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Labor Unions in Europe.

For individuals all throughout the world, the late nineteenth century was a time of

immense change. In practically every large city, industries became staples of society; farming

grew more effective thanks to steel and machines, and more jobs became available as a result of

all the new industries. Manufacturing employment increased from 1.3 million to 4.5 million

persons between 1865 and 1900. Long hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions were all

part of the package. Millions of individuals were denied the fundamental necessities that their

labor enabled others to enjoy. 1 Edward Bellamy, author of Looking Backward, wrote about the

drive for monopolies in his book "Individual laborers, who had been relatively important to small

employers, were reduced to insignificance and powerlessness in the face of the large corporation,

while the path to the position of employer was closed to him. Self-defense compelled him to

band together with his comrades."2 People want independence and fair treatment from their

employers, therefore labor unions were founded to attain this goal. Employers were accountable

for adequately compensating them for their job, but they did not do so until the laborers fought

back. The National Labor Union, The Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of Labor

were among the first labor unions to form. Furthermore, during the late 1800s, industrial unions

often failed because workers could be readily replaced because they lacked specialized skills.

Employers, on the other hand, had to bargain with trade unions since the unions represented

workers with the skills they need.

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The National Labor Union was active for around six years and had a membership of

almost 600,000 people. It included skilled and unskilled laborers, farmers, women, and blacks,

but not Chinese. The 1870s slump, combined with the abrupt death of its leader, brought the

union to an end. During its existence, the union pushed Congress to adopt legislation requiring

government employees to work an eight-hour day and repealing the Contract Labor Law (a law

that was passed during the Civil War to encourage importation of labor). The Contract Labor

Law had been used by several companies to attract foreigners who were willing to labor for

lower wages than Americans.

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References

Europe since 1865, by Louis M. Hacker and Benjamin B. Kendrick.

Europe in the Guilded Age, 2nd ed. (New York: NYU Press, 1988), 235. Sean Dennis

Cashman, Europe in the Guilded Age, 2nd Ed.