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Essays on the history of labor unions
The impact of unions on productivity
The impact of unions on productivity
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A negative force leading to economic separation and inessential laws that stifled businesses and inhibited job growth from 1865 to 1940, was the development of labor unions. Every wage -worker should belong to the calling or trade of his union (Gompers, S. 1914). Samuel Gompers, who is the co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, served as the president until 1924 (Gompers, S. 1914). Gompers co-founded this organization in 1886. The United States did not properly declare war until the year 1917, even though World War I was soon to begin in Europe (Gompers, S. 1914). The industrial revolution caused American workers lean more towards working in retail and factories (Schultz, 2018, p. 310). Corporations began to take over and family businesses
started to become less popular (Schultz, 2018, p. 310) Businesses were not very fund of unions. Unions caused businesses to cut wages and jobs in order to maintain steady costs (Schultz, 2018, p. 323). Although unions were good for the workers, business owners found ways to get around cooperating with unions. Union organizers would be denied jobs if they wanted to move up, and the workers that joined the union would lose their jobs (Schultz, 2018, p. 323). Workers were made to sign the yellow dog contract in order to keep their jobs and not join the union, or they were black listed if they became a union member (Schultz, 2018, p. 323). When a person was blacklisted, it made them unemployable, which made it very hard for some people and their families during that time. J. Pierport Morgan and Jay Gould are financial giants that formed syndicates to provide large capital for new start up industries and companies (Schultz, 2018 p. 314). These wealthy men came together from various parts of the world to create several investment opportunities (Schultz, 2018, p. 314). In the mid-1800s, there were changes made in corporate law by both federal and state governments to motivate growth and sustain financial schemes (Schultz, 2018, p. 314). This made it easier for the corporations to take over businesses and become more powerful. The changes made it to where if a person had share or stock in the company, the word of one family member held no power when it came to mergers or being bought out. In 1868, Congress made eight-hour mandatory, and passed the Contract Labor Law on 1885 (Schultz, 2018 p. 324). The Contract Labor Law was created in order to interdict employer to actually pay their immigrant workers and not make the pay for their citizenship through labor. The practice of its numerous affiliated organizations in striving to defend a diminished workday by what means of collective agreements with employers in the numerous industries (Gompers, S. 1914). Being that the Federation has in a broad measure polished the same ambitions and will adept them by the initiative of the associations or the organizations and by the grit and heroism of the manhood and womanhood of the men and women of the AFL, they would oppose such policies (Gompers, S. 1914).
Between 1875 and 1891, wages rose from 169.2 to 172.5 and hours declined from 9.9 to 9.4 per day, indicating that the usage of unions attracted the attention of the heads of industry and caused for less work time and better compensation overall (DOC A). Peaceful labor forces, such as the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, demonstrated a different approach to the battle for better work conditions. Rather than violent riots, Gompers and other members of the group instead seeked to
Companies and factories were expanding and women and children were able to join the workforce. The Knights of Labor, led by Powderly, attracted both skilled and unskilled workers. They participated in many of the major events due to the Knights of Labor such as the Haymarket Riot and the great railroad strike. Another big labor union was the American Federation of Labor (AFof L), led by Samuel Gompers. While the Knights of Labor allowed skilled and unskilled workers, the American Federation of Labor only allowed skilled workers. Gompers argued and demanded for “a reduction of the hours of labor” and for better wages (Doc 6). Many laborers joined these labor unions to fight against the big
As technologies like steam developed industrialization was able to make use of the geography of the country. There was plenty of cheap land for farming so "American skilled workers tended to be both scarce and expensive" (Cowan 90) and it was necessary for people to create more efficient ways to work. Inventors created machines and methods that would require fewer people or people with fewer skills to compensate for the reduced labor force. This land rich environment lead to a working class that was for the most part transient. Men worked for a short time to make money to start up farms or businesses of their own. Women worked in factories to earn money to send home before they married and raised families. The American worker did not think of themselves as a permanent fixture in the factories, only as transient participant to earn what they need to move on to the next stages of their lives.
U.S. Labor History Unionism can be described as "a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment" (Smelser). This means that a group of workers can unite to gain more power and leverage in bargaining. The bargaining process may include many aspects but usually consists of wages, benefits, terms and conditions of employment. The notion of union came about in the 1700's. In the beginning, as it is today, workers united to "defend the autonomy and dignity of the craftsman against the growing power of the company" (Montgomery).
