Labor Unions In The 1800s

Based on our group’s research, we believe that the labor movement in the 1820s in the United States during the Jacksonian Democracy was a major factor in the implementation of many of the laws and better working conditions that are present in today’s society. As we have learned and presented to the class, this labor movement in the 1820s grew out of the need to protect the common interest of workers and to improve their overall working conditions. We currently see the results of these labor unions that were formed in the 1820s whenever we enjoy the luxury of having our weekends off from work and having the opportunity to miss work, also known as “sick leave”, when we are ill. We now have an established minimum wage and legally, no one is forced

Over the next couple of years, nine more states added legislation to their books that supported the same basic principal of limiting or eliminating compulsory unionism.4 In some cases union leaders brought suits against the states claiming right-to-work laws were unconstitutional, the case became the Lincoln Federal Labor Union v. Northwestern Iron and Metal.5 The case ultimately was decided by the Supreme Court in 1949, and ruled in favor of the states declaring “Under this constitutional doctrine the due process clause is no longer to be so broadly construed that the Congress and state legislation are put in a strait jacket when they attempt to suppress business and industrial conditions which they regard as offensive to the public welfare.”6 During the same time period of the early states enacting right-to-work laws, and what became the Supreme Court case, the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act was passed. The Taft-Hartley Act amended the earlier Wagner Act. A couple of the more notable amendments was to ban the closed shop and to explicitly grant the power to the states to impose more restrictive policy against union security. Right-to-works opponents claim that the existing Wagner Act allowed for the same state-level policy.7 The above mentioned Supreme Court case supports that claims. While the case was not settled until after the Taft-Hartley Act was passed, it was based on the law as it existing prior to its

During the Gilded Age (1870-1900), workers faced numerous problems in which they attempted to fix through organizing into labor unions. But, these unions failed. Their overall goals were to have better wages and working conditions, but a shorter work day in which they did not achieve. (Document A1) The government was corrupted and controlled by big business, which caused a lack of good interpretation, regulation, and passing of progressive legislations. Big businesses also had control over the media which lead to reports in newspapers to give the reader a negative view on labor unions. Labor unions needed skilled workers to have leverage in collective bargaining, but steadily improving technologies replaced many skilled workers. To prevent

They had horrible working hours and usually had to work six days a week or maybe even seven. In some cases, laborers had to work from 3am till 7pm. The Government took notice and addressed this issue in the International Labor Congress in which representatives demand a reduction on working hours (6). Another issue that was addressed was the fact that workers had no health insurance if they suffered from any injuries while doing their jobs. The representatives called for factories to treat the lives and limbs of their workers as sacred and help pay for the injuries (6). This provided better working hours and safe conditions for the factory workers. People argue that the factory owners sent thugs to interrupt labor unions and government did little to protect the laborers. However, when the Antitrusts Acts were passed, it stated that nothing contained in the Antitrust Laws shall be constructed to forbid the existence and operation of labor organizations (7). This proves that the Federal Government tried to intervene and help the laborers. Sooner or later, factory workers got what they wanted with the help of the reforms during the Progressive Era.

In a time between the beginning of the of the Second Industrialization Revolution and the end of the imperialism movement, there were many changes in America. It is in this context that American ideals changed in the Gilded Age. Farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age from 1865-1900 by forming organizations that allowed for their voices to be recognized and by influencing political parties to help get national legislation passed.

The organized labor of 1875-1900 was unsuccessful in proving the position of workers because of the future strikes, and the intrinsical feeling of preponderation of employers over employees and the lack of regime support. In 1877, railroad work across the country took part in a cyclopean strike that resulted in mass violence and very few reforms. An editorial, from the Incipient York Time verbalized: "the strike is ostensibly hopeless, and must be regarded as nothing more than a rash and splenetic demonstration of resentment by men too incognizant or too temerarious to understand their own interest" (Document B).

Before the structured labor society that we live in today, America was a very different working world; one plagued with injustice and grievances from workers across the job sectors. Two organizations, the Knights of Labor and later the American Federation of Labor acted as activists for reform and demanded better standards for working, living, and life for workers. Their strategies and success in achieving their goals were as different as the organizations themselves.

