Road to Rust: The Disintegration of the Steel Industry in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio

by Dale Richard Perelman

Overview

As the twentieth century dawned on western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, the region's steel industry faced a struggle for unionism. Strong managers like Judge Elbert Gary and Tom Girdler opposed every move forward.

Regardless, unionists like Philip Murray, John L. Lewis, Samuel Gompers and Gus Hall battled for fair wages, hours and working conditions. Tensions from issues of immigration, class, skill and race erupted throughout the industry. The tribulations led to widespread steel strikes directed by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee. Author Dale Richard Perelman charts the struggle and decline of the nation's most prominent regional steel industry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781540228444
Publisher:	History Press Library Editions
Publication date:	03/26/2018
Pages:	194
Sales rank:	146,351
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dale Richard Perelman has written several books, including Mountain of Light: The Story of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond, The Regent: The Story of the Regent Diamond, Centenarians: One Hundred 100-Year-Olds Who Made a Difference and Steel: The Story of Pittsburgh's Iron and Steel Industry, 1852-1902. Mr. Perelman holds a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Brown University, an MBA in industrial relations from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate gemologist designation from the Gemological Institute of America.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Making Steel 15

Chapter 2 The Human Costs of Making Steel 20

Chapter 3 The Corporation 22

Chapter 4 The First Sortie: The Strike of 1901 32

Chapter 5 The Aftermath of the Strike of 1901 40

Chapter 6 Jones & Laughlin 48

Chapter 7 Pressed Steel Car Strike of 1909 52

Chapter 8 Organization Efforts Continue 64

Chapter 9 Living Conditions 66

Chapter 10 East Youngstown Strike of 1916 77

Chapter 11 World War I 84

Chapter 12 Srike of 1919 90

Chapter 13 "Times They Are A-Changing" 112

Chapter 14 The Depression 117

Chapter 15 Labor Remobilizes 126

Chapter 16 The SWOC 135

Chapter 17 The Document 143

Chapter 18 Little Steel Battles On 148

Chapter 19 Rust: The Rest of the Story 158

Afterword 165

Notes 167

Glossary 177

Bibliography 179

Index 185