Early Labor Unions In USA Essay

The end of the Civil War marked the new wave of the rapid industrialization of the US as the resistance of the predominantly agricultural South was suppressed and the industrialized North had got an opportunity to accelerate industrialization even more than it used to do before the war. At the same time, the end of the Civil War brought a large number of new labor force from the South. Many African American, who obtained their freedom after the abolition of slavery, moved to industrialized, urban areas, where they expected to find employment and better conditions of living (Kennedy & Cohen 74). The increased number of employees allowed employees to manipulate to minimize wages of employees. In response, employees virtually had no other option but to unionize since labor unions were the only efficient tools, which they could use to protect their interests and negotiate better employment conditions with employers.

Early labor unions that emerged in the US offered employees basic protection from employers. Above all, employees were looking for fair wages and employment guarantees since often employers fired employees to recruit new ones at lower wages. Unions prevented employers from such actions since they could organize employees and launch lockout as well as they could use other strategies to prevent job cuts. In response, employers attempted to use their impact on legislators and executive power to suppress unions and eliminate union leaders. As a result, the growing confrontation between employers and employees emerged as employees used unions to conduct strikes and other protests to protect their interests, while employers often referred to legislators and executive power to suppress those protests (Kennedy & Cohen 145). One of such clashes occurred on the Haymarket square, when the bombing and clashes occur in the course of workers’ demonstration to protect their interests. The event became the turning point and made labor unions pivotal, while the government and employers had to come to negotiations with unions and employees. The legacy of Haymarket square affair is still relevant because unions and employers tend to negotiate rather than slip to civil struggle.

 

Works Cited:

Kennedy, David M and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant, A history of the American People 15th edition, New York: Random House. 2013.

 

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
close
Haven't found the right essay?
Get an expert to write you the one you need!
print

Professional writers and researchers

quotes

Sources and citation are provided

clock

3 hour delivery

person