Assess the impact of labor Assess the impact of labor unions on industry and the lives unions on industry and the lives

of workersof workers

NCSCOS 5.03NCSCOS 5.03AP USH Unit 16AP USH Unit 16

Michael Quiñones, NBCTwww.socialstudiesguy.com

Macro Concepts Micro ConceptsMacro Concepts Micro Concepts

ChangeChange-transformation of -transformation of a person, place or thing.a person, place or thing.

PowerPower-authority of a -authority of a government to carry out government to carry out the law.the law.

ConflictConflict-problem or issue -problem or issue that is controversialthat is controversial and and can cause problems can cause problems withoutwithout compromise.compromise.

IndustrializationIndustrialization-process of people -process of people producing things using mass producing things using mass production and machinery.production and machinery.

ImmigrationImmigration- process of mass entrance - process of mass entrance into a new country to live into a new country to live permanently.permanently.

SocialismSocialism-the process of citizens -the process of citizens collectively owning property.collectively owning property.

NegotiationNegotiation-the process of attempting -the process of attempting to settle disagreements by talking.to settle disagreements by talking.

MediationMediation-the process of having a -the process of having a neutral 3neutral 3rdrd party help settle a party help settle a dispute.dispute.

Collective BargainingCollective Bargaining-the process of -the process of having a group of workers decide having a group of workers decide employment terms [usually by a employment terms [usually by a union]. union].

ArbitrationArbitration-the process of having a 3-the process of having a 3rdrd party settle a dispute between two party settle a dispute between two groups [like a judge].groups [like a judge].

The Workplace and workersThe Workplace and workers During the late 1800s and early 1900s places people worked were often During the late 1800s and early 1900s places people worked were often

very dangerous.very dangerous. The risk of serious injury and death was always present.The risk of serious injury and death was always present. Poor and dangerous Poor and dangerous working conditionsworking conditions such as faulty equipment, long such as faulty equipment, long

work hours and low pay often made working in factories unbearable. work hours and low pay often made working in factories unbearable. Very low Very low wageswages [the amount of pay workers received] forced people to [the amount of pay workers received] forced people to

work many hours which made them very tired, angry and ineffective.work many hours which made them very tired, angry and ineffective. Because many families in large cities were often poor they sent their Because many families in large cities were often poor they sent their

young children [age 3 to teenagers] to work. Their lack of strength and young children [age 3 to teenagers] to work. Their lack of strength and experience put them at high risk of injury.experience put them at high risk of injury.

Triangle Shirtwaist FireTriangle Shirtwaist Firehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/triangle/player/

• Watch movie quietly without putting your head down or sleeping.Watch movie quietly without putting your head down or sleeping.

• Make a list of five [5] tactics the bosses of the factory did to workers Make a list of five [5] tactics the bosses of the factory did to workers that was unfair [make sure you briefly state why the tactics are that was unfair [make sure you briefly state why the tactics are unfair].unfair].

• Write a letter [one complete side of a page] to the U.S. government Write a letter [one complete side of a page] to the U.S. government explaining why the bosses’ tactics need to stop immediately and what explaining why the bosses’ tactics need to stop immediately and what the federal/state or local government should do about the workers’ the federal/state or local government should do about the workers’ situation.situation.

or…or…

• Write a letter [one complete side of a page] to the editor of the New Write a letter [one complete side of a page] to the editor of the New York Times newspaper explaining your opinion about what happened York Times newspaper explaining your opinion about what happened to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers [if you have criticisms be to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers [if you have criticisms be sure to list and explain them; if you have suggestions for preventing sure to list and explain them; if you have suggestions for preventing this type of incident from reoccurring make sure you list and explain this type of incident from reoccurring make sure you list and explain them]. them].

Click or type in the link above to view the film called Triangle Fire

Workers UnitedWorkers United

Eventually many workers got smart Eventually many workers got smart and united together to fight for and united together to fight for better working conditions and higher better working conditions and higher wages.wages.

The groups of workers called The groups of workers called themselves themselves labor unionslabor unions..

Unions usually organized themselves Unions usually organized themselves by the type of work they did such as by the type of work they did such as carpenters and shoemakers.carpenters and shoemakers.

Trade unionsTrade unions and and craft unionscraft unions were were types of unions that were specific to types of unions that were specific to types of industries to protect those types of industries to protect those types of workers.types of workers.

For example a carpenters’ trade For example a carpenters’ trade union would protect the rights of union would protect the rights of carpenters.carpenters.

Conflicts and labor leadersConflicts and labor leaders

Even with labor unions there were still problems between Even with labor unions there were still problems between workers and business owners.workers and business owners.

Businesses often forced workers, as a condition of Businesses often forced workers, as a condition of employment, to sign employment, to sign yellow dog contractsyellow dog contracts which which forbade them from joining labor unions.forbade them from joining labor unions.

