The Growth of an Industrial Society Industrial Workers

Working Conditions and Sweatshops During the Industrial Revolution, families migrated from the rural farm areas to the newly industrialized cities to find work. To survive in even the lowest level of poverty, families had to have every able member of the family go to work. This led to the high rise in child labor in factories. Children worked up to 19 hours a day with only one, one hour break. Many children were killed or injured in accidents involving industrial machinery

Labor Conditions for Women During the Industrial Revolution, the economy needed women to work in the factories. Women mostly found in textile factories, and coalmines. The women that worked in these factories faced unsanitary working conditions and dangerous work. The average wage in New York state in 1926 for women employees was $17.41, and for men $ The majority of women working in the industrial revolution faced a life of hardship.

Labor Unions Knights of Labor Labor unions were formed to demand better pay and working conditions for workers. In 1869, garment cutters formed, the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor. Included African Americans, women, and unskilled laborers. The Knights of Labor had more than 700,000 members.

In 1886, the American Federation of Labor was officially formed. This union represented many skilled workers in various crafts. The President of the American Federation of Labor was Samuel Gompers. The American Federation of Labor worked for higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions, and the right to bargain collectively with employers. The American Federation of Labor

Samuel Gompers.. Samuel Gompers was the first and longest serving president of the American Federation of Labor. Under his leadership, the American Federation of Labor became the largest and most influential labor federation in the world. It grew from a small association of 50,000 in 1886 to an established organization of nearly 3 million in 1924 that had won a permanent place in American society.

Collective Bargaining... Are negotiation between organized workers and their bosses to determine wages, hours, rules, and working conditions. The American Federation of Labor and The Knight of Labor pressed for this right.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, New York City on March 25, This event was the largest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York. 146 garment workers died in the fire or jumped to their deaths. The event led to legislation requiring the improvement of factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

Union Take Action: Strikes and Strikebreakers Several strikes took place when Unions responded to low wages and fired employees. Many of these strikes ended in violence. Many of the companies hired Strikebreakers to replace the striking workers. During a strike, if violence occurred, the federal troops would restore order.

The Haymarket Riot On May 1, 1886, a mass meeting was held in the Chicago Haymarket to protest a police action of the previous day in which workers were killed. When police ordered the protest meeting to disperse (peaceful though it was), a bomb was thrown by an unknown person, killing several officers. This became known as the "Haymarket Riot." The 8-Hour Day Movement was destroyed in the nation-wide hysteria, which followed.

The Homestead Strike