Labor then vs now by Ella Lineberry

Different kids of labor

elineber2 — 2024-01-23 15:50:21 UTC

There were many different kinds of labor such as child labor, slavery, forced labor, factory labor, women's suffrage, and more. Labor is forced, excruciating work, where the person is severely unpaid. Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the Seneca falls convention with her colleague Lucretia Mott. This convention was the first women's rights organized protest. They drew up the Declaration of Sentiments and proposed the right of women to vote. In the end, it was subsequent, and led to more protests which eventually were successful.

The First Successful Labor Union

elineber2 — 2024-01-23 15:58:02 UTC

Over the years many labor unions were founded, but were unsuccessful. Stanton formulated the first organized demand for women's suffrage in the United States, however it proved to be unsuccessful. The first successful labor union was called the Nation Labor Union, which was known as the NLU. According to Britannica it can be described as a "Political-action movement that from 1866 to 1873 sought to improve working conditions through legislative reform rather than through collective bargaining." In the end, the NLU was able to achieve lowering work hours to 8 hours a day instead of the former 10-16 hour work days.

Labor in the 1800's

elineber2 — 2024-01-24 16:13:12 UTC

In the 1800's industrial revolution, it was necessary for men, women, and children to have jobs. Most had to work in factories, which was open for all to work, but the working conditions were horrible. Workers were paid 44 cents an hour which was barely enough to survive let alone to lead a healthy, fulfilling life. The factories were in hazardous conditions, and the workers were treated horribly. According to the Library of Congress, "The working conditions in factories were often harsh. Hours were long, typically ten to twelve hours a day. Working conditions were frequently unsafe and led to deadly accidents. Tasks tended to be divided for efficiency's sake which led to repetitive and monotonous work for employees."

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

elineber2 — 2024-01-25 16:04:36 UTC

There was a fire in the triangle shirtwaist factory in 1911, which was located just east of Washington Square Park in New York City. The factory employed 500 workers. They worked 9 hours a day, which was better than the previous working hours, but still a difficult amount of time put into long grueling days of sewing. The workers made approximately six dollars a week. At this point in time, the working hours and payment is becoming more reasonable, but working conditions are still dangerous and brutal.

1905 Meat Packing Exposed

elineber2 — 2024-01-26 15:56:30 UTC

In 1905, on November 4, The Jungle by Uptain Sinclair was officially published. It exposed all the barbaric meat packing factories, by not only exposing how horribly they treated their workers, but also how they treated their animals, and the food produced in the end. The working conditions were terrible for the workers who ended up with terrible injuries and sicknesses. The animals were treated terribly too and were given a terrible life. The book focused on all the horrible things about meat packing industries, but mainly on the horrible working conditions. Workers fingers were sliced off, and the workers were forced to work long excruciating hours.

When the book was released, it had a huge impact on people. They were horrified by the way the workers were treated along with the animals. It was so powerful, that it moved Congress for the first time, to regulate food production.

Labor in the 1900's

elineber2 — 2024-02-10 03:24:10 UTC

In the 1900s, labor was much better than it had been in previous years, but was still unfair. "The labor union led efforts to stop child labor, give health benefits and provide aid to workers who were injured or retired."

(History.com)

"At its outset, Americans were working many more hours a day than the eight for which they had fought hard in the late 19th century. On average, Americans labored fifty-four to sixty-three hours per week in dangerous working conditions (approximately 35,000 workers died in accidents annually at the turn of the century)."

(Oxford Research Encyclopedia)

Results of The Fire

elineber2 — 2024-02-10 03:27:21 UTC

The fire was on March 25, it had started on the 8th floor and swallowed up the building at a vigorous rate. It resulted in 146 deaths, and countless injuries. This was an eye opening occurrence for many people. The fire led to legislation making improved factory safety standards a priority.

The most successful labor union

elineber2 — 2024-02-10 04:45:57 UTC

The most successful labor union is the AFL, because it allowed smaller unions to retain their own autonomy after joining.

"At its outset, Americans were working many more hours a day than the eight for which they had fought hard in the late 19th century. On average, Americans labored fifty-four to sixty-three hours per week in dangerous working conditions (approximately 35,000 workers died in accidents annually at the turn of the century)."

(AFL-CIO article on labor unions)

Present day Labor

elineber2 — 2024-02-10 04:51:48 UTC

In more modern times, labor has improved. Work hours are much shorter and the pay tends to be more rewarding. Although working conditions in some areas is still bad, for the most part, it has shown massive improvement from its old ways. Work spaces are much safer and much less toxic.

"Working conditions have improved in many industries over time as a result of a variety of factors, including advances in technology, changes in labor laws, and increased public awareness of workplace safety and fair treatment of workers."

(quora.com)

What is Labor Day?

elineber2 — 2024-02-10 04:55:32 UTC

Labor day is a holiday where kids don't have to go to school, and most adults get the day off from work. Labor day honors and recognizes the American labor movement and the works. It also has contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

"The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being."

(U.S. department of Labor article on labor day)