Industrial Revolution

Reform efforts in industrialized nations Unions were formed as an effort for workers to unite to a) get better wages b) get safer work conditions and c) promote a better standard of life. Great Britain banned unions for a time period seeing them as dangerous (combination acts) Reform laws including bans on child labor (Factory Act and Mines Act of 1842) protected women and children.

Reform efforts Parliament also passed The 10 Hours Act of 1847 protecting children. In the U.S., the National Child Labor Act ended child labor. Slavery also banned in 1865 in the U.S.

Management responds to unions At first management refused to recognize labor unions. Management also fired anyone associated with a union. Collective bargaining became a tool in the early 1900’s of negotiating between workers and management.

Work conditions in a factory Dark and dangerous conditions Workers worked at times hour days Equipment was not regulated and at times led to accidents. Workers were not protected. Due to an abundance of workers in urban areas, workers were regularly replaced if they were not productive.

Work conditions There were often many accidents and injuries in the factories. Management was not required by law to compensate injured workers. Workers were taken advantage of because there was an excess of workers in cities.

Women and Children Women and children were often overworked and underpaid. Children were given dangerous unskilled jobs and paid very little. At first there were no governmental laws protecting children Children worked at the age of 7 at times and often did not attend schools.

The new class structure With the industrial revolution, a new middle class was growing The middle class consisted of factory managers as well as skilled and unskilled workers. A rivalry grew between the lower class and the upper class. Members of the lower class called for the government to pass laws protecting or aiding the lower class.