Bloody Labor Confrontation at Homestead Strike

The Homestead Strike was a pivotal labor confrontation that unfolded at Carnegie Steel's main plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The conflict arose from a labor dispute between the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (AA) and the Carnegie Steel Company. Tensions escalated when the collective bargaining agreement between the union and the company expired, leading to negotiations that began in February. The union sought a wage increase, while the company, represented by Henry Clay Frick, proposed an average wage decrease of 22%. The failure to reach an agreement resulted in the company locking out the union workers. In response, Frick employed thousands of strikebreakers and hired Pinkerton agents to protect them, which heightened the conflict significantly. The situation reached a critical point when a force of 300 Pinkerton agents arrived, leading to a violent confrontation that resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals and injuries to hundreds more. The Pennsylvania Governor responded by deploying two brigades of state militia to restore order.