The work of Samuel Gompers acted as a catalyst to the dawning of the Progressive Era. Gompers’ revolutionary union work advocated for social justice and regulation within factories. HIs work with expanding the rights of workers through factory regulation and organized unions was continued even after his death by the organization her started in 1886. The American Federation of Labor outlasted even the Knights of Labor, and today is still a well respected organization. The American Federation of Labor grew from 50,000 members in 1886, to nearly 3 million members in 1924. This significant growth shows that Gompers not only established a system that helped workers, but also a system that worked. What made the American Federation of labor different

It wasn’t a union, but a federation, whose goals were to bargain with employees’, resolve grievances and organize strikes. Unlike The Knight of Labor, in order to achieve efficiency, it believed in the capitalist system and the importance of employers’ making a profit, but also seeks to win labor’s fair share of the profits through collective bargaining. Equity was achieved by way of making sure that employees received their fair share of the profits though collective bargaining. Therefore, to ensure that workers received their fair share of the profits, the union had no problem using the threat of strikes. Collective bargaining was a form of employee voice, and was carried out by way of an employee representative on behalf of the workers to address their

Every year, on the first Monday of September, workers around the nation take the day off and relax. The origins go back to New York, 1882. However, the Pullman strike of 1894 was one of the most significant events that led to Labor Day being a national holiday. When railroad workers went enraged by the poor treatment from their boss, George Mortimer Pullman, they protested against their boss. He required his men to live in what was known as Pullman city, and he would not provide basic utilities. Inability to complain about work, low wages, and charge for necessities that they thought should have been provided by Pullman all caused rage in the employees. An economic depression made life more difficult for Pullman’s employees, because They quit their jobs and sought to get fair treatment in the work environment.

In a time after the civil war, America improved their financing by switching to the gold standard, improved communication by boosting the telegraph, improved transportation by building railroads, and improved wealth by giving contracts for clothes to multiple companies. The economy was also improving massively also due to natural resources, demography, and law. Railroads allowed people as well as supplies to be transported quicker, safer, and cheaper. Companies bought each other out and formed monopolies which made the price go up and the owners very wealthy. Aside from all of these positives, there are also various problems that took place during the Gilded Age (1865-1900). Problems like how industrial workers and farmers responded to

On Saturday, June 25, 1938 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill that was a landmark law in the Nation’s social and economic development. This law was called the Fair Labor Act of 1938. (Grossman) This Act established minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting full-time and part time workers in the private sector and in the Federal, State, and local government. (US Department of Labor, 2008) This law is enforced by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for employees and cover employees of Legislative Branch. (US Department of Labor, 2008) All employees of certain enterprises that workers engaged in interstate commerce, handling, selling, or working on goods that have been moved in or produced by

The Progressive Era, which lasted from 1892 -1920 was a period of wide spread social activism that sought for political reform. Activist sought to remove corrupted representatives and regulate monopolies with an overall objective too further enhanced direct democracy. Activist of the progressive era sought too reformed and change every aspect of state, society and the economy. This Era both hindered and advanced the country by improving the social, cultural and economical way of operating the country. The labor force in particular was greatly effect by this Era, which fought for better wages and improved working conditions. Furthermore, activist wanted to abolish child labor by criminalizing it through legislative action.

The creation of unions has impacted Americans lives for many years. Unions were created in the late 1800‘s focused on protecting workers. Later they began to help workers by providing them with rights and benefits. As unions became popular in the 1900s their powers grew enormously. Throughout the years, unions have gained a lot of power due to their high association with political activities. As unions grew, they began to require dues that were supposed to protected members in many ways. Some Modern day unions have an insane amount of power that forces members to pay dues that are not fully used for member benefits. Unions have a disproportionate amount of political power as they use mandatory union dues to fund non benefit related activities

During the decades following the civil war government dissension prevented labor unions from effectively improving the inadequate conditions of the working class. By the end of the 19th century these unions were viewed as a threat to the republican way and were encouraged to dismantle. Although it may have seemed that the voice of the minority had been silenced once more, Eugene Debs, head of the socialist party refused to let that happen. Debs emerged as a leader of a political movement aimed at defeating private control & transferring political power from the elites to the public. He prompted the working class to unionize once again and inaugurate their own party, a labor party.