| Scranton general strike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 | |
.jpg) The Scranton Citizens' Corps fires on strikers, August 1, 1877, by Frank Leslie | |
| Date | July 23, 1877 – November 17, 1877 |
| Location | |
| Resulted in | Return to work, no concessions won |
| Casualties | |
| Death(s) | 4 |
| Injuries | 16–54 |
The Scranton general strike was a widespread work stoppage in 1877 by workers in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which took place as part of the Great Railroad Strike, and was the last in a number of violent outbreaks across Pennsylvania.[1] The strike began on July 23 when railroad workers walked off the job in protest of recent wage cuts, and within three days it grew to include perhaps thousands of workers from a variety of industries.
Many had returned to work when violence erupted on August 1 after a mob attacked the town's mayor, and then clashed with local militia, leaving four dead and many more wounded.[2] State and federal troops were called to the town, and imposed martial law. Minor acts of violence continued until the last of the strikers returned to work on October 17, having won no concessions. More than a score of those involved in the shooting were arrested for murder, and later tried and found not-guilty of the crime of manslaughter. Two were tried and one convicted in libel suits related to published criticism of the militia. The militia would go on to be reformed into a battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Opinions differ on the root causes of the strike and ensuing violence.
- ^ For sources referring to the event as a general strike see:
- Luhrssen, David (2015). Secret Societies and Clubs in American History. ABC-CLIO. p. 86. ISBN 9781598849042.
In the first labor action during his tenure as a Knight, A general strike that paralyzed Scranton and ended in gunfire and death (1877) ...
- Van Dyke, Nella; McCammon, Holly J. (2010). Strategic Alliances: Coalition Building and Social Movements. U of Minnesota Press. p. 31. ISBN 9781452914497.
... the former [i.e., Scranton] saw more general strike action than did Cleveland.
- Crosby, David (2009). Scranton Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-7385-6518-7.
Here a general strike in 1877 has halted operations on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in Scranton
- Luhrssen, David (2015). Secret Societies and Clubs in American History. ABC-CLIO. p. 86. ISBN 9781598849042.
- ^ Bruce, Robert V. (1959). 1877: Year of Violence. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. pp. 295–298.