Organized Labor

What happens if workers are paid too little? What if they have to work in unsafe conditions? There are groups that speak for workers in order to protect their interests. In this section, you will learn about organized labor.

Key Terms

ü collective bargaining: when union leaders meet with employers to talk about workers' pay, working hours, and benefits

ü labor union: an organization that works for its members' interests, such as fair wages, working conditions, benefits, and hours

ü strike: when workers refuse to go to work in order to get company leaders to listen to their demands

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About Organized Labor

You have learned that wages are determined by supply and demand. However, sometimes workers feel that they are not being paid fairly. They might be asked to work too many hours or to work in unsafe conditions. A worker who feels that he or she is being treated unfairly has the option of quitting the job. The worker could find a new job with an employer who offers better wages and working conditions.

However, some American workers try to get control of their working conditions. They do this by joining together to take their concerns to company management. A group of workers that does this is called a labor union. A labor union is an organization that works for its members' interests, such as fair wages, working conditions, benefits, and hours.

In the late 1800s, many people who lived in American cities worked in factories. Most factories were dangerous. Factory owners did not want to pay extra money to make the factories safe for workers. The machines in factories had no safety devices, and workers could easily get their clothing, hands, arms, or legs stuck in the fast-moving machines. Many workers were injured, and thousands died each year in factory accidents.

Factory employees also had to work long hours for little pay. Because there were so many people looking for jobs, employees were easy to replace. Therefore, the wages were low. It was not unusual for a workday to last more than 12 hours. Some workers did not even get the weekends off. They might have gotten one day off every two weeks. Factory owners set these long hours because they knew the workers needed their jobs to survive.

Workers felt trapped in dangerous, low-paying jobs. They wanted someone to speak for them. Many members of the labor force decided to get together in organized groups. They formed unions that would protect their interests. Founded in the late 1800s, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor were two of the first labor unions to be established.

Unions used the strike to get employers to listen to their demands. During a strike, workers refused to go to work until the company manager agreed to talk about their demands. The workers would protest in front of the factories instead of going to work. Sometimes, the strikes became violent. Unions tried to get higher pay, an eight-hour workday, and safer workplaces for union members.

Employers did not like unions. Some refused to hire people who belonged to unions. Employers made workers sign contracts saying that they would not join a union. Congress passed laws that helped unions. In 1935, the Wagner Act gave workers the right to join unions and to bargain with their employers.

Unions began using collective bargaining before they went on strike. During collective bargaining, union leaders met with employers to talk about things like pay, working hours, and benefits for workers. The employees only went on strike if collective bargaining did not succeed.

Labor unions in the United States today include the:

• American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations

• American Postal Workers Union

• American Federation of Teachers

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