Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Labor Unions
Long ago, working in a factory was not easy. The hours were long and the pay was very low. Workers wanted better working conditions. They began to join together and form labor unions.
The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor was started in 1869. At first, only skilled workers were invited to join. The meetings were held in secret. Workers were fired if it was found out that they joined a union. The Knights had many goals. The union wanted to end child labor, have a shorter workday, and equal pay for men and women. These were big goals for the time period.
In 1879, Terence Powderly was elected president of the Knights of Labor. He wanted more members in the union. He said that anyone could join. It didn't matter if the workers were skilled or unskilled, men or women. Even African Americans were invited to join. Members included everyone from factory workers to farmers.
