The Rise of Labor Unions in the Late 1800s Chapter 6 Section 4 © Shawn McCusker.

The Rise of Labor Unions in the Late 1800’s

Chapter 6 Section 4

© Shawn McCusker

The condition for workers in factories get worse.

• 12 hour days• 6 days a week• No sick days• No vacation• No compensation for injuries• Poor lighting and ventilation• Hazardous chemicals

Women and children began working.

• 1890-1910-– 20% of boys under 15 work full time.– 10% of girls under 15 work full time.

Unions formed

• NLU- National Labor Union

• Made up of 13 independent iron worker unions.

• Refused membership to African Americans.

So…

• CLNU (Colored National Labor Union)

• African American were often used as strikebreakers (scabs).

Knights of Labor (1880’s)

• Open to all regardless of race, gender or skill.

• Wanted an 8 hour workday.

• Tried to avoid strikes.

• Preferred ARBITRATION.– Settlement of a

dispute by an impartial third party.

AFL- The American Federation of Labor

• Craft Unionism- A group of many trade unions. (skilled workers.

• Why is it easier for them to strike if skilled.

• Led by Samuel Gompers.• Used strikes • Focused on Collective

bargaining.

Eugene V. Debs

• Turned to Socialism as a solution to worker problems.

• The government would control business and property and distribute wealth equally.

• Socialism results in the overthrow of capitalism.

• It threatens the wealthy and business owners.

• He is often arrested, and is in jail on on election day when he ran for President.

Radical Ideas and desperate workers led to…

The Great Strike of 1877

The Haymarket Affair

The Homestead Strike

The Pullman

Strike

Pg 266-269

The worse things got the more

radical solutions became.

Communism- an Extreme form of

Socialism• IWW (Wobblies)

• ILWGU- Garment workers- The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.

• NWTUL

The willingness of people to adopt EXTREME

methods and ideas in order to improve their

lives.