Workers Conditions in 19th Century Europe

In society, many make a living by working for others to get the necessities they need. Workers face many struggles such as wage cuts, horrendous work conditions, an increase in hours, due to these conditions they are labeled ‘wage slaves.’ These individuals have no choice but to work in these conditions. The growth of industry in the United States made corruption easier and made employers richer while the poor stayed poor. The employers justify their actions by arguing that the employees have a choice to go and work for someone else. However, workers do not have the choice to work for others since most employers were using the same method to make a profit. Workers are treated unfairly, but they use many effective techniques such as strikes

When the French Third Estate stormed the Bastille in 1789, they envisioned a country in which they were no longer trodden upon by the First and Second Estates. They envisioned a nation where they had a major voice in politics and had a prominent role in the economy. By successfully overthrowing the French government and installing their own, they succeeded; albeit for only a short time. Little did they know that within a few decades, the same social hierarchy would be reinstalled during the Industrial Revolution, except the lower classes would be fighting for sanitation instead of bread. Over the course of the nineteenth century, various arguments emerged of how to improve the lives of European workers during the Industrial Revolution. Arguments

In the 1800s and early 1900s working conditions were much harsher than now. Long hours and small wages made up a day in the life of someone living in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The Haymarket Riot was the result of the bombing in Chicago. “In the summer 1886 the campaign for an eight-hour day, long a rallying cry that united American laborers, culminated in a national strike on May 1, 1886. Between 300,000 and 500,000 workers struck across the country. In Chicago, police forces killed several workers while breaking up protestors at the McCormick reaper works. Labor leaders and radicals called for a protest at Haymarket Square the following day, which police also proceeded to break up. But as they did, a bomb exploded and killed seven policemen. Police fired into the crowd, killing four. The deaths of the Chicago policemen sparked outrage across the nation and the sensationalization of the “Haymarket Riot” helped many Americans to associate unionism with radicalism” (Yawp). As a result of the Haymarket Riot was the loss of members of the Knight of Labor. “The national movement for an eight-hour day collapsed”(Yawp). The Haymarket Riot played an important role in illustrating how labor was in the late 1800s to the

The report marks the start of modern factory legislation. Sadler listened to those who lived through working those harsh conditions as children and investigate them in different aspects, including wage, working hours, working age, worker’s mental and physical health. These are related to the working rights that people are still striving for nowadays. For example, Hong Kong set up the standard working hour committee in 2013 concerning employees’ long working hours. The Sadler Report provide evidence that helped the factory legislation became achievable and raise the public awareness of labour

Workers picketed and protested until they received their rights (Doc 4). Unions that were formed made demands for the well-being of workers. People continued

The working conditions of the new arrivals were hardly any better, as employees of factories were often overworked, underpaid, and penned up in dangerous conditions. Perhaps the horrors of these conditions can be highlighted by the devastating 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. Tragically, over one hundred young women lost their lives in the fire, as there was no way to get out, and the doors were locked, trapping the women inside. Safety was not the only problem, as workers initially were not given the right to organize into unions, essentially doomed to the repetitive motions of factory operation. This meant that they had no way to protest against child labor, wage slavery, and unhealthily long working hours. Eventually, with their growing clout and ever-present industrial dependence on their labor, workers organized and demanded reform along all aspects of hazardous working conditions.

Even if it meant, working for low wages in a crowded or an unsafe environment. “From this hour, a hard life began for me. He refused to employ me except by the week. He paid me three dollars and for this he hurried me from early until late.” The owners, Blanck and Harris would often walk through their factory, looking the other way while young teenagers worked to improve their lives. This was the first indication the owners were guilty; the owners were present with their families just a few hours before the tragic fire started. They could see factory workers worked long hours with little or no breaks. They often worked without food or were afraid to stop to eat because of the demands from their boss. The pressure was real and it came from the owners and the people they hired to run the factory. One factory employee gave this description…“The bosses in the shops are hardly what you would call educated men, and the girls to them are part of the machines they are running. They yell at the girls and they "call them down" even worse than I imagine the Negro slaves were in the South.” (Life in the Shop, by Clara Lemlich)

