What Problems Did Workers Face in American Cities in the Late 1800s?

Hall-Scott Factory workers, undated (late 1800s to early 1900s

During the early 1800s, it was illegal for workers to agitate for better-working conditions by withholding their services or actively inciting other workers to down their tools. This situation improved in the mid-1800s when such laws were expunged, however, this did not change the working conditions.

Workers continued to suffer from dangerous working conditions, especially, when the industries expanded. Workers had no legal opportunity to pursue issues related to accidents at the workplace. The workers were not entitled to compensation and most of the time the individual who was hurt was fired. By 1900, the factories were claiming the lives of approximately 35,000 workers annually.

Workers were forced to work for 12 hours a day with others working even longer. They were not entitled to retirement benefits and most elderly former workers were exposed to extreme poverty and dependency on working family members.

The government supported the deployment of armed troops to end strikes by the early labor unions, such conditions claimed a majority of workers who were shot during the conflicts.

by Tim Mbiti