Why did strikes fail to result in improved working conditions for laborers?

Ahh -- but strikes eventually brought about changes in working conditions.

But during the Gilded Age the companies had more money and power than the unions. Also -- if a company fired workers, there were a lot of poor workers who eagerly grabbed at the available jobs. It was an employers' market.

So really strikes made the Unions look like trouble makers, the violence turned many others empathetic citizens away from Unions, and the Unions lost support and power as a result in the early 1900s?

Yes.

The failure of strikes to result in improved working conditions for laborers can be attributed to various factors. These include:

1. Limited bargaining power: In many cases, laborers had limited bargaining power compared to employers. Employers often held significant control over the means of production, resources, and employment opportunities. This power imbalance made it difficult for laborers to exert sufficient pressure to achieve their demands.

2. Strong opposition from employers: Employers often resisted labor movements, perceiving them as threats to their profitability and control. They would use various tactics to undermine strikes, such as hiring strikebreakers ("scabs"), deploying security forces, or even using violence. This opposition made it challenging for laborers to achieve their goals.

3. Legal constraints: Laws and regulations were often designed to favor employers and limit the power of laborers. Many countries had anti-union laws or restrictions on collective bargaining, making it difficult for labor movements to organize and negotiate effectively. These legal barriers hampered their ability to achieve improved working conditions through strikes.

4. Fragmentation within labor movements: Labor movements sometimes faced internal divisions, which weakened their collective bargaining power. Disagreements over strategies, priorities, or ideologies could diminish unity and hinder the effectiveness of strikes. When laborers were not united, it became more challenging to achieve their goals.

5. Economic considerations: Economic factors, such as market conditions or financial hardships, could also influence the outcomes of strikes. During periods of economic downturn or high unemployment, laborers might face increased difficulty in achieving their demands due to the availability of replacement workers or employer resistance to additional costs.

To understand why strikes failed in specific cases, it is important to examine the historical context, social dynamics, and power structure within a particular industry or region. Analyzing primary sources, historical accounts, and academic research on specific strikes can provide more insights into the reasons behind their limited success in improving working conditions for laborers.