That Time Colorado Took The Side Of … The Workers??? In 1894, gold miners in Cripple Creek, Colorado, went on strike for an eight-hour workday after owners increased hours without a pay raise. The strike escalated, with violence and the intervention of the state militia. Governor Davis Waite’s decision to support the workers, by deeming the mine owners’ private army illegal and acting as a bargaining agent, led to a historic victory for organized labor.

• Gold miners in Cripple Creek, Colorado, struck in 1894 over a 10-hour workday with no pay raise.
• The strike became one of the Gilded Age’s largest victories for organized labor.
• Governor Davis Waite intervened, siding with the workers and disbanding the mine owners’ private army.
• The strike resulted in the restoration of the eight-hour day and previous wages for the miners.
• The event significantly boosted the Western Federation of Miners and influenced future labor movements.