Reforming the Workplace

Labor Unions

Writing to Learn Prompt

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.

Child Labor Reform:

• 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

Child Labor Reform Continue: • 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

Safety in the Workplace

• 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

Safety in the Workplace• 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

The Courts and Labor

• Some business leaders were against the workplace regulations

• State and federal courts used the 14th 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

Labor Organizations

• 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

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHAsLSi_5Ac&feature=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?