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Essay 1

Essay 1 U.S. Labor History Formation of Labor Unions Unionism can be described as “a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment”(Smelser). This means that a group of workers can unite to gain more power and leverage in bargaining. The bargaining may include many aspects but usually consists of wages, benefits, terms and conditions of employment. The notion of union came about in the 1700’s. In the beginning as it is today workers united to “defend the autonomy and dignity of the craftsman against the growing power of the company” (Montgomery). These early unions had many names including societies, social societies and guilds. These primitive unions or guilds of carpenters, cordwainers, and cobblers made their appearance, often temporary, in cities around the east coast of colonial America. These group of workers were a far cry from what unions are today. They mainly focused on friendship and trust between the workers and management. The first recorded form of a union was a group called the “Friendly Society of Cotton Spinners, who in 1775 instructed its members not to work below the usual price” (Smith). As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence “in the pursuit of happiness” through higher wages and shorter work hours, printers were the first to go on strike, in New York in 1794; carpenters in Philadelphia in 1797, and cordwainers in 1799. In the 1800’s the construction of cotton mills brought about a new phenomenon in American labor. The owners needed a new source of labor to tend these water powered machines and looked to women. Since these jobs didn’t need strength or special skills the owners hired women. They felt that women could do the same or a better job as the men and were more compliant. They began recruiting young women from the farms. To lure them to work in their factories they built houses where they could live. These houses were supervised by older women who made sure the girls lived by a high moral standard, and urged them to attended church, to read, to write and to attend lectures. The girls worked in the mills/factories from 12 to 13 hours a day, six days a week for $3.50 per week salary. On the other hand “male workers made 50 percent more than women. And white workers commanded significantly higher wages than African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Chinese”(Freeman). The entry of a large number of women into the labor force led to raising the consciences of the hour of labors, “adding to the pool of unskilled workers, women and children made possible a fuller division of labor in lines of skill” (Roediger). Around 1800 factories became more prevalent. Workers and employers no longer worked side by side. Employers were more concerned with the cost of labor than with the welfare of the workers. As factories grew workers became more involved in forming unions to protect their interests. Their tactics in the beginning were quiet simple; members agreed on wages they thought were fair and would not work for less. They also urged the owners to employ union help. Of course they pledged not to work unless the owners agreed to pay that amount. In 1806 when eight shoemakers in Philadelphia held an unsuccessful strike the factory owners found that the courts were an effective weapon to protect their interests. The eight shoemakers were brought to trial by the factory owners and the courts ruled that any organizing of workers to raise wages was an illegal act. In later cases the courts ruled that these same acts might be criminal. It took until 1842 when a higher court ruled in favor of the unions ruling that it was not unlawful for workers to participate in peaceful union activities. The ruling opened the floodgates to a plethora of union victories such as; the ten hour working day and the prohibition of child labor. Unions by being in the forefront of child labor laws have to this day protected the rights of children not only in this country, but around the world. In the years following the Civil War our nation changed form being an economy dominated by farms to urban industries. The nation transformed, seemingly overnight, from a rural to an urban economy. Cites began to emerge and industries such as coal, steel, engines and fast communications spread throughout the country. Although jobs were plentiful the standard of living of workers did not rise and they had to settle for living in crowded, unhealthy slums. The plight of the workers became even more desperate at the time of the great depression that ultimately led to the great railway strike, in which many workers lost their lives at the hand of the Pennsylvania militia. This act proved to be a major turning point in the evolution of the labor movement in the United States. It has been said that the union work is one struggle after another, but union work also is the most rewarding legacy we can leave our children. Unionism can be described as “a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment”(Smelser). This means that a group of workers can unite to gain more power and leverage in bargaining. The bargaining may include many aspects but usually consists of wages, benefits, terms and conditions of employment. The notion of union came about in the 1700’s. In the beginning as it is today workers united to “defend the autonomy and dignity of the craftsman against the growing power of the company” (Montgomery). These early unions had many names including societies, social societies and guilds. These primitive unions or guilds of carpenters, cordwainers, and cobblers made their appearance, often temporary, in cities around the east coast of colonial America. These group of workers were a far cry from what unions are today. They mainly focused on friendship and trust between the workers and management. The first recorded form of a union was a group called the “Friendly Society of Cotton Spinners, who in 1775 instructed its members not to work below the usual price” (Smith). As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence “in the pursuit of happiness” through higher wages and shorter work hours, printers were the first to go on strike, in New York in 1794; carpenters in Philadelphia in 1797, and cordwainers in 1799. In the 1800’s the construction of cotton mills brought about a new phenomenon in American labor. The owners needed a new source of labor to tend these water powered machines and looked to women. Since these jobs didn’t need strength or special skills the owners hired women. They felt that women could do the same or a better job as the men and were more compliant. They began recruiting young women from the farms. To lure them to work in their factories they built houses where they could live. These houses were supervised by older women who made sure the girls lived by a high moral standard, and urged them to attended church, to read, to write and to attend lectures. The girls worked in the mills/factories from 12 to 13 hours a day, six days a week for $3.50 per week salary. On the other hand “male workers made 50 percent more than women. And white workers commanded significantly higher wages than African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Chinese”(Freeman). The entry of a large number of women into the labor force led to raising the consciences of the hour of labors, “adding to the pool of unskilled workers, women and children made possible a fuller division of labor in lines of skill” (Roediger). Around 1800 factories became more prevalent. Workers and employers no longer worked side by side. Employers were more concerned with the cost of labor than with the welfare of the workers. As factories grew workers became more involved in forming unions to protect their interests. Their tactics in the beginning were quiet simple; members agreed on wages they thought were fair and would not work for less. They also urged the owners to employ union help. Of course they pledged not to work unless the owners agreed to pay that amount. In 1806 when eight shoemakers in Philadelphia held an unsuccessful strike the factory owners found that the courts were an effective weapon to protect their interests. The eight shoemakers were brought to trial by the factory owners and the courts ruled that any organizing of workers to raise wages was an illegal act. In later cases the courts ruled that these same acts might be criminal. It took until 1842 when a higher court ruled in favor of the unions ruling that it was not unlawful for workers to participate in peaceful union activities. The ruling opened the floodgates to a plethora of union victories such as; the ten hour working day and the prohibition of child labor. Unions by being in the forefront of child labor laws have to this day protected the rights of children not only in this country, but around the world. In the years following the Civil War our nation changed form being an economy dominated by farms to urban industries. The nation transformed, seemingly overnight, from a rural to an urban economy. Cites began to emerge and industries such as coal, steel, engines and fast communications spread throughout the country. Although jobs were plentiful the standard of living of workers did not rise and they had to settle for living in crowded, unhealthy slums. The plight of the workers became even more desperate at the time of the great depression that ultimately led to the great railway strike, in which many workers lost their lives at the hand of the Pennsylvania militia. This act proved to be a major turning point in the evolution of the labor movement in the United States. It has been said that the union work is one struggle after another, but union work also is the most rewarding legacy we can leave our children. Bibliography: Works Cited Freeman, Joshua. Who Built America? New York: Pantheon Books, 1992. Montgomery, David. The Fall of the House of Labor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. Roediger, David R. & Foner, Phillip S. Our Own Time. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989. Smelser, Neil. Social Change in the Industrial Revolution. London: Rutledge & Kegan, 1959.

Word Count: 1693