American Labour Movement

Running Head: American Labour Movement
American Labor
Movement
Essay
System04104
8/31/2019

American Labour Movement
1
American Labor Movement
The ‘American labor movement’ is one of the popular and historic events in the
American history. This movement was done by the America labor people who were forced to
work on very low wages for long working hours. Before that movement, the industrialisation
and mass production concept threw the skilled and experienced labor into unskilled position
(Sullivan, 2010). Even the expert labors and typical experienced labors were facing
unemployment situation at least one and half month out of the year. The people were working
more than sixty hours in a week and they received very little wages in return that was below
the poverty line in the country. The unemployment, poor wages, and poor working conditions
forced the women, children, and men all into the labor work at very low wages. These
situations of labour in the country forced the labors to strike against the government and that
was the start of labor movement in America in the 19th century.
The history of labor movement was not new at that time because before that there
were various agitation and union strike were done by the labor for poor wages and unhealthy
working conditions. In 1805, the union workers went on strike against the low wages and
harassment of workers at the workplace but the leaders of labor union were captured by the
USA police officials under the criminal conspiracy charges and that caused the failure of
strike (Dubofsky & McCartin, 2017). After that, more than few times the labor union tried to
fight for their rights and adequate wages but every time they were failed because of strict
actions of government. However, in 1866, the National Labor Union and Knights of Labor
were formed and they began to fight for the workers right. Large numbers of people were
connected with these two labor organisations and raised their voice for their rights and
reducing the Woking hours and it was successful when American Federation of Labor (AFL)
passed a resolution that no more than 8 hours of work from and after the 1 May 1886
(Munck, 2010). However, after this decision, the large number of labors, employees, and
labor unions were hosted strike against the AFL and government (Budd, 2010). However,
even the millions of people were participates in that strike but they get very small and limited
success. The strike of labor was failed due to Haymarket affair in Chicago where many labor
were killed in the gunfire of police when they protected for their rights at the end of their
working day at 3rd May 1886. More than 60 people were killed and seven police men were
also killed in that strike. However, the result was still not in favour of American labor that