One of the most significant historical issues of the 20th of XX century was labor conditions and workers’ wages in factories and plants. The first part of the XX century was characterized by the migration of the population from villages to cities; ongoing industrialization and the appearance of new industrial sites. The processes of urbanization attracted many people willing to work in factories. However, working conditions there were far from adequate since people had to work almost all day long.
Multiple sources testify to the drastic condition of factory workers at plants at that time. Thus, Machan (n.d.) says about discrimination in the workplace, where factory workers got only bread and vegetables while their superiors enjoyed eggs and meat all for the same price. Moreover, factory workers did not get proper treatment and were forced to go to work before being properly cured. The chiefs used violence against those who disobeyed and severe beatings at work were not rare at that time. Smith in his interview said that though working conditions were acceptable, the pay was so low that he was not able to provide for his family (“We ought to have the right to belong to the Union”: Frank Smith speaks on the 1919 Steel Strike,” n.d.). Underpayment and mistreatment were among the major problems at those times. Workers did not have weekends and had to go to work every day.
Strikes, protests, and unionization became a natural reaction to unbearable working conditions. Factory chiefs did not welcome unions and could fire workers for belonging to those organizations (Mohajan, 2019). However, the practice of suppressing riots soon became ineffective and chiefs had to improve working conditions in response to public outrage. Nevertheless, it took time for new reforms to take root and improve the drastic conditions in which people worked and lived.
References
Machan, R. (n.d.). Such cases of outrageous unspeakable abuse…: A Puerto Rican migrant protests labor conditions during World War I. History Matters. Web.
Mohajan, H. (2019). The second industrial revolution has brought modern social and economic developments. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(1), 1-14. Web.
We ought to have the right to belong to the Union: Frank Smith speaks on the 1919 Steel Strike. (n.d). History Matters. Web.