Labor Union strikes were the most prominent form of worker insurrection against employers. During the period of 1875-1900, many labor unions participated in strikes, however many of them failed to achieve their goals. The biggest reason that farmers and workers went on strike was clearly stated by a machinist before the Senate Committee on Labor and Capital. Because machines were taking jobs away, workers would lose their livelihood, and most likely their only source of income. In the year of 1877, employees working for the four largest railroads went on strike due to the fact that their employers cut their wages by 10 percent; this was known as the Great Rail Road Strike.
Many workers lost hearing from loud machinery, lost limbs in hazardous equipment, and even lost their life due to the apathy of factory owners. The pay for such jobs remained meager despite these risky conditions. The average blue collar employee received $3.50 an hour, barely enough to get by in society. To make matters worse, workers were forced to work long hours during the week, usually over ten hours a day for six to seven days a week. With such appalling conditions, industrial workers were forced into action.
In 1970, construction workers beat up demonstrators at New York’s City Hall, who were protesting the war in Vietnam. The beating was telecasted all over the world and caused enmity between the workers and the radical left. The social movement of the 60’s and 70’s caused the identity of the working class to disappear by both race and gender. The perception of the working class was either white men or the “poor”, who were women and minorities. This perception caused a division in
The Factory System Rigid Discipline; workers didnt ahve breaks and worked very long hours shifts lasted from 12 to 16 hours their was many accidents from machines which ahd to safety devices. coal dust destryoed the lungs of young workers textile workers often breathed the air filled
Most people who worked in the factories lived in the factories which had little living space, lack of proper ventilation and lack of proper hygiene (Wikipedia). Due to the poor living conditions and overcrowding people were subject to health issues and death related from communicable diseases. Along with the poor living conditions, hunger and malnutrition were common during this time. Labor laws did not exist. Workers worked long hours without breaks and children were also subjected to these cruel working conditions as they were often put to work alongside their parents.
Many people moved to cities to work in industry and about 40 percent of those workers were low-wage earners.1 As industry grew, women, children, and poor immigrants found themselves the main targets for work in factories. With the birth of unions, workers have a voice at work. They negotiate contracts so that they can work in a safe and fair workplace. Better wages, retirement packages, and vacation time are other things for which a union works.2 A Brief History of Manufacturing Before manufacturing, people made what they needed on their own or traded with people nearby. Because of this, people became specialized in certain skills.
Three days later a rally was held in Chicago’s Haymarket. To protest the violence by police the previous day, due to inclement weather only a few 100 people showed up and when police moved in to disperse the crowd someone detonated a bomb and seven police were killed and 60 injured many by bullets from their fellow officers. ( J. Silverman How Unions
sewing clothes, etc. This puts a lot of pressure on women who may not be prepared for the harsh conditions in the industrial factories. Addams saw that in these situations children also have to work even at a prematurely very young age and give their earnings to the parents to help with family finances. This stunts the children’s chances for individual development and usefulness and leads to exploitation of the children. Aside from the prevalence of child labor, Addams also observed many other social situations that are not ideal – early marriages and/or juvenile delinquency among the young, adverse housing conditions for financially-strapped families and its impact on public health,
Working conditions and treatment in the work place at this time were harsh, poor and inadequate. Reforms that had been introduced were frequently ignored by employers. The hours were extensive and they worked for little pay. Yet the workers did not complain in fear of being sacked. Even though unions had moved to improve the rights, justice and conditions of the workplace, it was not surprising that many workers were sacked for simply joining the unions.
Unskilled workers fared poorly in the early U.S. economy, receiving as little as half the pay of skilled craftsmen, artisans, and mechanics. About 40 percent of the workers in the cities were low-wage laborers and seamstresses in clothing factories, often living in dismal circumstances. With the rise of factories, children, women, and poor immigrants were employed to run the machines. Industrialization of the New South was a major change to the economy, after the civil war the agrarian lifestyle was abandoned. Due to the substantial industrial growth labor unions were formed to protect the workers and desire for better wages plus safe working environments (AP&P, pg 248-251).