factories and the work force ► between 1860 – 1900 numbers of industrial workers increased from...

Factories and the Work ForceFactories and the Work Force

►Between 1860 – 1900 numbers of Between 1860 – 1900 numbers of industrial workers increased from industrial workers increased from 885,000 to 3.2 million (trend toward 885,000 to 3.2 million (trend toward large scale production).large scale production).

From Workshop to FactoryFrom Workshop to Factory

►Shoemakers in 1840’s worked in Shoemakers in 1840’s worked in family atmospherefamily atmosphere

►1880’s – shoe factories became larger 1880’s – shoe factories became larger and more mechanized (less personal)and more mechanized (less personal)

The Hardships of Industrial The Hardships of Industrial LaborLabor

► 1880’s expansion of factory system caused 1880’s expansion of factory system caused high demand for unskilled laborhigh demand for unskilled labor

► Contract system – to avoid problems of Contract system – to avoid problems of hiring, managing, and firing their own hiring, managing, and firing their own workers large co. negotiated agreements workers large co. negotiated agreements with a subcontractor who supervised the with a subcontractor who supervised the services of unskilled laborers.services of unskilled laborers. Construction tradesConstruction trades Machine and tool industries Machine and tool industries Garment making Garment making


►Unskilled and skilled workersUnskilled and skilled workers Worked 12 hour shiftsWorked 12 hour shifts Faced grave hazards to their health and Faced grave hazards to their health and

safetysafety

►Children typically entered the mill at Children typically entered the mill at age 8 or 9.age 8 or 9. Faced same dangers as adults, but injured Faced same dangers as adults, but injured

more often, because of pranks and playmore often, because of pranks and play Supervision was laxSupervision was lax


►Children and adults fell subject to black Children and adults fell subject to black lung in the coal mills and brown lung in lung in the coal mills and brown lung in the textile mills. the textile mills.

►1889 – 11889 – 1stst year that the ICC compiled year that the ICC compiled reliable recordsreliable records Almost 2,000 rail workers were killed on the Almost 2,000 rail workers were killed on the

jobjob More than 20,000 were injuredMore than 20,000 were injured Receiving minimal financial aid from the Receiving minimal financial aid from the

employer, if any.employer, if any. For medical benefits, workers joined fraternal For medical benefits, workers joined fraternal

organizations and ethnic clubs paying duesorganizations and ethnic clubs paying dues

Immigrant LaborImmigrant Labor

►Factory owners turned to immigrant Factory owners turned to immigrant workersworkers Muscle jobs in factories, mills, railroads, Muscle jobs in factories, mills, railroads,

and heavy constructionand heavy construction Most often new immigrants took lowest Most often new immigrants took lowest

level jobs replacing prior immigrants placeslevel jobs replacing prior immigrants places►Ex. Philadelphia Amer. & Germans worked in Ex. Philadelphia Amer. & Germans worked in

metal working trades. Irish worked unskilled metal working trades. Irish worked unskilled horse carting until new immigrants from horse carting until new immigrants from Southern Europe took their place.Southern Europe took their place.

Immigrant LaborImmigrant Labor►West Coast – Chinese immigrants took West Coast – Chinese immigrants took

dirtiest jobsdirtiest jobs Mining, canning, and RR constructionMining, canning, and RR construction

►““Wherever the heat is most Wherever the heat is most insupportable, the flames most insupportable, the flames most scorching, the smoke and soot most scorching, the smoke and soot most choking, there we are certain to find choking, there we are certain to find compatriots bent and wasted in toil,”compatriots bent and wasted in toil,”

► Immigrants could save $15 a month – Immigrants could save $15 a month – far more than they could have earned in far more than they could have earned in their homelandtheir homeland


►Cultural changes were hard for Cultural changes were hard for immigrantimmigrant Work schedules were hardWork schedules were hard

►Employers used a temperance Employers used a temperance societies and Sunday schools to teach societies and Sunday schools to teach punctuality and sobriety to immigrant punctuality and sobriety to immigrant worker who resisted the tempo of worker who resisted the tempo of factory work.factory work.


►““Whiteness” in the U.S. bestowed a Whiteness” in the U.S. bestowed a sense of privilege and the automatic sense of privilege and the automatic extension of the rights of citizenshipextension of the rights of citizenship Irish, Greek, Italian, Jewish, and others Irish, Greek, Italian, Jewish, and others

were Caucasian by race but by skin color were Caucasian by race but by skin color considered non-white receiving harsh considered non-white receiving harsh treatmenttreatment

Women and Work in Industrial Women and Work in Industrial AmericaAmerica

►Women’s work experiences, like Women’s work experiences, like men’s, were shaped by marital status, men’s, were shaped by marital status, social class, and racesocial class, and race

►White married women accepted – White married women accepted – “separate spheres” – remained at “separate spheres” – remained at home, raise children, took care of the home, raise children, took care of the householdhousehold

►Well to do had maids to ease the loadWell to do had maids to ease the load


►Working class did not have maids and Working class did not have maids and even worked at home to earn extra even worked at home to earn extra moneymoney

►Cigar manufacturers would by a Cigar manufacturers would by a tenement and require the families that tenement and require the families that lived there to work there.lived there to work there.

►Clothing industries would hire out Clothing industries would hire out finishing tasks to lower class married finishing tasks to lower class married women and their children.women and their children.


►Young working class single women Young working class single women often viewed factory work as an often viewed factory work as an opportunity.opportunity.

►1870, 13% of all women worked outside 1870, 13% of all women worked outside the home, the majority as cooks, maids, the home, the majority as cooks, maids, cleaning ladies, and laundresses.cleaning ladies, and laundresses.

►Disliked low pay, long hours, and being Disliked low pay, long hours, and being “servant”.“servant”.


►Women went to work in textile, food-Women went to work in textile, food-processing, and garment industries.processing, and garment industries.

►Discrimination barred black women Discrimination barred black women from these jobsfrom these jobs

►1870-1900 – # of all women (all races) 1870-1900 – # of all women (all races) in the work force tripled by 1900.in the work force tripled by 1900.

►17% of the work total force was 17% of the work total force was womenwomen


►Factory owners treated women as Factory owners treated women as temporary help, (feared they would temporary help, (feared they would leave to marry) therefore wages were leave to marry) therefore wages were kept low.kept low.

►Not making enough money to live on Not making enough money to live on their own, working enmeshed young their own, working enmeshed young women more deeply into the family women more deeply into the family instead of making them more instead of making them more independent.independent.


►Typewriter and telephone offered new Typewriter and telephone offered new opportunities in 1890’s.opportunities in 1890’s.

►High school educated women moved High school educated women moved to clerical work.to clerical work.

►1890, 10% of the Nation’s families 1890, 10% of the Nation’s families owned 73% of the wealth.owned 73% of the wealth.

►Less than half of industrial laborers Less than half of industrial laborers earned more than the five-hundred earned more than the five-hundred dollar poverty line annually. dollar poverty line annually.

factories and the work force ► between 1860 – 1900 numbers of industrial workers increased from...

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