Final answer:
Henry C. Frick pushed workers harder at the Homestead factory to break the union and maintain control over labor after Andrew Carnegie, known for supporting fair wages, left the negotiations in Frick's hands.
Step-by-step explanation:
Henry C. Frick pushed the men harder than ever at the Homestead factory after receiving a letter from Andrew Carnegie because he was following Carnegie's implicit directions to break the union during the negotiations of the union contract renewal. Facing demands for higher wages from the unionized workers, and with Carnegie away in Scotland, Frick moved to cut wages, strengthen his anti-union stance, and exert greater control over the labor force to maintain productivity and profitability. When the workers went on strike, Frick escalated the situation by hiring Pinkerton detectives to protect company property and ensure that production continued, which ultimately led to violent confrontations and several deaths.