Journal: What are some negatives/positives to labor unions?

Journal: Do we have muckrakers today? If so, what issues do they try to highlight? If not, why do you think they’ve fallen out of existence?Do we have muckrakers today? If so, what issues do they try to highlight? If not, why do you think they’ve fallen out of existence?

Workers of the Nation Unite Struggling Conditions Lead Workers to Form Unions

Long Hours and Danger Seamstresses work 12 or more hours a day, six days a weekSeamstresses work 12 or more hours a day, six days a week Steel mills worked employees seven days a weekSteel mills worked employees seven days a week No vacation, no sick days, no reimbursement for work-related injuriesNo vacation, no sick days, no reimbursement for work-related injuries 1882: 675 workers killed in work-related accidents1882: 675 workers killed in work-related accidents Factories were dirty, poorly ventilated, poorly litFactories were dirty, poorly ventilated, poorly lit

Women and Children Workers had no choice but to work in these conditionsWorkers had no choice but to work in these conditions Everyone in the family needed a job to surviveEveryone in the family needed a job to survive Children worked some as young as five-years oldChildren worked some as young as five-years old 27 cents for child’s 14-hour day27 cents for child’s 14-hour day 1899 women earned $269 per year; men earned $498 per year1899 women earned $269 per year; men earned $498 per year 1890 Andrew Carnegie earned $23 million dollars (TAX FREE)1890 Andrew Carnegie earned $23 million dollars (TAX FREE)

Child Labor Number of children under 15 working was…Number of children under 15 working was… –1.5 million in 1890 –2 million in 1910 Why Children?Why Children? –Performed unskilled jobs for cheap –Small hands helped with use of small parts/tools

The Mining Industry

Furman Owens, 12 years old. Can't read. Doesn't know his A,B,C's. Said, "Yes I want to learn but can't when I work all the time." Been in the mills 4 years, 3 years in the Olympia Mill. Columbia, S.C

Health Problems… Children were underweightChildren were underweight Stunted GrowthStunted Growth Curved SpineCurved Spine Bronchitis and Tuberculosis (Coal Miners)Bronchitis and Tuberculosis (Coal Miners) FatigueFatigue InjuriesInjuries

Boy Lost Arm Running Saw in Box FactoryBoy Lost Arm Running Saw in Box Factory Wages Paid Foreign-Born Adult Operatives in Lawrence Worsted Mills, 1909

 National Child Labor Committee  Keating Owen Act  Fair Labor Standards Act

National Child Labor Committee Purpose: to end child laborPurpose: to end child labor Sent teams to investigate/ get evidenceSent teams to investigate/ get evidence –Used the information in exhibits to draw attention to child labor Pressured official to pass Keating-Owen ActPressured official to pass Keating-Owen Act –Prohibited the transportation of goods produced by child labor across state grounds. –Repealed- because interfered with interstate commerce

Local Reformers Reforms for ten hour work dayReforms for ten hour work day Worker's compensationWorker's compensation Because of local reforms child labor was cut in half by 1920Because of local reforms child labor was cut in half by 1920

Labor Unions Emerge Laborers deserved fair wages and decent working conditionsLaborers deserved fair wages and decent working conditions National Labor Union (NLU) 1866National Labor Union (NLU) 1866 Colored National Labor Union (CNLU)Colored National Labor Union (CNLU) Knights of Labor—open to all laborers; 700,000 members in 1886Knights of Labor—open to all laborers; 700,000 members in 1886

Craft Unionism All skilled workers from many different industriesAll skilled workers from many different industries Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers American Federation of Labor (AFL)American Federation of Labor (AFL) Collective bargaining: group negotiationsCollective bargaining: group negotiations Used strikes as major tacticUsed strikes as major tactic wages rose and work hours fell due to successful strikes wages rose and work hours fell due to successful strikes “Show me a country in which there are no strikes, and I will show you that country in which there is no liberty.”

Industrial Unionism All workers skilled and unskilledAll workers skilled and unskilled Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs American Railway Union (ARU)American Railway Union (ARU) Failed from losses in major strikesFailed from losses in major strikes

Labor Disputes

Terms 1.Collective Bargaining – union negotiates with management on behalf of all workers 2.Picket – public protest to publicize grievances gain support 3.Strike – organized work stoppage 4.Scabs – replacement workers 5.Pinkertons-armed guards hired to control/beat up strikers 6.Lock Out – striking workers are fired 7.Injunction – Court order to return to work 8.Arbitration – independent party to resolve dispute

Terms 9.Closed Factory/Shop- only hired union workers 10.Open Factory/Shop- you are not required to join a union 11.Fringe benefits- extras other then pay 12.Blacklist- when people complained they would be put on this list and it was hard to get work 13.“yellow-dog contract” – job offer on the condition of not joining a union

The Pullman Strike, 1894

Socialism Economic and political system that features government control of business and property and equal distribution of wealthEconomic and political system that features government control of business and property and equal distribution of wealth Threat to the wealthyThreat to the wealthy Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) 1905Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) 1905 Women and African AmericansWomen and African Americans Never reached more than 150,000 membersNever reached more than 150,000 members

Journal: Would you ever be a scab and cross the picket line? Explain.