Trade Unions in the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877)
Despite a few Trade unions emerging- very little progress in workers’ rights
Progress Lack of progress
Industrialisation generated large workforce of semi/unskilled 14% unemployment by 1876 as result of 1873 depression
workers with no representation/protection from exploitation = (Panic of 1873- caused by overinvestment into railway)
need to organise labour on larger scale Factories laid off workers, 89 railroads went bankrupt and
18,000 businesses failing between 1873-1875
National Labour Union (NUL) set up in 1866 by William H Sylvis Laissez-faire attitude out of belief that labour rights were un-
attempted to create a single association which crossed craft lines American, subversive and unpatriotic meant employers under
and drew mass membership (by 1868 had 300,000 members no legal obligation to recognise unions or their right to
across US)- campaigned for 8 hour day, baking reform, end of negotiate- period of inequality (2% owned 30% of wealth) with
convict labour and a federal labour department monopolies dominating industry (John D Rockerfeller
controlled 90% of oil industry) and creating own rules = TU
powerless
NLU promoted working women and African Americans (but not Divisions within TU due to immigration, end of slavery and size
to their unions- should create and join separate unions also of America.
prejudiced towards Chinese immigrants and campaigned to place
restrictions on them)
The Knights of Labour (KOL) founded in 1869 by Uriah Smith Unions that did exist were closed shop (obliged all workers to
Stephens achieved some initial progress especially after belong to one union) and exclusively for skilled workers.
attracting membership of demised NUL. Didn’t gain real
momentum until 1879.
Small craft unions opposed employers attempts to reduce wages End of slavery 1863 = influx of AA into southern industries but
and provided sickness benefits for their members divided from WA workforce by language, religion and culture
meaning treated with hostility and suspicion which impeded
unity and solidarity.
Majority AA lived below poverty line= accepted lower wages,
poor conditions (16 hours in sweatshop conditions), willing to
work as scab labour and unable to strike as needed work to
survive. Other workers looked on them with hatred.
Poor wages and working conditions- 1870 skilled brick worker
$3 daily, unskilled worker $1.3 daily and millworkers 84 cents
daily. 1889- 2,000 railway workers were killed
During the Reconstruction Era there was very little progress in trade union and labour rights because of attitudes and divisions
between workers’. This means that even though a few trade unions did emerge, their effect was very minimal. The laissez faire
attitude of the federal government meant employers were under no legal obligation to recognise trade unions and so did not
intervene in employers businesses. This made it very hard for organised labour to initially progress because they virtually had no
power against monopolies like John D Rockerfeller, who dominated 90% of oil industry. Thus, with trade unions unsupported in
negotiations employers had complete power over conditions, hours and pay and could get away with paying minuscule wages, in
1870 an unskilled worker earnt $1.3 daily and poor conditions, in 1889 2,000 railway workers were killed as a result of poor health
and safety provisions. At this time the US economy was particularly volatile with frequent collapses and depressions, this hindered
the trade union movement because as unemployment rose, to 14% after the Panic of 1873, there were less workers to join and
create unions and the workers that remained became increasingly desperate to keep any job they could. However, despite this,
some small craft unions did emerge, providing sickness benefits for their members and opposing employer’s attempts at reducing
wages. But, the fact that these were closed shop and exclusively for skilled workers limited the extent to which workers’ rights
were improved as any changes were restricted to a very privileged minority ( white, male, skilled workers). One of the first trade
unions to be established in 1866 by William H Sylvis was the National Labour Union (NUL) and although by 1868 they did have
300,000 members nationwide, their impact was limited by the fact they encouraged African Americans and immigrants to create
and join separate unions. These divisions prevented progress for everyone; striking trade unions failed as their jobs were just
replaced by the excluded workforce. With no representation, minority workers accepted lower wages, poor conditions (16 hours in
sweatshop conditions), and were willing to work as scab labour in times of strikes, meaning employers could continue with the
very practises some trade unions began to strike against. Thus, overall, the start of this period saw very little progress because
attitudes at grass root levels meant that no united movement could emerge with the power to effectively challenge the immense
