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... pany came about as a result of wage cuts. The American Railway union joined the strike, and much of the countrys rail system was not running. Over three thousand men were trusted by General Richard Olney to keep the rails open.
The federal court gave a court order against union interference with the trains since they were an important and necessary vehicle in transportation, and the strike was eventually broken. (2 - 3) The most militant of the strike-prone unions was the International Workers of the World (IWW), commonly known as "wobblies." (3) They formed in 1905 in Chicago as a combination of unions fighting for better conditions in the Wests mining industry. The IWW was particularly strong among textile workers, dock workers, migratory farmers, and lumberjacks. Under the leadership of Eugene V. Debs, they gained particular fame from the Colorado mine clashes of 1903 and the brutal manner in which they were put down. (web 3) The wobblies gained much character after winning the battle and striking against the textile mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912 with their peak membership of one hundred thousand.
They called for work stoppages in the middle of World War I which led to a government crackdown in 1917, and essentially destroyed them. (Department of Humanities, 3) A powerful reform called Progressivism swept the country in the early years of the twentieth century. The goal of college professors, ministers, journalist, physicians and social workers was to improve conditions for all Americans. They wanted to make the political system and the economic system more democratic. They were appalled at the fact that Americans were either wealthy or lived a life a poverty. Those who owned the nations resources should share some of their wealth with the less fortunate was their theory.
The movement appealed to farmers, small businessmen, women, and laborers. (web 3) The progressives were concerned about the countrys labor problems. They disagreed with and were disturbed with the growing use of court rulings to halt strikes. In 1890, Congress passed the Sherman Anti-trust Act which purpose was to punish big business corporations that combined to prevent competition. However, it seemed to be used more as a weapon against unions. Progressives also were irritated by the use of federal troops and state militia against strikers. (3) Factory conditions still had not improved. The Progressives and the AFL pressured state governments for laws to protect wage earners.
Almost all the fifty states passed laws to forbid the hiring of children under fourteen years of age. Thirty-seven states forbade children under sixteen to work between 7 p. m. and 6 a. m. Nineteen states established the eight-hour day for children under sixteen in factories and stores.
Women were also in need of protection for their jobs. Forty-one states wrote new or improved laws to protect women workers, limiting the work day to nine hours or the week to fifty-four hours. (3) Another problem that had to be handled was the industrial accidents that occurred too often to be ignored. Progressives said the cost of insurance to cover medical bills should be paid by the employers. By 1917, thirteen states had passed workers compensation laws. Many states also passed laws to improve safety regulations. (3) There was an alliance of Progressives and the AFL because they had similar goals in the improvement of American labor.
Congress passed laws as a response to the many requests and demands to protect children, railroad workers, and seamen. A Department of Labor in the presidents Cabinet was established. Congress also passed the extremely important Clayton Act in 1914, which ceased the use of antitrust laws and court injunctions against unions. The federal government created the War Labor Board during World War I to settle disputes by arbitration. The board made advances in wage increases, the eight-hour work day, and collective bargaining. They favored unions, and this led to a huge increase in the union membership.
By January of 1917, the AFL had 2, 370, 000 members. The number increased, and two years later they had 3, 260, 000. (3) Throughout the twentieth century, union struggles increased and decreased. During the 1920 s, the economy was high and generally prosperous for all Americans. The Great Depression in the 1930 s was a time of hardship and poverty for many workers. Unions actually benefited with the help of Franklin D. Roosevelt who promised Americans a "New Deal." The Wagner Act was passed which guaranteed workers the right to join unions and bargain collectively.
The National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) was formed. The board could hold elections so that workers could vote for the union they wanted to represent them. The board could also stop unfair practices used by employers against unions. America was developing into the country it is today. (4) The purpose and philosophy of a union, that a group is more powerful than any individual, has not changed throughout time.
Americans are still fighting for what they believe in. They have been since the development of the country. Americans have realized that working together in unison is important for achieving their goals. The country would not have survived if the people had not compromised and "shared the wealth." Although we as a nation have conflicts in the society that we live in, the past has taught us to handle problems calmly, rationally, and together. Many Americans take their job benefits for granted, not realizing the struggles our ancestors underwent for their security and happiness. The Constitution states that every American is entitled to the right of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." If the workers were controlled and overpowered by their employers, and treated inhumanely, then they were like slaves serving their masters.
In conclusion, unions developed in America due to the slavery-like conditions facing the American worker. Works Cited Aactchrnet. Industrial Revolution Student: Unions are Born. {Online} Available http: // 157. 182. 12. 132 /old / marge /htm l / student /unions.
htm, December 11, 1999. Aactchrnet. Industrial Revolution Student: Factory Conditions. {Online} Available http: // 157. 182. 12. 132 /old / marge /html / st student / fac cond. htm, December 11, 1999. AFL-CIO American Federalationist.
A Short History of American Labor. {Online} Available web >. , December 7, 1999. Department of Humanities Computing. An Outline of American History: The Struggle of Labor. {Online} Available web p 2.
htm, December 7, 1999. James Connolly Society. Industrialism and the Trade Unions: 1886 The Haymarket Riot. {Online} Available web >, December 11, 1999. Other, Marine Van. The Iron Horse: Labor Conflicts and Unionism: the Railroad Unions. {Online} Available web >, December 8, 1999. Unknown.
Labor and Unions in America. {Online} Available web >, December 8, 1999. Working People-Fall 1996 issue. A Brief History of Labor in America: The Factory System Part I. {Online} Available web >, December 8, 1999.
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Research essay sample on American Labor Movement Development Of Unions