Labor union leaders such as Labor union leaders such as Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs encouraged encouraged members to go out on members to go out on strikestrike [walk out of work] when [walk out of work] when they believed they were being treated unfairly by they believed they were being treated unfairly by employers.employers.

Debs led the Debs led the Pullman StrikePullman Strike in 1894 which led to over in 1894 which led to over 100,000 workers walking out on their railroad jobs.100,000 workers walking out on their railroad jobs.

Debs was jailed for his participation in the strike because Debs was jailed for his participation in the strike because the effect of the strike was too negative.the effect of the strike was too negative.

Samuel Gompers Samuel Gompers

Gompers learned from the failures of other Gompers learned from the failures of other unions.unions.

Gompers led the Gompers led the American Federation of American Federation of LaborLabor [A.F.L.] for over 40 years. [A.F.L.] for over 40 years.

Federation=Group of separate entities [in Federation=Group of separate entities [in his case unions] that combines.his case unions] that combines.

His most important strategy was to pool the His most important strategy was to pool the resources of different types of unions.resources of different types of unions.

The funds were used to support workers The funds were used to support workers during prolonged strikes.during prolonged strikes.

He also championed He also championed closed shopsclosed shops which which did not allow non-union workers to work in did not allow non-union workers to work in union dominated jobs.union dominated jobs.

Labor Strife and Unrest Business/Labor conflicts were not always peaceful. On May 4, 1886 rioting in Chicago’s Haymarket Square led to

multiple deaths and a bad reputation for unions. The greatest mistake by the Knights of Labor [labor union with

different types of workers] was including skilled and unskilled workers under one unified group.

Unskilled workers could be replaced by strike breaking scabs while craftsmen [skilled workers] were not.

Skilled workers believed their jobs were unprotected.

Sherman Anti-Trust ActSherman Anti-Trust Act The U.S. Government in 1890 tried to rein in the power of business trusts.The U.S. Government in 1890 tried to rein in the power of business trusts. The shrewdest of businessmen hired lawyers who were able to find The shrewdest of businessmen hired lawyers who were able to find

loopholesloopholes in the law and avoid compliance. in the law and avoid compliance. Trusts were sometimes forced to break up into separate companies.Trusts were sometimes forced to break up into separate companies. The best example of a corporate break-up was the 1911 break up of The best example of a corporate break-up was the 1911 break up of

Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Corporation.Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Corporation. The U.S. Government was bent on Trust busting after passage of the lawThe U.S. Government was bent on Trust busting after passage of the law

Homestead Strike and Steel Company Homestead Strike and Steel Company tacticstactics

Workers at Carnegie’s steel company wanted better working conditions Workers at Carnegie’s steel company wanted better working conditions andand better pay. better pay.

The steel labor unions went on strike at the Homestead Steel Works.The steel labor unions went on strike at the Homestead Steel Works. Because the workers refused to agree to Carnegie’s terms they were Because the workers refused to agree to Carnegie’s terms they were

locked outlocked out [not allowed to work by the company]. [not allowed to work by the company]. Violence was threatened from both the Steel company and their workers.Violence was threatened from both the Steel company and their workers. After much negotiation, fighting and legal battles most of the striking After much negotiation, fighting and legal battles most of the striking

workers wereworkers were blacklistedblacklisted by U.S. Steel and not allowed to work in the by U.S. Steel and not allowed to work in the industry again.industry again.

Labor Union/Conflict Labor Union/Conflict AssignmentAssignment

Join with 3-4 other students [no more than 4 students Join with 3-4 other students [no more than 4 students to a group] and create a 2-3 minute skit/video to a group] and create a 2-3 minute skit/video describing a labor conflict and solution from the list of describing a labor conflict and solution from the list of topics we learned in Objective 5.03. Must be at least topics we learned in Objective 5.03. Must be at least 2 minutes in length.52 minutes in length.5

Image sourcesImage sources

http://historyplanet.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/luddite.jpghttp://historyplanet.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/luddite.jpg http://www.owdna.org/graphics/millvill2/childlabor.jpghttp://www.owdna.org/graphics/millvill2/childlabor.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MorganWoodworking.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MorganWoodworking.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swanson_Shoe_Repair_18.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swanson_Shoe_Repair_18.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Knights_of_labor_seal.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Knights_of_labor_seal.gif http://www.tinytreasuresrescue.com/Yellow_dog_wonders.gifhttp://www.tinytreasuresrescue.com/Yellow_dog_wonders.gif http://www.socialistviewpoint.org/march_03/debs.jpghttp://www.socialistviewpoint.org/march_03/debs.jpg http://brightcove.vo.llnwd.net/d5/unsecured/media/http://brightcove.vo.llnwd.net/d5/unsecured/media/

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