unions
Unions have always been around, and will continue to be around for the centuries to come. A union is a group of people banding together to fight for a common purpose to better their lives, and several were formed throughout the peak of the labor movement. They weren't very successful as oftentimes people seen talking to union recruiters were fired, but unions did have a major part in making conditions better in workplaces. Some of the more well-known unions include the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers, the Lowell Mill Women, and the Mechanics’ Union of Trade Associations.
The Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (FSJC) was formed in 1794 in Philadelphia. A cordwainer is shoemaker, and the FSJC was the first semi-permanent trade union. Although there is not a lot of information on this original union, it was a key first step in the creation of unions as a whole. Without this first sustained trading union, many other union organizations would not have followed suit and the labor movement may not have been as successful.
Another more popular union was the Lowell Mill, which was the first union of working women. This union originated in Lowell, Massachusetts and was a result of two failed all-women strikes. The textile workers protested wage cuts and an increase in work hours by organizing a strike, encouraging other mills to participate. Both efforts were crushed, but not without an impact. Although the women lacked any political power, they formed their own union and held a petition for a cap on work hours, limiting a work day to ten hours in Massachusetts. In 1845 the Lowell women received 2,000 signatures and over 4,000 the following year. Both petition attempts were fairly unsuccessful; Massachusetts did not pass the law they were hoping for. In fact, New Hampshire was the first to cap a work day at ten hours, but the law went unenforced. But the women's efforts paid off, as they showed the rest of the country that even women can make a change. Their resistance and enthusiasm inspired many others to follow in their footsteps.
A third and final union was the Mechanics’ Union of Trade Associations (MUTA). The MUTA was one of the many results of the FSJC. Formed in Philadelphia in 1827, this union was one of the organizations that made up the foundations for union popularity nationwide. The MUTA began in one city as a central labor body, but quickly expanded throughout America, becoming very successful. The MUTA paved the way for the Typographical Union in 1852 and helped to join together unions throughout the United States and Canada. Therefore, this successful union is one of the causes for international efforts with the main goal of better working conditions internationally.
The Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (FSJC) was formed in 1794 in Philadelphia. A cordwainer is shoemaker, and the FSJC was the first semi-permanent trade union. Although there is not a lot of information on this original union, it was a key first step in the creation of unions as a whole. Without this first sustained trading union, many other union organizations would not have followed suit and the labor movement may not have been as successful.
Another more popular union was the Lowell Mill, which was the first union of working women. This union originated in Lowell, Massachusetts and was a result of two failed all-women strikes. The textile workers protested wage cuts and an increase in work hours by organizing a strike, encouraging other mills to participate. Both efforts were crushed, but not without an impact. Although the women lacked any political power, they formed their own union and held a petition for a cap on work hours, limiting a work day to ten hours in Massachusetts. In 1845 the Lowell women received 2,000 signatures and over 4,000 the following year. Both petition attempts were fairly unsuccessful; Massachusetts did not pass the law they were hoping for. In fact, New Hampshire was the first to cap a work day at ten hours, but the law went unenforced. But the women's efforts paid off, as they showed the rest of the country that even women can make a change. Their resistance and enthusiasm inspired many others to follow in their footsteps.
A third and final union was the Mechanics’ Union of Trade Associations (MUTA). The MUTA was one of the many results of the FSJC. Formed in Philadelphia in 1827, this union was one of the organizations that made up the foundations for union popularity nationwide. The MUTA began in one city as a central labor body, but quickly expanded throughout America, becoming very successful. The MUTA paved the way for the Typographical Union in 1852 and helped to join together unions throughout the United States and Canada. Therefore, this successful union is one of the causes for international efforts with the main goal of better working conditions internationally.