The Market Revolution, from 1790 to 1840, inspired by the developments of commercialization, industrialization and the advances in transportation altered the lives of Americans in areas such as labor, transportation, commercialization, family life, new values and the new middle class. American entrepreneurs with new technology created an entirely different economy which shaped and affected all other aspects of society. The Market Revolution gradually shifted society from a rural agricultural lifestyle to the focus of work in the urban cities as it is today. While the vast majority of American citizens participated in agriculture and farming in 1800, the percent of farmers working in 2013 is less than 1 percent: this is the everlasting effect of the Market Revolution.
Union affiliation was first seen in the 1600’s when the roots of the United States were just being planted with skilled trade groups such as artisans, laborers, goldsmiths and printers. Over the next two hundred years, unions developed their desires for higher wages through the use of strikes and protests. The nation’s progress spurred the need for more labor and so began the Industrial Revolution. During the Revolution, many union members began to witness the power that employers had and as a result decided to make use of the concept of power in numbers. The National Labor Union formed in 1866 and worked to persuade congress to set a Federal eight-hour workday, which applied to government employees (Miller). Many large unions formed following in the NLU’s footsteps and uni...
The mid 19th century was an age of growth like no other. The term “Industrial Revolution” refers to the time period where production changed from homemade goods, to those produced by machines and factories. As industrial growth developed and cities grew, the work done by men and women diverged from the old agricultural life. People tended to leave home to work in the new factories being built. They worked in dangerous conditions, were paid low wages, and lacked job security (Kellogg). It is difficult to argue, however, that the economic development of the United States was not greatly dependent on the industrial revolution.
During the late 1700’s, the United States was no longer a possession of Britain, instead it was a market for industrial goods and the world’s major source for tobacco, cotton, and other agricultural products. A labor revolution started to occur in the United States throughout the early 1800’s. There was a shift from an agricultural economy to an industrial market system. After the War of 1812, the domestic marketplace changed due to the strong pressure of social and economic forces. Major innovations in transportation allowed the movement of information, people, and merchandise. Textile mills and factories became an important base for jobs, especially for women. There was also widespread economic growth during this time period (Roark, 260). The market revolution brought about economic growth through new modes of transportation, an abundance of natural resources, factory production, and banking and legal practices.
Thesis Statement: The Industrial Revolution ensured that the production of goods moved from home crafts and settled in factory production by machine use, mass inflow of immigrants from all over the world escaping religious and political persecution took place and the government contributed by giving grants to entrepreneurs.
The Industrial Revolution was the major advancement of technology in the late 18th and early 19th century that began in Britain and spread to America. The national and federal government helped the United States grow into a self reliant nation with improvements in transportation, technology, manufacturing and the growth of the population. Americans had an economy based on manual labour, which was replaced by one dominated by industry and the manufacture of machinery. It began with the expansion of the textile industries and the development of iron-making techniques, and trade expansion was enabled by the introduction of canals, improved roads and railways. One of the first to kick off, was the textile industry.
America was a time of rapid growth for people all across the country. The Industrial Revolution began a few years after the Civil War with the invention of steam powered machines. From there, America faced a time of massive expansion and modern industrialized cities popped up across the United States. While there was much success across the nation, such as manual labor becoming easier and a huge population growth, the negative effects of industrialization outweigh the positives. A few of the issues that made industrialization an atrocious time for many was the racism and segregation towards immigrants and unsafe and unfair working conditions/the deprivation of a regular childhood for kids across the nation.
The industrial revolution reshaped America’s cities, society and way of life in the 1800’s. America is what it is today because of this shift from farmers, craftsmen, and merchants to factory workers, working middle class, and the wealthy class. News ways of transporting goods by using canals, steamboats and trains helped jump start the revolution. The invention of the cotton gin reshaped American slavery, shifting it to the Deep South. The rise of factories led to a new working class of semi-skilled and unskilled workers. All three of these things are responsible for the industrial revolution and bring America in the modern world of today.
The Industrial Revolution did a lot of harm on society and damage to the citizens of the working class. People’s lives were ruined and others were ended due to the fact that this was just generally hard on the people of this time. Citizens had it rough when this era was around and people who lived and survived in this time had a strong will to keep pushing and just work on. Not all jobs at this time were terrible, but speaking for the majority of the workers, it was a really hard time.
The American industrial revolution took a dynamic course in history, transforming society with both negative and positive results. For example, some of these positive effects were the creation of new jobs, boosting the economy, and manufacturing of new products. However, there were also the not so nice outcomes, such as low wages, depletion of natural resources, and unsanitary living conditions. Together, both the positive and the negative worked in tandem to transform American society.
In a time where jobs were scarce and the economy was suffering, the second industrial revolution brought about new changes to the work force and the economy. Du...