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Life as a Worker

Key Ideas:

What were living conditions like for the workers?

What were working condition like for the workers?

Why did Labor Unions need to be formed?

Have you ever been locked in a room with other people, waiting for someone to get you out? Or maybe you've been on a long car ride for vacation and really had to go to the bathroom but there was nowhere to stop and go? If you said yes to either of the preceding questions, then odds are you've seen a small glimpse at what life was like for workers in the Gilded Age. While the rich had the privilege of living in large, luxurious homes, workers often lived in small rooms with only an oven and beds and had no bathrooms.

Life at work was no better. Workers often had to work long, dangerous hours with no breaks. Because the living and working condition of workers were so harsh, Labor unions were formed. There were 3 large labor unions, the Knights of Labor, American Federation of Labor, and the American Railway Union. In the next chapter, you learn about these labor unions and the people who led them.

The Biggest Labor Unions

Key Ideas:

Who did the 3 biggest labor Unions represent?

What did the 3 biggest labor Unions want?

How were the leaders of the labor Unions?

American Railway Union

The American Railway Union is the smallest of the 3 Unions and represented mostly the less skilled workers. They believed that wages were too small and that Labor Unions should include everybody who wanted to be in them, including unskilled workers. This Union was led by Eugene V. Debs.

Eugene V. Debs

Eugene V. Debs was born in Indiana in 1855 and left home at the age of 14 to work for the railroads. In 1875 he helped organize a local lodge of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and after attempts to unite all of the brotherhoods, established the American Railway Union. He was a socialist and throughout his life he ran as a presidential candidate for the Scoialist Party of America 5 times.

American Federation of Labor

The American Federation of LAbor (AFL) was the most popular Labor Union of the 3 in the 1900s and represented all workers. They wanted better work environments with higher pay and encouraged to get as many workers as they could to go on strike and negotiate with their managers. The president of the AFL was Samuel Gompers.

Samuel Gompers

Samuel Gompers was originally the leader of the Cigar Makers' International Union. However, later on when he got them to join up with other craft unions and became president of the AFL.

Knights of Labor

The Knights of Labor (KOL) was the largest of the 3 Unions up until the 1890s and represented the rights of individual workers. They wanted equal pay for equal work and more tolerable work environments. The head of the KOL was Terence V. Powderly and this union sometimes worked with Mary "Mother" Jones.

Terence V. Powderly

Terence Powderly was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania in 1849 as the 11th child of 12. He was elected to be the leader of the largest American labor unions of the 19th century, the KOL, in 1880. In addition, he served as the United States Commisioner General of Immigration in 1897.