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ohg2012 · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 15

The mass increase of population from industrialization in 19th century lowered the value of labor cost. Employees needed to be hired in order to survive, and Employers could choose more reasonable workers(workers who can be payed less) among them. Employers' power grew dramatically, and the relationship between employers and employee resembled that of plantation owners and slave owners. Pullman crisis was caused by George Pullman's greed. He looked forward his own profit, neglecting his employees' situation. To prevent the strikes, Pullman should knew and that most of his workers were unable to survive with such low wages, and negotiate with them to get through the depression together.

dokim · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 23

Personally, i hope pullman raises the wages for workers; however, it's hard to do it because of the economy problem. In order to finish the pullman strike, pullman at least lower the rent instead of lower the wages, so the workers can keep working without strike.

Or another solution is he should change his own town. Pullman's town is limited and isolated, so pullman couldn't make a profit a lot. Maybe he can enlarge his town or invite more people to live in this town. As a result, he will get profit from the rent.

BChangy · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 33

I would like to disagree on some of the statments said in the above post. The force of the militia was/ and in a parallel world would not be the best solution. The actions would/did drag the reconstruction era further into a depression era. If you are attacking your workers yes you are teaching them a lesson and that lesson would be that they should never work for you, resulting in a lost of $$$$

The idea of people putting a end/ refusing to work for lower wages after someone has been quit/ laid off doesn't quite seem like a reasonable idea either. It's results could end in no one doing the work and the resul of yet again a lost of $$$

it us not as though the money I am talking about is to benifit George Pullman, I'm saying that this money lost would effect the economy in a negative way aka the depression.

Also Evan the employees can't leave th town of Pullman or else they leave their job. It's a deal, they work for Pullman for money, and he provides a convieniet location for them to go to work easily.

YUJIA · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 14

A good solution will of course be the one that benefits both the workers and Pullman. If both sides agree to compromise a little, I mean, if the workers can try to understand the person who had been contributing his soul and heart to build them a model community to live in when Pullman can also lower the rent of workers' houses since their wages are in a lower level than before the depression, the situation will be much better and the conflict will be solved. I personally do not agree that force will be a good idea because there will not actually be a solution-- and at last negotiation is what solves the problem.

georgia.indigo · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 15

It’s an incredibly difficult situation because not only is the United States going through a major depression but Pullman has also created this town for himself and has a lot of pride to loose if he gives in to his workers.
I personally think that the railroads should stop using Pullman’s cars until he agrees to compromise somewhat with his workers. Otherwise the railroads will continue to not run and this would be a setback in an already bad economy.
I think Pullman has too much power in this situation and has created too much control. But his workers and the ARU might be asking for too much from him. Pullman needs to at least lower to coast of rent in his town to be reasonable even if he is no longer making a profit from it. But the system needs to look at itself as a whole to see the vicious cycle they’ve created for themselves with the industrial revolution and exploitation of people.

zaronson · Joined: 07 May 2010 Posts: 17

I believe that Pullman is acting stupidly, and become mindless of the peoples feelings. The people who live in his town receive a small wage and must pay rent that is to high. To gain the support of the people, the obvious thing to do is for Pullman to either raise wages so the people can afford to pay their rent, or lower the rent. In the long run, when Pullman needs the support of the people, they will owe him the support.

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