Reforming the New Reforming the New

Industrial OrderIndustrial Order

Female and Child Female and Child LaborersLaborers In 1900 the average laborer worked 10 hours a In 1900 the average laborer worked 10 hours a

day, six days a week for about $1.50 a day. day, six days a week for about $1.50 a day. Women and children earned lessWomen and children earned less

In the early 1910’s almost half of all women who In the early 1910’s almost half of all women who worked in factories, laundries and stores earned worked in factories, laundries and stores earned less than $6.00 a weekless than $6.00 a week

In The Bitter Cry of the Children, author John Spargo reported that few child laborers had ever attended school or could read.

Labor LawsLabor Laws

Reformer Reformer Florence KelleyFlorence Kelley worked tirelessly worked tirelessly campaigning for new laws that would prohibit child campaigning for new laws that would prohibit child labor and improve conditions for female workerslabor and improve conditions for female workers

In 1904 Kelley helped organize the National Child In 1904 Kelley helped organize the National Child Labor Committee and by 1912 child labor laws had Labor Committee and by 1912 child labor laws had been passed in 39 statesbeen passed in 39 states

Enforcement of such laws was lax. Many Enforcement of such laws was lax. Many employers claimed that their business’ depended employers claimed that their business’ depended on cheap child labor and simply ignored the laws on cheap child labor and simply ignored the laws

Progressivism and the Progressivism and the Supreme CourtSupreme Court

As more states passed protective legislation, As more states passed protective legislation, business owners fought back through the courtsbusiness owners fought back through the courts

The business owners hid behind the 14The business owners hid behind the 14 thth Amendment Amendment

The Supreme Court sided with the business The Supreme Court sided with the business owners; BUT they also ruled that some social owners; BUT they also ruled that some social legislation violated the Constitution by denying legislation violated the Constitution by denying workers their workers their freedom of contract,freedom of contract, or the workers right to negotiate the terms of their employment

In 1908 the case Muller vs. OregonMuller vs. Oregon the Supreme Court did make a ruling that upheld a law limiting the number of hours women could work in a day - based on women's’ physical structure

Using the freedom of Using the freedom of contract as freedom to contract as freedom to

strike strike

Labor UnionsLabor Unions

Labor unions also fought for better working Labor unions also fought for better working conditions and for the conditions and for the closed shopclosed shop or a workplace where all employees are required to belong to a union

Most members of labor unions wanted to preserve the capitalist system but make changes to it

Led by Samuel Gompers, one union group, The The American Federation of Labor (AFL), American Federation of Labor (AFL), refused to accept unskilled laborers as members

This approach still left many workers without organized support

Labor Unions Continued…Labor Unions Continued… One AFL union that tried to organize unskilled One AFL union that tried to organize unskilled

workers was the International Ladies’ Garment workers was the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU)Workers Union (ILGWU)

In November female garment workers staged a In November female garment workers staged a strike known as the “Uprising of 20,000” strike known as the “Uprising of 20,000” demanding their companies recognize the demanding their companies recognize the ILGWU as their unionILGWU as their union

Some employers met the demands . However, Some employers met the demands . However, most employers were determined to run an most employers were determined to run an open open shopshop or a workplace where employees may choose whether or not to belong to a union

Thus they refused to recognize the union. After Thus they refused to recognize the union. After this strike the ILGWU’s membership grew from this strike the ILGWU’s membership grew from 400 to 65,000 400 to 65,000

The IWWThe IWW

While the AFL did its thing, a new union with a While the AFL did its thing, a new union with a different agenda came to bedifferent agenda came to be

Founded in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the Founded in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) opposed capitalism World (IWW) opposed capitalism

The IWW denounced the AFL for not including The IWW denounced the AFL for not including unskilled workers and enlisted African unskilled workers and enlisted African American, Asian American and Hispanic American, Asian American and Hispanic American workersAmerican workers

The government cracked down on the union The government cracked down on the union with force and within a few years the IWW with force and within a few years the IWW collapsed collapsed

Management vs. Labor

Management vs. Labor

““Tools” of Tools” of ManagementManagement

““Tools” of Tools” of LaborLabor

““scabs”scabs”

P. R. campaignP. R. campaign

PinkertonsPinkertons

lockoutlockout

blacklistingblacklisting

yellow-dog yellow-dog contractscontracts

court injunctionscourt injunctions

open shopopen shop

boycottsboycotts

sympathy sympathy demonstrationsdemonstrations

informational informational picketingpicketing

closed shopsclosed shops

organized organized strikesstrikes

““wildcat” strikeswildcat” strikes

Industrial Workers of the WorldIndustrial Workers of the World

More radical labor More radical labor organizations also organizations also emerged, most notably emerged, most notably the Industrial Workers the Industrial Workers of the World, nicknamed of the World, nicknamed the Wobblies, founded the Wobblies, founded in 1905. More famous in 1905. More famous for their militant anti-for their militant anti-capitalism than for capitalism than for being large or being large or influential, the Wobblies influential, the Wobblies never grew to more never grew to more than 30,000 members than 30,000 members before fading away in before fading away in about 1920.about 1920.

International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)

International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)

“Big Bill” Haywood of the

IWW

“Big Bill” Haywood of the

IWW

Violence was justified to Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.overthrow capitalism.

The Hand That Will Rule the World One

Big Union

The Hand That Will Rule the World One

Big Union