Labor Movement The Labor Movement began during the Industrial Revolution as workers organized against exploitative conditions—14-hour days, child labor, and unsafe factories. Starting in 19th-century Europe and North America, it birthed trade unions, collective bargaining, and demands for fair wages, weekends, and workplace safety. Landmark events include the Haymarket Affair (1886), the Pullman Strike (1894), and the rise of the International Workers of the World (IWW). Hard-won gains include the eight-hour workday, minimum wage laws, Social Security, and OSHA regulations. Globally, the movement empowered marginalized workers—from garment laborers in Bangladesh to farmworkers led by César Chávez in the U.S. Though union membership has declined in some nations due to anti-labor policies, gig economy exploitation has sparked renewed activism (e.g., Amazon and Starbucks union drives). The movement established that dignity at work is a human right, not a privilege. Today, it intersects with racial, gender, and immigrant justice, recognizing that economic equity requires inclusive solidarity. From picket lines to policy halls, labor’s legacy proves that collective power can humanize capitalism.
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