The Organized Labor Movement In The 1800's
The Organized Labor Movement
It was in the 1800’s, that the United States started to gain considerable wealth because of industrial expansion. Along with this it provided a wider variety of cheaper goods. Then economic growth started to cause issues, the people working were struggling to survive. Women, immigrants and minorities faced discrimination (Lapsansky-Werner 91). Immigrants started to take up a large portion of the workforce because they were willing to work for low wages and that was exactly what factory owners were looking for. Among that many women and their families would work in factories, one outta five children between ages ten-sixteen worked rather than going to school. Back then work would last around twelve hours a …show more content…
Accidents occurred frequently whether it was someone losing their hearing from the loud machinery or someone losing their life to from faulty equipment or lack of training. Many children suffered stunted physical and mental growth because because of the factory conditions (Lapsansky-Werner 92).
Around the 1820’s workers were attempting to gain more power by collective bargaining where they would consult with their employer for more substantial wages and conditions in which they worked. Some regions would go on strike trying to earn better pay and shorter hour shifts. Then towards the 1830’s a socialist movement started up. Socialists believed that the public should have control on the nation's wealth, that it should be distributed to the people equally (Lapsansky-Werner 93).
The people started to form labor unions they were intended to represent the collective interests of workers in negotiations with employers over wages, hours, benefits and working conditions.The first influential labor union was called National Trades Union in 1834, it was open to all workers from all trades. Then there was the Knights of Labor union in 1869 they sought general ideological reform. After that was the American Federation of Labor in the 1886 they focused on specific workers’ issues. Last but not least was the American Railway Union in 1893 which was the first union open to all railway workers (Lapsansky-Werner
It was in the 1800’s, that the United States started to gain considerable wealth because of industrial expansion. Along with this it provided a wider variety of cheaper goods. Then economic growth started to cause issues, the people working were struggling to survive. Women, immigrants and minorities faced discrimination (Lapsansky-Werner 91). Immigrants started to take up a large portion of the workforce because they were willing to work for low wages and that was exactly what factory owners were looking for. Among that many women and their families would work in factories, one outta five children between ages ten-sixteen worked rather than going to school. Back then work would last around twelve hours a …show more content…
Accidents occurred frequently whether it was someone losing their hearing from the loud machinery or someone losing their life to from faulty equipment or lack of training. Many children suffered stunted physical and mental growth because because of the factory conditions (Lapsansky-Werner 92).
Around the 1820’s workers were attempting to gain more power by collective bargaining where they would consult with their employer for more substantial wages and conditions in which they worked. Some regions would go on strike trying to earn better pay and shorter hour shifts. Then towards the 1830’s a socialist movement started up. Socialists believed that the public should have control on the nation's wealth, that it should be distributed to the people equally (Lapsansky-Werner 93).
The people started to form labor unions they were intended to represent the collective interests of workers in negotiations with employers over wages, hours, benefits and working conditions.The first influential labor union was called National Trades Union in 1834, it was open to all workers from all trades. Then there was the Knights of Labor union in 1869 they sought general ideological reform. After that was the American Federation of Labor in the 1886 they focused on specific workers’ issues. Last but not least was the American Railway Union in 1893 which was the first union open to all railway workers (Lapsansky-Werner