There was a time when people worked long hours in horrible conditions for almost nothing. The emigrants came to the States looking for better opportunities found themselves in the situation where they will take any jobs for any pay. There was a need to create new laws and regulations to protect workers and their rights. People united and organized labor unions that would support people’s interests and negotiate better wages, working hours and conditions. The child labor was another subject that addressed during the American labor movement.
According to Carrell and Heavrin, the strikes in 17 century and poor work conditions and constantly wage reductions provoked workers to strike and demand better conditions. As a result, in 1792 shoemakers, in 1794 the Journeymen Printers in New York
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In early 1800, the profit of unions has stayed similar. As the demand for skilled workers increased, there was a struggle between employers and employees. After the Civil War, there was another influence of immigrants and the country, which developed rapidly, needed new approaches. The national corporations such as Andrew Carnegie’s steel mills and John Rockefeller’s oil refineries were large companies where people had the needs to unite and create organizations. For years, the trade unions tried to establish the national trade union. In 1866, the skilled and unskilled workers merged and formed a union. Many people don’t understand the significance of the act. Not only people gained rights, but they also held power. The railway strike in 1877 was the first evidence of how powerful the union can be. The next protest in 1894 when workers in Illinois organized and with the help of the federal government achieved their goals was significant. There is also the Industrial Workers in the World that created in 1905 to help people around the world to unite and strike against unfairness and discrimination. Later,