Labor Unions

From the picture above, please respond to the following questions: Who do you think these children are and what are they doing? Place yourself in the situation of these children. Could you see yourself working in a factory from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM 7 days a week? Why or why not? Describe how you think quality of life was like for these children in 3 to 4 sentences.

Low wages for unskilled workers in the late 1800’s caused many children to work to help support the family. In 1900, more than 1.75 million children age 15 and under worked in mines, mills, and factories. Marie Von Vorst-posed as a poor woman to investigate child labor conditions

Cheap Labor- children provided cheap labor for employers-40 cents a day-$2.40 a week Florence Kelley led the progressive fight to end child labor Her plan was to “investigate, educate, legislate, and enforce” She served as a board member for the National Consumers’ League She established about 60 local consumer leagues throughout the U.S. National Child Labor Committee-worked to pass laws limiting child labor In 1916 and 1919, Congress passed federal child labor laws Supreme Court ruled that the laws were unconstitutional

Progressive efforts worked with labor unions to fight for an eight-hour workday and higher wages National Consumers' League led several efforts and as a result, many states passed minimum-wage laws and maximum-hour laws for women In 1900, 35,000 people were killed in industrial accidents and 500,000 suffered injuries

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire-1911 in New York A fire broke out at the clothing factory where about 500 immigrant women worked The women tried to escape but found the doors were locked from the outside by employers 146 workers died Led to laws that improved factory safety standards and working conditions Labor leaders fought for compensation laws-laws that require money be paid to workers who have been injured on the job

Some business leaders were against the workplace regulations State and federal courts used the 14 th Amendment to fight against regulations Regulations “took away” property without due process of law 1898 U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could limit working hours in dangerous jobs Muller v. Oregon Case 1908 Supreme Court limited women’s working hours

Union membership rose in from 800,000 in 1900 to 5 million in 1920 Females were often discouraged from joining unions so they formed their own Ex: Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) 1903 The American Federation of Labor (AFL) remains one of the strongest labor unions Focus on skilled workers for better working conditions, higher pay, and union recognition Some more radical unions supported socialism Socialism-an economic system in which the government of the workers own and operate a country’s means of production Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Union led by William “Big Bill” Haywood Goal to overthrow capitalism Included the workers left out by other unions like the AFL Unskilled laborers, immigrants, women, African Americans, etc. Union almost disappeared by 1920

watch?v=oHAsLSi_5Ac&fe ature=related watch?v=oHAsLSi_5Ac&fe ature=related What led to the tragic event of the fire and the numerous deaths? How could this have been prevented? What safety regulations do you see or experience today that resulted from the factory fire?