Labor Reform Movement

The Rise of Labor Unions

Progressive Era:

A reaction to the problems of Industrialization

Multiple Choice

Laissez-Faire policies allowed corporations to exploit the workers.

• True

• False

Open Ended

Name one of the harsh conditions of labor during this period.

​Conditions of Labor

• Long hours/low pays

• Hazardous, boring, repetitive tasks

• Child Labor

• Lack of job security

workers joined together to protect their rights and to:

• Ban on child labor

• Safety for workers

• Shorter work day

• Increase pay

​

Major Reforms demanded by Labor Unions

Multiple Choice

What does reform mean?

• laws passed

• Make changes in order to improve something

• to approve something into a law

Open Ended

IF you were in a union during this time period, what is one workplace reform you would advocate for?

Multiple Choice

A refusal to do work until demands are meant is called...

• boycott

• strike

• scabbing

• collective bargaining

Multiple Choice

A refusal to economically support a product, service, or business is called

• boycott

• scabbing

• strike

• collective bargaining

• Strikes

• Boycotts

• Collective Bargaining

​

Tactics used by Labor Unions to improve conditions:

• Homestead Strike

• Pullman Car Company Strike

• Haymarket Riot​

Conflict between corporations and Unions were often violent

What are your thoughts?

​

How do you think nativists reacted towards immigrants that made up the majority of this riot?

​Haymarket Riot

Multiple Select

Which statements are true about the government's treatment of unions?

• Government sided with the business owners in disputes.

• The federal government saw unions as troublemakers and violent entities.

• The federal government supported union activities.

• Politicians accepted money from business leaders.

• The government became focused on protecting the rights of workers.

Multiple Choice

True or False: The Public was generally opposed to union activities and union demands.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What impact did the Haymarket Riot have on the relationship between the government and unions?

• The government realized it need to protect the rights of organized labor.

• The government believed that they needed to protect businesses.

• The unions decided they had to overthrow the government

Multiple Choice

What impact did the Haymarket Square Riots have on labor unions?

• Membership in the labor union decreased after the Haymarket Square Riots

• Membership in labor unions increased after the riot

• Membership in labor unions stayed the same

Multiple Choice

How did Eugene V Debs contribute to the labor union movement?

• Debs became the spokesperson for the development of socialism in United States policy.

• Debs condemned government intervention and denounced the use of strikes as a union policy.

• Debs developed the first labor union to protest unfair business policies promoted by our government's policies.

• Debs became the first viable third party Presidential candidate winning California's electoral votes in the Election of 1912.

Multiple Choice

The American Federation of Labor accepted which of the following people in their union?

• African Americans

• Unskilled workers

• Immigrants

• None of the available options

Multiple Choice

What is collective bargaining?

• When workers are represented by their union during contract negotiations.

• Strategy used by factory owners to get the cheapest labor possible.

• When workers on strike are replaced by a factory owner.

Multiple Choice

How did the government typically respond to strikes organized by unions?

• The government would frequently side with the workers, and force the company owners to give in to worker demands.

• The government frequently sided with the company owners and even used troops to end strikes.

• The government would usually take over companies where strikes occurred, and would arrest the owner.

Multiple Choice

Why were many Americans distrustful of unions during the Industrial Age?

• People felt that unions helped create monopolies.

• They believed that unions were responsible for high unemployment.

• People believed unions were run by foreign radicals and were a threat to American culture.

Multiple Choice

What is one improvement labor unions achieved?

• Their wages almost doubled in amount

• They were guaranteed higher pay on holidays

• They had to have two days off a week.

• Their average work hours per week fell to 49.