Carnegie and labor realtions
While the Gospel of Wealth written by Andrew Carnegie, shows that he has compassion for those who are less fortunate than himself. However, Andrew Carnegie had his critics, among those his own workers. Johnathan Rees writes about the complicated nature of Carnegie’s view of unions in his essay Homestead in Context Andrew Carnegie and the Decline of the Amalgamated Association of Iron workers. The main argument that is echoed throughout the paper is Carnegie’s hot and cold nature towards organized labor throughout his career, Rees points out that Carnegie relationship with unions were solely based on if they could bring him money or not 1. If the unions brought Carnegie money he was more willing to allow them into his workplace, but if they were taking away from his bottom line he had no problem turning against them 2. Reiss points out that at first Carnegie was willing to work with the union, which made him a “black sheep” when compared to other industrialist of the day, Carnegie viewed unions as important in cultivating labor (which would be important, as steel mills couldn’t run without them). However, Reiss points out that after 1886 the steel market began to take a downturn, Carnegie in turn sought to “kick out” amalgamated ironworkers from his steel mills (Riess explains one of the last spots of strong union support were at Homestead steel mill) 3. In this way Carnegie had a transactional relationship with labor, only supporting union workers when things were going well for him financially, but willing to drop them if they didn’t line up with his business goals.
Carnegie did have compassion for the skilled laborer in his steel mills, in an article written by Carnegie in The New York Times, he states that “the manual laborer is proud of his work” and goes on to further state that believes that the labor plays an important role in society as a leader and model in society; even stating that the laborer is less “vain” than other professions in. society 4. While some such as Reiss have called into question the dedication that Carnegie had to his laborers and labor in general, Carnegie puts forth a more positive image in this article. The contention between labor and Carnegie will eventually come to blows in the Homestead strike of 1892 ( years after his article in the times), which will explored in another exhibit.
1 Rees, Jonathan. “Homestead in Context: Andrew Carnegie and the Decline of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.” Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies64, no. 4 (1997) pg. 512
2 Rees, Jonathan. “Homestead in Context: Andrew Carnegie and the Decline of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.” Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies64, no. 4 (1997): 509–33 pg. 511
3 Rees, Jonathan. “Homestead in Context: Andrew Carnegie and the Decline of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.” Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies64, no. 4 (1997): 509–33 pg. 513
4 THE ROMANCE OF LABOR: BY ANDREW CARNEGIE: CHARACTERISTIC PASSAGES FROM MR. CARNEGIE'S FORTHCOMING LIFE OF JAMES WATT." New York Times (1857-1922), Apr 16, 1905.