what was the condit ion of workers in the beginning of the 20th century?
Answers
Working Conditions in the Early 20th Century (1900's)
Why factories?
Living Conditions
The rapid increase in population of the cities of Canada meant that there was not enough housing for everyone. People often were forced to live in slum like conditions.
Not only were many families forced to live in one room, but there was no safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and all of this resulted in a lot of sickness.
By contrast, the factory owners and other rich members of society had large, spacious houses and all of the new luxuries that were available at the time. (washing machines, bicycles and vacuum cleaners)
Factory owners made money because of the productivity of their employees but the welfare of those same workers was frequently ignored.
I have to work how long??
During this time, it was likely that employees would work 12 to 14 hours a day in dark, badly ventilated, unheated factories for very little money.
To make matters worse, the machines while working quickly, were not designed for safety and there was no compensation for anyone who got hurt on the job.
Women and children (some as young as 6) worked in the same condition as men for much less pay and children regularly received fines if they talked too much, worked too slowly or went for too many drinks of water. In some cases, children were beaten for making mistakes.
Use your notes to answer the following questions and hand them in to me when you are done.
1. How were the factory owners able to staff their factories?
2. What were some of the hardships faced by the workers?
3. How did working conditions begin to improve?
4. Why do you think unionists were so hated by
factory owners?
A New Century - A New
World
In the reading you did last week, you noticed that Canadians wanted and were using many of the latest inventions.
Between the years of 1900 and 1910, Canadian industry had doubled and there were many jobs created in factories across the country.
All of this production did wonders for the economy, but it came at a price.
Canada had been successful for many years as a farming nation, but the introduction of electricity, factories were using newer and faster machinery. This new machinery was more efficient and created an increase in productivity.
With this, came a need for a cheap labour force to run the machinery. Because there had been advances in farming, there were fewer farmers needed on the fields. These farmers came to the cities looking for work and were able to get jobs in the factories
At the same time, thousands of immigrants were coming to Canada to farm, but not being able to afford all of the supplies needed, they stayed in the cities and worked in factories.
How can this get better?
Gradually the workers realized that they would have to band together to get better working conditions.
They realized that if everyone in all factories had common goals their voices together would not be able to be ignored. This is how, first skilled workers unions and later unskilled workers unions, were formed.
Unions
Unionists (people who belonged to unions) were considered to be criminals and were often arrested for their actions
Labour unrest culminated in the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919
Although it would take a long time to have labour legislation passed, the government did finally have to acknowledge that unions were not illegal
One of the major accomplishments of Unionists was to pass the Child Labour Act in 1909 that prevents children from under 14 from working in factories.
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