Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

Terms

1. the Royal Commission on the Relations of Labour and Capital – this was a committee that went to various cites to research living and working conditions; they published their report in 1889.

     sweatshop- women who worked in the textile industries; these industries would take advantage of women and immigrants by making them work from home in their own dark and unsanitary conditions; workers would pay half of their wages for rent

     Territorial Grain Growers Association-  these farmers pooled together their money to build their own grain elevators to store their grain for far less than private companies and they also promoted free trade with the U.S., better roads, better schools, and better health care for farm communities.

*Fun Fact: Farmers still pool together their money to purchase farm equipment, in the case of co-ops, and form political advocacy groups.  Farmers were powerful enough to form a provincial political party and win a provincial election during the 1920’s.

labour union- workers organize themselves to improve their conditions at work and other segments of the economy

craft union- people in the same trade, such as carpenters, form a union

blacklisting- company owners fired workers or vilified them for starting or joining unions; people fought for the legal right to organize

Trade Assemblies- various unions would join together to strengthen themselves and to demand change

Trade Unions Bill- in 1872, the federal government allowed unions to be legal

Factory Act of 1884: a) children under 12 could not be employed b) children could not work under dangerous conditions c) children could not work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week d) children must have an hour for dinner e) workers needed clean and safe working conditions f) inspectors were appointed; despite this bill, the laws were not effectively enforced

Child Labour Act of Ontario- in 1908, children could not work in stores under the age of 12 and they could not work in factories under the age of 14

One Big Union- in 1919, labour leaders in the West combined their labour groups into one big union to demand better wages and working conditions

the Winnipeg General Strike- in 1919, workers banded together to strike and tensions increased between the workers and the industry owners

general strike- all industries and services are shut down

Bloody Saturday- violence erupted; workers were arrested; the Mounties fired on crowds; and people were harmed during the Winnipeg General Strike

inflation-  the wages and incomes of people do not rise with the price of good and services, so people lose their purchasing power and ability to save

yellow-dog contract- employers only hire workers who sign a contract that terminates their employment once they join a union

Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)- formed by Woodsworth, a former federal member of parliament created the CCF or a political party that represented farmers and workers

2.  a) What sorts of jobs did children do in the late 1800s?

Children performed a variety of jobs such as  working in stores, on farms, in factories, in sweatshops at home, in timber, in mining, on the seas, and even in factories.   Girls would work as domestic servants while boys would often sell newspapers in major cities.  It was not uncommon for children to beg on the streets to help assist in the family income.  Very few attended schools.  Therefore, illiteracy was quite common.

      b) How many hours each week did children work? It was not uncommon to work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week for six days a week. 

      c) What would happen to their education?  The rich could afford private tutors so their children could be home schooled.  Some sent their children to private academies or to be sent away to boarding schools.  Not until the later part of the 19^th century, Ryerson was responsible for introducing a public school system that was modelled after that of Irish public school system.  Generally, children would not go beyond elementary school and the school curriculum lacked diversity in terms of health, physical education and the sciences.

      d) Why was it necessary for children to work?

Because of the low wages, large families, and the mentality of the time, children were seen as contributors to family labour, family income and a means to support their parents in their senior years.   They were required to work at a very young age.  The family was seen as a unit. 

3. How were the conditions women faced similar to and different from those faced by men?    Present your answer in a diagram, list or chart.

Women: mainly garment industry, inside the home, lower wages than men, expected to leave work once they had children, worked in elementary schools and as telephone operators…

Men:  mainly factories, outside of the home, higher wages than women, continued work after children were born, dominated trades…

4. Why would factory owners be unwilling to recognize unions as legal?

Factory owners wished to maximum their profits at whatever cost.   By requiring workers to supply their own materials, pay fines, and to work numerous hours so profits would surpass conditions.  Some criticized this method as a “race to the bottom”.   

15 Main Points and Additional Historical Facts of Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

1. Printers and numerous other workers marched to Queen’s Park to demand better working conditions.

2. George Brown, responsible for Confederation and owner of the Globe (and Mail), opposed healthy working conditions, shorter work hours and proper wages. (Fun Fact: Despite having a college named after him today, Brown was very much opposed to public education.)

3. During the Industrial Revolution, it was not uncommon for work weeks to consist of 10-hour days for six days a week.

(Fun Fact: Jewish tailors in Toronto were among the first to strike for improved working conditions and the religious right to not work on their Sabbath, Saturday, so they could attend their synagogues.  Strikes were also about religious freedoms.)

4. Wages often were inadequate for basic survival and it was not uncommon to owe companies money due to fines, such as breaking to drink water, and the requirement to purchase living materials from companies.  This was quite common in the case of mines.

5. In the case of the city of Hamilton, workers were burned alive because fire exits did not exist.  Cape Breton coal miners, including children, suffered from black lung or lung cancer.

6.  The following did not exist in the 19th century: job security, health benefits, unemployment insurance, workman compensation for injuries, safety standards, minimum wage, breaks, paid holidays, mandatory holidays, laws against child labour, equal pay for women, safety standards, proper ventilation or any standards that could contribute to a just or advanced society.

7.  Jobs, such as sewing, were outsourced to homes but companies did not provide  thread or pay for delivery costs.  The cost of production was passed onto the worker, which further reduced pay.

8.  Child labourers were used to supplement small family incomes.  Children were often physically and mentally abused.  It was not uncommon to fine children.  Children were used to fit into small spaces such as mines or risky activities such as operating machinery.

*Child labour still exists.   It is documented that these labour practised our outsourced to developing countries, such as the shoe manufacturing industry. This topic will be explored in grade 8 geography.

9. Farmers organized to reduce their rail costs for transporting goods.

10. Despite being blacklisted by companies, workers organized labour and craft unions to improve conditions, as well as larger unions as trades assemblies.

11. Songs, such as Solidarity Forever, were written and sung by works.

12. The Factory Act of 1884 addressed mainly the working conditions of children.

13. It took 50 years of sacrifice and struggle from 1870 to 1920 before conditions slightly improved.

14. The Winnipeg Strike involved workers organizing themselves into larger unions such as the OBU, but the protestors were violently treated by the Mounties on June 21^st, 1919, or Bloody Saturday.  Workers faced poor conditions and returning war veterans experienced unemployment.  Canadian families suffered from inflation.  The Spanish Flu was also brought by soldiers after W.W.I...  This disease spread throughout the world and killed many people.

15. Labour Day, the first Monday of September, is a worldwide holiday that recognizes workers and their historical and current struggles to improve labour conditions.