Show Labor UnionsHistory >> Industrial RevolutionLabor unions are large groups of workers, usually in a similar trade or profession, that join together to protect the workers' rights. The Industrial Revolution was a time when national labor unions began to form in the United States. Why did labor unions first form? During the Industrial Revolution, the working conditions in factories, mills, and mines were terrible. Unlike today, the government took little interest in creating safety standards or in regulating how businesses treated workers. The typical industrial employee worked long hours under dangerous conditions for little pay. Many workers were poor immigrants who had little choice but to keep working despite the conditions. If an employee complained, they were fired and replaced. At some point, workers began to revolt. They joined together and created unions in order to fight for safer conditions, better hours, and increased wages. It was easy for factory owners to replace one employee who complained, but much more difficult to replace all their employees if they went on strike together. What did they do to make things better? The unions organized strikes and negotiated with employers for better working conditions and pay. During the Industrial Revolution this wasn't always a peaceful process. When employers tried to replace striking workers, the workers sometimes fought back. In some cases, things became so violent that the government had to step in and restore order. The First Unions  The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Source: Harper's Weekly In the early part of the Industrial Revolution most of the unions were smaller and local to a town or a state. After the Civil War, national unions began to form. One of the first national unions was the Knights of Labor in the 1880s. It grew rapidly, but just as quickly collapsed. The next major union to form was the American Federation of Labor (sometimes called the AFL). The AFL was founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers. It became a powerful force in fighting for workers' rights through strikes and through politics. Major Strikes There were several major strikes that took place during the Industrial Revolution. One of them was the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. It began in Martinsburg, West Virginia after the B&O Railroad company cut wages for the third time in a year. The strike quickly spread throughout the country. When strikers tried to stop the trains from running, federal troops were sent in to put down the strike. Things turned violent and several strikers were killed. The strike ended 45 days after it started. Although the wages weren't restored, workers began to see the power they had through the strike. Other famous strikes included the Homestead Steel Mill Strike of 1892 and the Pullman Strike of 1894. Many of these strikes ended in violence and the destruction of property, but eventually they began to have an impact on the workplace and conditions gradually improved. Labor Unions Today Throughout the 1900s, labor unions became a powerful force in the economy and politics. Today, labor unions aren't as strong as they once were, however, they still play an important role in many industries. Some of the largest unions today include the National Education Association (teachers), the Service Employees International Union, and the Teamsters. Interesting Facts about Labor Unions during the Industrial Revolution
More on the Industrial Revolution: Works Cited History >> Industrial Revolution In the early 1930s, as the nation slid toward the depths of depression, the future of organized labor seemed bleak. In 1933, the number of labor union members was around 3 million, compared to 5 million a decade before. Most union members in 1933 belonged to skilled craft
unions, most of which were affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The union movement had failed in the previous 50 years to organize the much larger number of laborers in such mass production industries as steel, textiles, mining, and automobiles. These, rather than the skilled crafts, were to be the major growth industries of the first half of the 20th century. Although the future of labor unions looked grim in 1933, their fortunes would soon change. The tremendous
gains labor unions experienced in the 1930s resulted, in part, from the pro-union stance of the Roosevelt administration and from legislation enacted by Congress during the early New Deal. The National Industrial Recovery Act (1933) provided for collective bargaining. The 1935 National Labor Relations Act (also known as the Wagner Act) required businesses to bargain in good faith with any union supported by the majority of their employees. Meanwhile, the Congress of Industrial Organizations
split from the AFL and became much more aggressive in organizing unskilled workers who had not been represented before. Strikes of various kinds became important organizing tools of the CIO. To find additional documents on this topic from Loc.gov, use such search terms as labor, worker, labor union, factory, Congress of Industrial Organizations, and American Federation of Labor. Documents
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What were used by laborers to try and demand better rights from their employers?Strikes, Boycotts, and Sabotage
Withholding labor from management would, in theory, force the company to suffer great enough financial losses that they would agree to worker terms. Strikes have been known in America since the colonial age, but their numbers grew larger in the Gilded Age.
What was used to fight for workers rights?In the 1960s, the sit-ins (a tactic adopted from workers' sit-down strikes in the 1930s), Freedom Rides, mass marches and voter registration drives eventually led Congress to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
What was the main demand of labor unions?For those in the industrial sector, organized labor unions fought for better wages, reasonable hours and safer working conditions. The labor movement led efforts to stop child labor, give health benefits and provide aid to workers who were injured or retired.
What was the most effective tool used by labor unions?Two of the most powerful tools that unions have to promote their members' interests are collective bargaining and strikes. Fair labor practices were written into law in 1935 with the passing of the National Labor Relations Act, often called the NLRA.
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