Labor Unions

In this clip from the movie, Newsies, Jack Kelly (the cowboy), begins a union and a strike against the big paper companies, with the idea of, "when you got a hundred voices singin', who can hear a lousy whistle blow?" The newspapers boys join together in order to protect their individual rights.

Labor unions resulted from the Industrial Revolution, which brought about dramatic changes in demographics, politics, social structure, and economy. With the growth of factories, people were drawn into the metropolitan centers. Capitalism was magnified in this time period. Factory owners who controlled the means of production, became rich very quickly. Soon, new technologies, like steam power, mining, and metallurgy, emerged. But with the new demand of workers also came an issue with working conditions. Work places were often poorly ventilated, over-crowded, and full of safety hazards. Men, women, and children (all of whom were employed), struggled to meet living expenses and formed urban slums.

Consequently, conditions of action were taken to protect workers. Safety laws were passed, minimum age limits, schools for the children, and other standards were created.
The individual workers also initiated activities for protection, and established labor unions.

We see labor unions today.
October 3, 2010, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, gives a speech at "One Nation Working Together" at the Lincoln memorial that contains many purposes of a trade union.

"We believe in America. It's time for America to believe in each and every one of us. And we have to ensure that working men and women have the freedom to make every last job a good job by joining together in a union to bargain for a better life." -Richard Trumka

What can you do if you are a worker in a factory, slaving away long hours, never even seeing the finished product. The capitalist in you screams "I have a family to take care of...self interest". How can one protect himself or herself?
Labor Unions provide one answer. Are there others?