“People were forced to work in harsh, dangerous conditions in order to be able to provide for their families” (Document 8). Although most people were grateful to have a job, the conditions that they were forced to work for in order to provide for their families were unfair to them, and their families. Just because they obtained a job one day, doesn’t mean they would have it the next day, for example, if an employee was sick, or injured and had to miss a day of work the employee wasn’t guaranteed to continually have the job after they finally recovered. “I am at work in a spinning room tending four sides of warp which is one girl’s work” (Document 1) working conditions such as these are very harsh for the employees, not only do they have to keep up with the work of four people. Not only do the employees have to keep up with the sea of work, they also have to attempt not to get injured with the very harsh conditions lots of employees did in fact end up with serious injuries. “5 in the morning till 9 at night…” (Document 7) Those were the harsh working hours according to twenty-three year old Elizabeth Bentley. Long hours such as those were very common for factory workers, which made life hard for employees. Not only was harsh working conditions bad, but also the worst consequence that came about through the Industrial Revolution was child

In Document B, which was explained by David A. Wells, an engineer and economist, was informative on how working condition were analogous to a military organization, “in which the individual no longer works as independently as formerly, but as a private in the ranks, obeying orders, keeping step, as it were, to the tap of the drum, and having nothing to say as to the plan of his work, of its final completion, or of its ultimate use and distribution. In short, the people who work in the modern factory are, as a rule, taught to do one thing—to perform one and generally a simple operation; and when there is no more of that kind of work to do, they are in a measure helpless.” (Document B) Which meant that workers at the factory basically don’t hold responsibility to themselves, as workers mainly are only trained to one job, relating to David A. Well theory. Document F sourced by Samuel Gompers, also portrays how the conditions were explaining that there was too many workers trying to fit in one factory place, and poor conditions. This was how union were created, to regain benefits, as well for better working

The years following the Civil War and Reconstruction era was a time period that was somewhat gilded. The Second Industrial Revolution came bearing new inventions, and revolutionized how factories and jobs were worked. In this time period, factory workers were faced with unpleasant working conditions, abuse, pay cuts and the reality of having little to no power. The mass immigration also did them no favor as they were found easy to replace. In order to fight against these unjust acts, laborers would join labor unions in order to protest; however during the time of 1875 and 1900, the labor unions were not that effective. Although they had their efforts, many did utilize the advantages in which were available to them. There were many reasons for the movements initial downfall; they suffered failed strikes resulting from rash violence, unbalanced power between employers and employees, and the absence of government.

“Tis night when I am free; A stranger am I to my child; And he one to me” (Document 2). This poem is about a mother (most likely) talking about her son. The fact that families were working such long hours, that they were strangers to each other is heartbreaking; employers should have been giving everyone a work period that wasn’t too long during the day, from sun-up to sun-down. “As countries industrialized, they also urbanized. This was a result of people moving in large numbers in order to gain factory jobs” (Document 6). Usually the tenements were extremely compact and cramped apartment-like. Employers must have had some sort of idea about how bad the living conditions were, but they still decided not to pay more to the employees, not caring how good or bad their living conditions were. “C: What time did you begin work at the factory? B: When I was six years old” (Document 7). This is an example of poor employers, because they were willing to send children into hard laborious work. At that age, they should have been trying to get a good education, not working. Employers giving jobs to little kids also caused children to eventually become deformed, “C: Did your deformity come upon you with much pain and weariness? B: Yes, I cannot express the pain all the time it was coming” (Document 7). The factory owners should have noticed this in small children, and decided to lay them off. Considering most employers didn’t

Women and children were able to join the work force, but for little pay and long hours. Many were face with poor work conditions, hazardous health issues and short lunch breaks. The economic success was often left unchecked by authorities, who were not ready to deal with the consequences of these uncharted waters.

That being said, the worker's problems did not end once they found steady employment. Employers were harsh and unforgiving in how they treated their employees. For example, if an employee was one minute late they were penalized an hours pay. If they were 20 minutes late they forfeited their employment. Worse yet, if they were injured or hurt on the job the company takes no responsibility and the worker is forced to recuperate on their own time without pay (i.e.; when Jurgis sprained his ankle and had to recuperate at home for 3 months). The final insult to the workers was that even if they were always on time, worked hard and maintained their health they could lose their job due to the

The Factory Act, 1833 was an attempt to set up a normal working day in

Factory workers in eighteenth and nineteenth century England typically worked extremely long hours with a meager amount of time for breaks (Spielvogel 571). This is a direct violation of article 24 in the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours” (UN, Art. 24). Discussing these violations are important due to how the quality of life of these workers decreased during these years. Factory workers “spent all the light of day at work and came home with little energy, space, or light” to do anything (Effects of the Industrial Revolution). Undoubtedly, this environment led to