Chinese RR Strike

The Chinese RR Strike

   There was no violence inside these Chinese rail road camps. No one hardly said anything to one another. They eventually demanded to be paid 40$ instead of 35$ a month. They requested a reduction in hours. Normal work days lasted from dawn to dusk. They did not want to work more than 10 hours daily. Charles Crocker promised that he would stop work before considering one of their demands. They still didn't budge. They raised their expectations to 45$ a month. Crocker did not know if his men were having a legitimate grievance. Crocker decided to cut off supplies from their camps. He left them to sit in their camps for a week. Charles Crocker was afraid that his work was going to be permanently damaged. Fearing his Chinese men wouldn't work he looked into the Freedman's Bureau to get African American workers. Crocker returned to the camp and stated that the pay and hours wouldn't take on a change. He gave them the option of working again and only being fined or if they continued on their strike they would loose all of June's pay. Hunger motivated some of the men to continue working, others were angry and still refused. Then Crocker to white men power to instill the fear into the rebelling men to continue work. And they did. Work went continued on the railroads. 

by Olyveah Brule

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/tcrr-strike/