The Homestead Strike, or Battle of Homestead, was a violent labor conflict in 1892 at the Carnegie Steel Company in Homestead, Pennsylvania, triggered by a lockout and a dispute over wages and union recognition. The confrontation escalated into a bloody battle between striking workers and the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, hired by management, resulting in deaths and injuries on both sides. The strike ultimately failed, leading to the defeat of the union and the end of the skilled steelworkers' union, but it became a pivotal moment in American labor history, highlighting the brutal tactics used by both workers and owners.