WHY LABOR DAY?

LABOR DAY Holiday that celebrates the role that

workers play in American society

First Monday in September

Made a federal holiday in 1894

THE LABOR MOVEMENT IN AMERICA Sought to change poor working conditions

Began in the late 1700’s with textile mills

Gained power during the 1800’s with mining and railroad workers

Confrontations with companies were very often violent and deadly

In what ways did the labor movement help change today’s working conditions?

WORKING HOURS A typical hour day of work would depend

on the type of job you had and what the owners wanted, but the hours were long.

10+ hours per day 6-7 days a week Example-A steel worker would have had a 10-13 hour shift and required to work 6-7 days a week.

In today’s society how long is the working day?

WORKING CONDITIONS Dangerous Dirty/unsanitary No proper tools No training Unsafe High health risk Long hours Death No benefits(vacations,

sick days)

THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST COMPANY FIRE March 25th 1911-New York • About 500 young women

were working at the shirt wait company

• They created tailored shirts• The exists were keep locked

in order to prevent workers from resting or stealing .

• Most of the women were Italian or Jewish

• The fire broke out in the afternoon

• Most of the women escaped but 146 were trapped and died.

• Some jumped to their deaths and most burned.

• The owners Blanck and Harris were found innocent of any wrong doing.

CHILD LABOR Children would work to help the family and had very

little schooling.

In the 1900’s more than a quarter of a million children under the age of 15 worked in mills, mines, factories and other jobs

Children would earn less money than an adult with the same job.

By 1920 most states passed laws that required children to be at least 14 years old to work.

What is the required age in today’s society to be able to start working in America?

Breaker boys in a coal chute, South Pittston, Pennsylvania in 1911. By Lewis Hine

UNIONS A group of workers who act together to

demand better working conditions

Often in conflict with employers

Attempt to elect politicians who are sympathetic to the cause of workers

WHAT DID THE UNIONS DO? Gave workers a way to negotiate with

their employers

Challenge poor working conditions in the courts

Strike, Picket, Slowdown

Sometimes resort to violence

If the Labor Movement had never

changed working conditions in

America what would be your role in

society today?