US Labor Unions History for kids: Free Enterprise and Laissez-Faire
The
Robber Barons became rich and successful due
to the economic system of Free Enterprise that operated in the United States by which
Big Business and Corporations
operations were largely free of state control or federal regulations. The
Free Enterprise economic system was combined with the
idea of 'Laissez-Faire' economics that relied on supply and
demand, rather than government intervention, to regulate prices and
wages. Great for the Industrialists, whose wealth and power enabled
them to exercise powerful influence over the government, but bad
news for the workers who lacked any form of representation.
US Labor Unions History for kids: The Legacy and Ideals of Americans
The US Labor Unions History was fueled by the emergence of "two
distinct classes, the rich and the poor". The people of America
adhered to the ideals of the War of Independence and the American
Constitution, which had fostered the ideals of fairness, liberty,
democracy, social equality, order, justice, fraternity and
independence. Workers began to believe that their basic rights were
being eroded by the often unethical, unprincipled and unchecked
actions of the powerful industrialists. The men who started the US Labor Unions History
were not just motivated by improving working conditions and wages,
many were motivated by a cause.
US Labor Unions History for kids: Conflicts of Interest
The US Labor Unions History saw conflict between the industrialists
and the workers due to their opposing beliefs and views. The
industrialists, the
Robber
Barons,
believed in the right to run their businesses as they saw fit and
employ working practices to increase productivity and produce
maximize profits. They believed that labor was a commodity, that
wages were based on supply and demand with the right to hire and
fire at will and their right to set working hours and establish
working conditions. The opposing viewpoint was that workers were not
just a 'commodity' and deserved the right to have a say in their
working conditions, their health and safety, the hours they worked
and their rates of pay.
The US Labor Unions History was based on these conflicts of interest
and beliefs.
US Labor Unions History for kids: Socialism
Many American workers advocated the principles of
Socialism. The concept of Socialism is based on the idea that
the government should own and operate industry for the nation as a
whole. Socialists wanted the federal government to buy up the Big
Businesses and large corporations, especially those that operated in
essential industries that affected everyone, such as services like
the railroads and utilities like coal.
US Labor Unions History for kids: Working Conditions
The US Labor Unions History was strongly influenced by the need to
gain improved working conditions for workers.
● Factory Machines
eradicated the need for many skilled workers and work was
repetitive, boring and monotonous and gave no sense of
satisfaction or pride in work
● The mechanization of
industries provided new, heavy machines that lacked safety
devices causing high numbers of injuries. Injured workers
received no compensation and the sick were not paid
● Many industries, like the
mining industry, were extremely dangerous. Other industries were
also hazardous with workers breathing toxic fumes
●
The
Panic of 1873
was a serious economic crisis that led to a hard
hitting depression. Wages were cut and working hours were
increased - workers were paid less for more work
●
Child Labor.
Children as young as 5 years of age worked in every industry for up to 12
hours per day and made up 20% of the workforce
● ●
According to the 1900 US Census,
a total of 1,752,187 (about 1 in every 6) children between the
ages of 5 and 10 were engaged in "gainful occupations" in the
United States
●
Depersonalization of workers. The workforce increased so the workers
became just numbers
US Labor Unions History for kids: Forming Labor Unions
US Labor Unions History originally started with skilled workers and
limited membership (trade union) but as the number of unskilled
workers and laborers increased other unions for unskilled were
established. There was considerable opposition and problems to the
establishment of labor Unions.
● There were no laws that
gave workers the right to organize a union
● There were no laws that
required employers to negotiate with a union
● Workers who tried to
organize a union were fired and placed on a blacklist -
'trouble makers' or complainers could be easily replaced
● Courts of law often ruled
that strikes were "conspiracies in restraint of trade"
● Courts of law fined or
jailed Union labor leaders
● Secrecy surrounded the
early union, members were required to sign an oath and
participate in secret rituals. Secret codes was also used by
members
US Labor Unions History for kids: Industrialist Opposition to the Labor
Unions
US Labor Unions History was paved with difficulty and the actions of
the wealthy industrialists and employers in the late 1800's employed
various tactics to prevent the formation of a union.
● Workers required to sign
contracts stating they would not join a Union - these were
called a 'Yellow-dog contract'
● Pinkerton Detectives were
hired to infiltrate a union to help break a strike and inform on
the identities of members
● Lockouts: Companies used
lockouts to break a union by preventing workers to enter a
premises and stopping wages
● Blacklists: Trouble makers
were fired and put on list that prevented their future
employment
● Immigrants and
Strike-Breakers: Companies employed vast numbers of immigrants
who were just glad of the jobs and were paid less than
Americans. Immigrants were used as strike-breakers
US Labor Unions History for kids: Strikes - State and Government action
Union protests, rallies and demonstrations turned
violent and riots occured.
US Labor Unions History saw state militia and government action
taken against strikers and rioters.
● Local militia were sent
out to quell the riots - but many of the militia openly
sympathized with the strikers
● Federal troops consisting
of infantry, cavalry and artillery were sent in
● There were deaths and
serious injuries
● Properties were set on
fire
● Labor leaders and strikers were
arrested, fined and imprisoned
US Labor Unions History for kids: Social Opposition to the Labor Unions
US Labor Unions History also faced opposition from ordinary
Americans.
● The ideas of Karl Marx had
become highly influential in Europe. Marxism was a form of
communism, an economic and political philosophy that advocated
revolution and anarchy and American feared that this was a goal
of the unions and that members were anarchists
● Many Americans believed
that the strikes and terrifying riots that occured in the 1880's
were organized by anarchists and became increasingly suspicious
of unions
US Labor Unions History for kids:
Opposition to Immigrant Labor
During the period of early US Labor Unions History there was a massive influx of
immigrants. The immigrants
were competing for jobs with Americans and accepted lower wages.
