Since the passing of the Wagner Act in 1935, labor unions have positively affected working conditions for the middle class and lower class since it was enacted. When it was enacted it created the middle class by creating better working conditions and an increase in pay. Through our research we concluded that labor unions in the US positively affected the middle class up until the bill was weakened by the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947.
Labor unions are, “An organized association of workers, often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests.” (dictionary.com) Labor union were created to ensure the safety of the average worker, decrease the unsafe conditions of the average workplace at the time,…show more content… Workers often worked long hours in unsafe conditions. For example, The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. Women in this factory were locked in during working hours. They received no breaks during their twelve hour work day. They did this seven days a week. When the building caught on fire, workers were trapped inside and management could not let them out. The workers were forced to jump out of the windows or burn to death. A total of 145 people died due to the unsafe working conditions. This bolstered the effects of the workers unions and led to a protest against unsafe working conditions that was attended by approximately 80,000 people. (History.com)
Labor unions have been around since the creation of the country. Through policies enacted due to the great depression and the loss of economic stability, the power of labor unions grew as more individuals wanted to gain access to the conditions that labor unions provided.
These policies were further refined by the National Labor Relations Act or commonly referred to as the Wagner Act. It gave workers the right to join a labor union and collectively bargain. Collectively bargaining is the compromise over wages, amount of man hours, and employment