Labor History essays

Labor History essays The 1st Industrial Revolution occurred during the mid 1800s. It was defined as the era of Industrial Capitalism. Economic life, in this period, began with very few wage-earning employment opportunities and had the majority of families involved in subsistence farm work. Along side these means for survival, existed few, independently owned craft shops, run by skilled, white artisans, journeymen and their apprentices. During this era, life went on to include large manufactories owned by capital seeking employers. Job opportunities were then created for many women and unskilled workers seeking wage-earning positions. However, with this economic development came the conflict between proud craft workers and capitalistic factory owners. Groups of skilled artisans protested by banding together to keep their heritage alive and strong, thus, the Craft Union was born. The expansion of a unionized society developed along side the growth of manufactories, and was known as Industrial unio nization. As the industrial world grew, over the next 50 years, so too did the attitude of capitalistic employers. By the 1920s, employers and factory owners had the idea to better control production and monitor work, based on the theory of Scientific Management. This attempt for greater control over production became known as the 2nd Industrial Revolution. The industry growth had formed large groups of workers who united to create some powerful industrial unions, used to protect themselves from these new managers. Movements such as the nine hour work days, other legislations and Government intervention occurred to shape the working environment. The expansions, during this century and a half, that helped develop and shape the two Industrial Revolutions, set the pace and molded the labor force that now exists today. In the early 1800s, life in Canada consisted of few wage-earning jobs, with the majority of ...