1. Birth of Unions and Unionism
What were working conditions like in the late 1800s? Good?
Who was part of the working class? Men? Women? Children?
Where could we find poor working conditions?
What examples of poor working conditions could we find?

2. Birth of Unions and Unionism
Do you think workers tried to get better working conditions for themselves?
YES!!! How? Unions Unionism
Union = workers stand together to gain proper working conditions

3. Birth of Unions and Unionism
The first real unions for workers appeared in the 1820s (artisans): tailors et printers.
Agricultural unions in the mid 1800s
1881 : Knights of labor Union
American Union that shows up in Quebec.
Popular for the workers  but the church was against this union.

4. Knights of Labour-Hamilton 1880s

5. Birth of Unions and Unionism
1886 : Workers form a proper union: C.M.T.C. (congres des métiers et du travail du Canada)

6. Birth of Unions and Unionism
Demands of the union :
Job security
Salary
Shorten the number of hours in a work day
Recognize the union
Protection for workers if there is a workplace accident (paid if hurt)

7. Birth of Unions and Unionism
Worker Strikes:
Between there were more than 160 official strikes
 A lot of strikes were repressed by factory owners, government  like the Beauharnois strike (workers digging a canal)
20 dead workers and 40 wounded workers from the strike

8. Port of Montreal workers on strike

10. Birth of Unions and Unionism
New Legislations (laws) :
In 1872, the government of MacDonald declares that unions ARE NOT ILLEGAL
In 1885, first law to benefit workers (in factories especially)
Work week hours dropped to 60 hours a week for women
Work week hours dropped to 72.5 hours a week for men

11. Birth of Unions and Unionism
Minimal age for children to work:
Boys 12 years old and girls  14 years old
Permission from at least one parent in order for a child to work
Macdonald starts a commission to investigate relationships between workers and companies