Labor and the Workers Search for Power

1. Labor organizations before the Civil Wara. 1820s and 1830s-Workingman parties to try to control local politics, mostly dominated

by upper and middle class people, mostly skilled laborers who wanted to reform the system, did not see themselves as disadvantaged

2. Labor organizations after the Civil Wara. Industrialization undermined the status of skilled workers, less need for highly trained

artisans, skilled labor was a very small part of the workforceb. Factory work became unskilled work, laborers performed simple tasks for low wagesc. Urbanization led to increase in city size and amount of available workersd. Women and children became a larger portion of the workforce, women age 18-24 and

children as young as 5, by 1910 25 % of all American children were employed full-time in factories

e. Horatio Alger-working is good for the soul, went from 16-18 hour workday in the 1830s to 1880s-agitated for 10 hour workday

f. Owners believed that workers should not earn more than subsistence wagesi. High wages hurt profits, need profit to open more factories and create more

jobsii. Extra money led to wasting wages on alcohol, gambling, and prostitution

iii. Average income in 1890 was $380, subsistence income was estimated by Census Bureau was $530.

g. Knights of Labor-1869 Uriah Stephens, led by Terrence Powderly, industrial union on national basis, open to all workers

i. Most significant national labor organization with local chaptersii. Open to any worker except lawyers, bankers, gamblers and liquor deals

iii. AA made up 10% of membershipiv. Wanted reform in working conditionsv. Too inclusive and goals really broad

h. American Federation of Labori. Promoted independent trade groups, improve economic status of workers

through strikes and boycotts to force collective bargainingii. Largest union until 1950s when it merged with the CIO

iii. Mainstream voice of laboriv. Wanted better wages, shorter workdays and workweeks, worker safety, less

concerned with reformv. No unskilled laborers could join

vi. Samuel Gompers, 1886, president until 1895i. Pretty unsympathetic to immigrants, they were exploited by all