History of Labor and Unions
Conditions Before Unions
Before unions were formed by the angry worker, multiple harmful aspects were attributed to working conditions. A few conditions of which were harmful to the worker were: Children labor for long periods of time, Long works days stretching possibly sixteen hours, No benefits for accidents on the job, as well as others. Some that weren't directly harmful were: Low wages for woman and children workers, as well those wages were sometimes paid with script. This script was then only usable in the stores setup by the employer, who then set high prices for everything.
Why Were Unions Formed
Unions were formed for multiple reasons, but a large one happened to be all of the horrible conditions listed above. Unions were formed in an attempt to protect the worker. The public wanted to be safe whilst working and working in a healthier environment. They as well wanted rights to benefits, hours worked, wages, and more. By coming together into a group, workers hoped and accomplished safe and healthy work conditions for most if not all of America.
Example of Unions
Unions are and will forever be an important aspect to the working life of Americans. Examples that truly impacted the life of workers today were The Knights of Labor and The American Railway Union. These two both impacted the early stages that formed what we currently have today.
Conditions After Unions Formed
After unions were formed, a lot of the problems listed above were solved. Work hours were somewhat set to stone being around 40 hours a week. Wages were set at a better living standard. The work environment itself was healthier and safer to be in. Benefits were given to most if not all employees. All of these and much more were gained after unions were formed.
History of Unions in WI
Unions started around 1865 in Wisconsin when the "Local 125" was formed. These workers, legislative and politicians worked hard to create the system of unions that we have been thankful to have today. Wisconsin is known for educated workers who live generally happy lives. As well, Wisconsin is known for its successful Agriculture and Industry of which is made possible by our unions.
Current State / Country Unions ( WI / U.S.A. )
The decline of the American Unions started around the 1950s. All across the nation many unions have been killed off by something. It used to be a vast majority of our nation was part of a union. Today only a small fraction of our population can call a union home. The unions have continued to decline and might very well vanish from our country. Everything that those years ago worked for could have very well vanish.