Labor Unions

Warm-Up When do workers go on strike? Why would strikers use picket lines in front of the building? What professions are Union?

The Rise of Organized Labor Machines are taking over what people had done in the past Growth of machine driven factories Relationship between boss and workers changes Skills were easily replaced Low wages Sweatshops – long hours in poor conditions for low pay (usually women or children) Dangerous conditions – 1882, 675 laborers were killed on the job Wages were so low that everyone in a family had to work Children as young as 5 worked Steel Mills - 7 day work week $498 a year for men $267 a year for women No vacations No sick days Seamstresses – 12 hour+ work day, 6 days a week 27 cents for 14 hour day for children No unemployment compensation No $ for injuries suffered on the job

Children at work 2 million children under 15 yrs. old worked Hazardous textile mills, tobacco factories, garment sweatshops, coal mines 12 hour days, 6 days a week Little time for schooling = reduced chances to build a better life as an adult

Hazards at Work Lung damaging dust in textile mills Cave-ins and gas explosions in mines Vats of molten metal spilling without warning in steel mills. Some workers health was destroyed Some workers were severely injured or killed

Workers want better conditions Slowed their work pace Went on strike Some workers banded together to win better conditions Most early efforts to form unions failed

Knights of Labor At first held meetings in secret Skilled and unskilled. Industrial Union (conductor and train cleaner of industrial rr union) Open to immigrants, African Americans, women, and unskilled workers NO STRIKES – rallies and meetings Shorter workday End child labor Equal pay for men and women Workers and employers to share ownership and profits

American Federation of Labor Craft Union - Skilled workers only A large organization made up of many different unions Trade unions – a union of persons working in the same trade then joined the AFL Higher wages Shorter hours Improved working conditions Collective bargaining – negotiate with management for workers as a group Supported the use of strikes

Women at Work 1 million worked in factories Mother Jones – spoke out against child labor ILGWU – International Ladies Garment Workers Union Became a key member of AFL 20,000 women and men walked off the job After several weeks employers met demands of better pay and shorter hours

Tragedy One helps union support the other hurts union support Haymarket Riot Workers at the McCormick Harvester went on strike McCormick hires strikebreakers, or replacements Workers clash with strikebreakers outside the factory and police open fire (killing 4) Thousands of workers gather to protest killings Protest led by anarchist – people who oppose all forms of government Bomb explodes killing 7 police officers Anti-labor feelings sweep the nation – belief that unions were controlled by anarchists

Triangle Fire – 150 people died Sweatshop in NY that caught fire Workers raced to exits that were locked Fire trucks arrived but ladders could not reach upper floors Workers jumped to their deaths Shocked the public – new safety laws were put in place

Country at the time 1870-1900 – economy swung back and forth 2 major depressions and 3 smaller recessions In such hard times – workers lost their jobs or faced pay cuts Violent strikes and sometimes riots Federal government usually sided with factory owners Presidents sent in troops to end strikes Courts usually ruled against strikers Pullman and railroad car factory. Sherman Antitrust used against strikers???!!!

History of Labor Day Fighting for Change More than a century ago, workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions. They were paid very little, and they often worked 10- to 12-hour days. Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick. Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions, workers began organizing themselves into labor unions. On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays, they also fought for the rights of children. The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories.   A Holiday for Workers A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited for coming up the idea for Labor Day. In 1872, after working many long hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike. The workers marched through the streets of New York City, demanding a better work environment. McGuire spent a decade fighting for worker's rights. In 1882, he proposed the idea to create a special holiday for workers. On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade. Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September. And in 1894, Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday. A Relaxing Celebration Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade, picnics and fireworks. Today, many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation. Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics, backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation.

Homework Use the Internet to find out the following Minimum wage Average work day or week in hours Who determines safe working conditions (it’s a government agency)