The Labor MovementThe Labor Movement

1880 - 19301880 - 1930

The WorkforceThe Workforce

ImmigrantsImmigrants Rural AmericaRural America

Life of a Factory WorkerLife of a Factory Worker

Long HoursLong Hours Low PayLow Pay Few BreaksFew Breaks No Job SecurityNo Job Security Tenement LivingTenement Living Dangerous Dangerous

Working ConditionsWorking Conditions

Video:Video:

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Emergence of UnionsEmergence of Unions

Organizations of Organizations of workers created to workers created to improve wages & improve wages & working conditions.working conditions.

Existed since 1778Existed since 1778

Most Americans Most Americans dislike unionsdislike unions– Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

Early UnionsEarly Unions National Labor Union (NLU)National Labor Union (NLU)

– Founded: 1866 - William Founded: 1866 - William SylvisSylvis

– Skilled & Unskilled workers, Skilled & Unskilled workers, farmers and reformersfarmers and reformers

– Excluded women & blacksExcluded women & blacks

– Membership: 600,000Membership: 600,000

– 8 Hour work day8 Hour work day

Early UnionsEarly Unions Knights of LaborKnights of Labor

– Founded: 1869 - Uriah Founded: 1869 - Uriah StephensStephens

– Secret SocietySecret Society

– Child labor, public ownership Child labor, public ownership of railroads, 8 hour work dayof railroads, 8 hour work day

– 1879 – Terence Powderly1879 – Terence Powderly

– Membership 700,000Membership 700,000

Early UnionsEarly Unions

American American Federation of Labor Federation of Labor (AFL)(AFL)– Founded: 1886 – Founded: 1886 –

Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers

– Skilled workersSkilled workers

– 1904 Membership: 1904 Membership: 1.75 million1.75 million

Why Unions?Why Unions?

Collective BargainingCollective Bargaining– Union & Management negotiate a Union & Management negotiate a

contract that includes: contract that includes: WagesWages HoursHours Working ConditionsWorking Conditions BenefitsBenefits Job SecurityJob Security

Tactics Used Tactics Used AgainstAgainst Unions Unions(Weapons of Business)(Weapons of Business)

Fire LeadersFire Leaders BlacklistsBlacklists Yellow-Dog Yellow-Dog

ContractContract InjunctionsInjunctions LockoutsLockouts StrikebreakersStrikebreakers Public OpinionPublic Opinion

Tactics Used Tactics Used ByBy Unions Unions(Weapons of Labor)(Weapons of Labor)

StrikeStrike BoycottBoycott PicketingPicketing