!!!Notes # 1 Workers Rights!!!

Life in a Factory 10 or 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Could be fired at any time, more workers would easily replace them. (cheap labor). If business was bad, the factory would fire the workers and hire new ones that would work for less money.

Working Conditions To make as much profit as possible, factory owners overcrowded their workshops. (more sewers = more clothes made). There was very little health codes. Sweatshops packed workers in cramped spaces. Coalminers faced cave-ins, factory workers could burn in buildings.

Child Labor Many immigrant families were poor. Not only did the men work, but women and even children as well. Many children did not even go to school. This kept them in the factories for the rest of their lives. Children were mainly used for getting into machines to fix them, causing severe damage if they were trapped.

How many hours would factory workers work ???How many hours would factory workers work??? ???What were working conditions like??? ???Why did Children work???

Trade Unions Though most workers were unskilled at this time, those that had a skill, such as carpentry or shoemaking, joined together to form unions so that they could bargain with their employers for better rights, like working hours or pay. However, these were too small, and the employers just ignored them.

Unions Grow Knights of Labor: This organization gathered skilled and unskilled laborers, including women and African Americans. By 1886, it had more than 700,000 members. American Federation of Labor: In 1881 this Union gathered only skilled workers, but a lot of them. These unions worked for better wages, shorter working hours, better working conditions and collective bargaining – the right for unions to bargain with their employers.

Strike The main power of the unions was to strike, to stop working and to prevent the factories from running. This often gave the unions a bad name, for strikes would turn bloody. Sometimes even the military would be called in. Also strikes prevented things from getting done, interfering with others. Strikebreakers or scabs were other workers who would take the jobs of the strikers. This also led to violence between both workers.

What are Trade Unions. What would Unions work for ???What are Trade Unions??? ???What would Unions work for??? ???What are Strikes and Strike Breakers???

Child Labor and strikes Today we have child labor laws to protect children from having to work. However, because of our history, we prevent any child from working today. 1.) Should children be able to work if they still can get their schooling completed – some students come from poor families that could use the help? 2.) Should workers be able to stop working to get better rights and to strike as well, even if it means using violent means to get national attention?