The main objective of the axe-wielding laborers in the labor strikes of the late 1800s, particularly during events like the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the Haymarket Affair in 1886, was to demand better working conditions, fair wages, and an eight-hour workday. These laborers were often subjected to exploitative practices, long hours, and unsafe working environments. As tensions between laborers and employers rose, strikes turned violent, with laborers sometimes using axes as tools of resistance against strikebreakers and law enforcement. These strikes raised awareness of workers' rights and highlighted the need for labor reform, as well as heightened public sentiment regarding the treatment of industrial workers.