1919day.year
The steel strike of 1919, led by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, begins in Pennsylvania before spreading across the United States.
The 1919 steel strike began in Pennsylvania under the Amalgamated Association, spreading nationwide and challenging post-war labor relations.
On September 22, 1919, steelworkers in Pennsylvania walked off the job, igniting the largest industrial strike in U.S. history up to that time.
Led by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, the movement demanded higher wages and improved working conditions.
Within weeks, the strike encompassed mills in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, drawing support from over 350,000 workers.
Companies and authorities fought back with strikebreakers and legal injunctions, aiming to crush the uprising.
Violent clashes erupted at several sites, with confrontations between strikers and law enforcement turning bloody.
Ultimately, economic pressures and internal divisions forced the union to end the strike with few victories.
The conflict reshaped American labor policy and set precedents for future union strategies.
1919
steel strike of 1919