Workers decided they could not keep living such hard lives. They knew they had to work together to negotiate with the rich and powerful factory owners, so they grouped together to form labor unions. Labor unions used 3 different strategies to protect workers:
The first strategy was called "collective bargaining." Workers chose a few leaders to represent them in a meeting with the factory or mine owner. In this meeting, everyone would agree to a new contract that gave workers shorter hours, higher pay, and safer working conditions. If the factory owner did not agree to the contract, all the workers would strike, or stop working until they got what they wanted. Many strikes occurred during the Industrial Revolution, and workers still go on strike today.
The second strategy was giving benefits to union members. If any worker got hurt on the job, the union would pay for the doctor's visit, medicine, and sometimes food.
The third strategy was working with the government to pass more laws. Union leaders could make deals with politicians to pass laws that helped workers. For example, child labor became illegal and the government began to send inspectors to make sure factories were safe.

License information: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
MPAA: PG
Go to source: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/workers-rights-and-the-history-of-labor-unions