Relationship Between Labor And The US Government From 1890-1945

Labor and the US Government from 1890-1945 A key aspect of this nation’s history lies in the ever-shifting relationship between its government and its common man, most specifically its labor workers. This relationship plays a crucial role in the understanding of the changes that took place in America between 1890 and 1945. The changing relationship between government and labor workers in the United States between 1890 and 1945 demonstrates a period of unrest and a transitional period in which the focus shifted towards the working class as a result of the greed and corruption of 19th century business elite

, as can be seen in the labor strikes requiring government intervention of the late 19th century, the progressives of the early 20th century

This era sought to heal the nation after the Industrial Revolution and the corruption and greed of the Business Elite. One major feat of Progressivism was the establishment of settlement houses beginning in 1989, which sought to benefit the working class by providing childcare, classes, and food for labor workers. This relationship between the upper and lower classes provided a sense of empowerment for laborers, especially women. This would eventually lead to the “uprising of 20,000” of 1909, in which Triangel Shirtwait Company workers would march for their rights. These rights were then denied by the government, until the tragic fire that lead to the death of many Triangle employees. This shocking and devastating event would lead to the Supreme Court Case known as Muller v. Oregon of 1908 in which the Supreme Court reversed previous ruling and limited the woman’s workday to ten hours. This is often seen as a first step in labor reform. However, it is a very small step which required disaster and death in order to be passed. This event signifies a change in the relationship between government and labor in favor of the working

The biggest accomplishment of this presidency was his program known as The New Deal, which Roosevelt introduced in the first one hundred days of his presidency as an attempt to reform the nation following war, depression, and greed. With the formation of the National Recovery Administration in June of 1933, industrialists were encouraged to establish fair working conditions, set prices, and minimize competition through “codes” which would ensure fair treatment of workers and promote the economy in general. The New Deal also sought to promote organization of labor through the Committee of Industrial Organization (CIO), which aimed to unionize major industries, even steel and automobiles (which had been extremely anti-union in the past). This is the most drastic shift that can be seen in the relationship between government and labor in the United States, and it is clearly in favor of the labor workers. This demonstrates that in the reform which seemed to end this period of unrest, the government finally began to consistently side with labor