In Pueblo on Feb. 17. David Rockefeller Jr. chairman of Rockefeller & Co. speaks at the fundraiser for the Steelworks Museum on the lessons learned from the Ludlow Massacre of 1914.
Rockefeller’s grandfather, John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1904-1944 was a major shareholder of Colorado Fuel and Iron. During this time, one of the bloodiest events in American labor history occurred. In 1913, coal miners went on strike due to poor working conditions. According to an article done on the massacre called Remembering Ludlow, the workers only made $3.50 per a day while having to pay for the services and materials used, gunpowder, or blacksmithing. The miners lived in camps that charged $2 per a room monthly and were fenced in and patrolled by armed guards like a prison (Cynthia Becker). What followed in 1914, was the national guard attacking and massacring miners on strike and their families. Becker said that “four women and 10 children” were killed.…show more content… He talked about how his family had fallen short of responsible management that resulted in the Ludlow Massacre, impacting the people, culture, and economy in Colorado. Rockefeller also talked about the lessons that he has learned in his time in management. These lessons have enhanced his own awareness and management styles as to not repeat his family’s mistakes, and instead improve the impact Rockefeller & Co. has on the world.
Rockefeller explained how his grandfather’s approach to management was very hands-off, which is the first lesson learned. “Absentee owners must still be held responsible for what they do not know firsthand,” said Rockefeller. Entrusting the management to others was a downward spiral toward poor working conditions and striking subsequently followed. This lack of responsible management is one of the causes that lead to the Ludlow
