Working Conditions & Unions

Do Now

When looking for a job, what things do you look for? (like conditions, pay, hours,etc.)

​*Please turn in your worksheet from yesterday on the counter by the sink!*

​We are learning to describe the experiences of factory workers circa 1900.

Success Criteria

1. I can visualize what it was like to work in a factory around 1900.

2. I can identify evidence of the working conditions around 1900 in primary sources.

3. I can share my thinking about working conditions with my class and listen for similarities to what I discovered.

Learning Target

Reading (pg 77-82)

Source #1, pg 77 = Joseph, Kaden, Coleeena, Holden, Joe, Eliana

Source #2, pg 78 = Aarion, Jaydin, Kara, Savannah, Nick, Jermaine

Source #3, pg 79-80 = Isaiah, Noelle, Sydney, Elizabeth, Kaliyah, Mi'Lesia

Source #4, pg 81-82 = Simone, Anesiah, Zaniyah, Dori, Austin, Jordan

Look for:

• How many hours did workers work?

• How much money did they make?

• Was the work environment safe?

• Was the work environment healthy?

• How old were the workers described?

• Highlight or underline anything that will help you answer these questions!

Injuries and fires were common due to fatigue, bad equipment, or poor training. In 1882, about 675 laborers died PER WEEK.

Dangers

Workers often did mind-numbing tasks for 12+ hrs a day, 6-7 days a week.

​​Long Hours

Workers had no benefits and were paid very little. Some were paid by pieces produced instead of hours.

​​Low Wages

Wages were so low that families needed every member to work. In the 1880s, kids made up 5% of industrial labor force.

​​Child Labor

Turn to page 83 in your coursepack.

• US has capitalist/free market system.

• Industrialists said working conditions were designed to make a profit

• In a true free market, government is not supposed to interfere.

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act(1890) outlawed monopolies (kind of)

So what can workers do?

• Join together for strength and fight back.

• Created labor unions to fight for workers' interests

  • Boycotts- get customers to refuse product or service

  • Strikes- work stoppage to force employers to meet demands

  • Collective Bargaining- negotiate as a group

• Some thought the economic system should be changed as capitalism seemed to create inequality.

• Pg 84

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Is capitalism the best system?

• The goal is equal distribution of wealth.

• Government ownership of some essential industries like healthcare, gas, electricity.

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What is socialism?