Nearly 4,000 workers went on a wildcat strike on May 11th. But they gained nothing. In stepped Debs, the new president of the ARU (American Railway Union), who organized the workers. Still George Pullman would not accept arbitration. Debs realized that the strike against the plant was having little affect. He needed something more devastating. On June 20th Eugene Debs announced that on June 28th he would call for a boycott of ARU members. They would not work wherever there were Pullman cars.
Within four days of June 28th there were 125,000 railway workers on striking. But the strike quickly became violent. Federal troops and strikebreakers drove the striking workers and sympathizers to setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and wrecking railroad lines. $80,000,000, thirty dead, and three weeks later the strike ground to a halt.
Within four days of June 28th there were 125,000 railway workers on striking. But the strike quickly became violent. Federal troops and strikebreakers drove the striking workers and sympathizers to setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and wrecking railroad lines. $80,000,000, thirty dead, and three weeks later the strike ground to a halt.