the Pullman Strike to Labor Day

In the summer of 1894, the Pullman Strike erupted into one of the most significant labor conflicts in American history. It began when workers at the Pullman Company near Chicago walked out in protest of wage cuts, while their rent and living expenses in the company-owned town remained unchanged. Their struggle quickly gained national attention as the American Railway Union, led by Eugene V. Debs, called for a boycott of trains carrying Pullman cars.

The strike spread across the country, halting rail traffic and sparking violent clashes. With commerce paralyzed and mail delivery disrupted, President Grover Cleveland ordered federal troops to intervene. The move led to bloody confrontations, leaving over two dozen people dead and further inflaming tensions between workers and the government.

Cleveland faced intense criticism for siding with industry and using military force against labor. In an attempt to mend relations with American workers, Congress rushed to pass legislation creating a new national holiday to honor laborers.

Within just six days of the strike’s violent end, Cleveland signed the bill establishing Labor Day as a federal holiday. Though the Pullman Strike ended in defeat for the workers, it left a lasting legacy. The creation of Labor Day was meant as a peace offering, but it also symbolized a recognition of the growing power and importance of organized labor in shaping the nation.

Labor Day stands today as a reminder of the sacrifices made during moments like the Pullman Strike — when the demand for dignity and fairness at work forced the government to acknowledge the voice of labor.