A wave of
Nativism in America
during the 1880's was
fueled by labor unions. Nativism encompassed the belief that the
interests of established US residents should be given a favored
status compared to new immigrants. Union members were opposed to the
employment of immigrants would work for lower wages or would become
strike-breakers and undermine American workers and Labor Unions. For
more facts refer to
US Immigration History.
US Labor Unions History: Riots,
Strikes and Unions
The impact and effect of
Industrialization in
America,
poor
working conditions, dangerous safety issues, wage cuts and the economic
depression led to violent strike action, riots and the emergence of
the Unions. Interesting facts and a timeline about
US Labor Unions History are detailed below. The
information on
US Labor Unions History is told in a factual sequence
consisting of a series of short facts providing a
simple method of relating the history and events of
US Labor Unions History.
Timeline of
US Labor Unions History: Riots, Strikes and Unions
US Labor Unions History
Fact 1: 1866: The National Labor Union was
formed, it was the first national labor federation in
the US who pressed for labor reforms and an 8 hour
working day
US Labor Unions History
Fact 2: 1869: The Colored National Labor
Union (CNLU) was established by African Americans
US Labor Unions History
Fact 3: 1869: The
Knights of Labor was
founded as a secret organization of tailors in
Philadelphia
US Labor Unions History
Fact 4: 1874: The Tompkins Square Riot
erupted involving the unemployed in New York City
US Labor Unions History
Fact 5: 1875: The
Molly Maguires
were a secret society of Irish coal miners in
Pennsylvania.
20 men were hanged following the 'Long Strike of 1875'.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 6: 1876: Amalgamated Association of Iron
and Steel Workers, an American labor union was
established to represent iron and steel workers.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 7: 1877:
Great Railroad Strike o f 1877
was the first nationwide strike in the United States
which resulted in riots across the country that were
quelled by Federal troops
US Labor Unions History
Fact 8: 1886: The
Haymarket Riot involving a bombing in
Chicago
US Labor Unions History
Fact 9: 1890: The United Mine Workers of
America (UMF) was founded on January 22, 1890 merging
the Knights of Labor and the National Progressive
Miners Union. The UMF was more open to compromise and
arbitration than the wfm.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 10: 1892: The Homestead Steel Strike near
Pittsburgh
US Labor Unions History
Fact 11: 1893: The Western Federation of
Miners (WFM), a more radical labor union was founded in
1893. The WFM had strong ties to socialism and was far
more radical than the UMF.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 12: 1894: The
Pullman Strike
a widespread railroad
strike caused by the Panic of 1893.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 13: 1897: The 1897 national strike by the
soft-coal (bituminous coal) miners, resulted in a
victory with wage increases and a significant growth in
Union membership
US Labor Unions History
Fact 14: 1898: The
Erdman Act prohibited
discrimination against railroad workers because of union
membership and provided for mediation of railway labor
disputes .
US Labor Unions History
Fact 15: 1902: The
Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 was one of America's
largest industrial strikes and saw President Roosevelt
act as a mediator.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 16:
Social unrest gave rise to reformers in the
Progressive Movement. The
1916 Keating-Owen Child Labor Act was passed
limiting how many hours children were allowed to work.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 17:
During WW1, the number of
American workers in
Labor Unions increased dramatically. Workers had
been given the right to strike but industrialists were
determined to break the power of the Unions.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 18:
The period between 1917 - 1920 gave rise to the
First Red Scare in which socialists and communists
were all dubbed as 'Reds' or 'Bolshies' and perceived as
being unpatriotic.
US Labor Unions History
Fact 19: FDR's
New Deal introduced
the
National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) in 1933
to establish codes to address many issues including
working hours, productivity, minimum wages and union
membership. The Supreme Court ruled that the law was
unconstitutional
US Labor Unions History
Fact 20:
In response to the ruling FDR pushed through new labor
legislation in 1935 known as the
Wagner Act, or National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
The law guaranteed workers the right to organize Unions
and to bargain collectively
US Labor Unions History
Fact 21:
The Wagner Law set up the National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB) to enforce legal rights and established an
arbitration process
US Labor Unions History
Fact 22:
The effects of NLRA, or Wagner Act prompted a burst of
labor activity that resulted in the formation of the
Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) that
organized labor into unions. The founding of the CIO
marked the beginning of a movement away from “trade”
unionism, which divided workers according to their jobs,
all workers in a particular industry - both skilled and
unskilled were included in the same union. The first Sit
Down strikes began in 1936
US Labor Unions History
Fact 23:
Union membership increased from just over 2 million in
1933 to just under 14 million by 1943
US Labor Unions History
Fact 24:
The
Taft Hartley Act
was passed in 1947 to curb the power of the Unions by
outlawing the 'closed shop' and 'featherbedding' systems
and banned unions from using their funds to support
political campaigns.
Timeline of
US Labor Unions History: Riots, Strikes and Unions
US Labor Unions History:
United States History for Kids - Video of US Presidents
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US Labor Unions History provides detailed facts and a summary of the
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- a crash course in
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give you additional important facts, history and dates about the
personal and political lives of all the US Presidents.
US Labor Unions History:
Riots, Strikes and Unions
●
Interesting Facts about US Labor Unions History for kids and schools
●
Summary of US Labor Unions History in US history
●
US Labor Unions History, a major
event in US history
●
US Labor Unions History Timeline
●
Fast, fun facts about US Labor Unions History and the riots,
strikes and unions
●
US Labor Unions History and the riots, strikes and
unions
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