General Motors was founded on September 16, 1908 in Flint, Michigan, quickly developing into an industrial powerhouse in the United States, and more recently becoming one of the largest car and truck manufactures in the world. The beginning of General Motors Corporation can be traced back to 1892, when R.E. Olds collected all of his savings to convert his father's naval and industrial engine factory into the Olds Motor Vehicle Company to build horseless carriages. In 1895 the first car was built; it was a “four seater with petrol engine that could produce five horsepower” (Gale), and could reach up to 19 mph. The first model was considered “luxury” at the price of $1,200, but did not do as well as they hoped. The second model, priced at $650
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More specifically, “General Motors was the largest private employer in the country because it was able to employ 618,365 individuals in 1979” (Mckee). Other companies tend to depend on the car industry, therefore, when General Motors was going through a financial crisis, other companies were too. This would also add to the unemployment rate of the nation, which also has a drastic effect on the …show more content…
Before the implication of these improvements, labor union workers were facing horrific working environments that threatened the well being of most of the workers. Laborers ignored these conditions because if they did not work, there would be no way that their family would eat that night. The “1900 census counted 1.75 million individuals aged 10 – 15 who were gainful workers” (Fisk, pg.1). With today’s labor unions, half of what happened in the early 1900’s would never happen again in result of the newly and strictly enforced safety regulation that are in place at every workplace.
Not only has the safety of all work places improved, but also the income the workers receive for their tireless work. The income of workers has drastically changed from 1900 - 2017. In 1900, the average income was $4,200 which is only worth about $6,000 today. By 1999, it was up $33,700, which falls around $49,800 in an average salary today. The hourly wage in 1999 was $13.90, which meant in 1909, a man’s hourly wage was $3.80. Moreover, one can see the drastic income increase throughout the years, but also the lack of money a person was receiving for not only laborious work, but unsafe
More specifically, “General Motors was the largest private employer in the country because it was able to employ 618,365 individuals in 1979” (Mckee). Other companies tend to depend on the car industry, therefore, when General Motors was going through a financial crisis, other companies were too. This would also add to the unemployment rate of the nation, which also has a drastic effect on the …show more content…
Before the implication of these improvements, labor union workers were facing horrific working environments that threatened the well being of most of the workers. Laborers ignored these conditions because if they did not work, there would be no way that their family would eat that night. The “1900 census counted 1.75 million individuals aged 10 – 15 who were gainful workers” (Fisk, pg.1). With today’s labor unions, half of what happened in the early 1900’s would never happen again in result of the newly and strictly enforced safety regulation that are in place at every workplace.
Not only has the safety of all work places improved, but also the income the workers receive for their tireless work. The income of workers has drastically changed from 1900 - 2017. In 1900, the average income was $4,200 which is only worth about $6,000 today. By 1999, it was up $33,700, which falls around $49,800 in an average salary today. The hourly wage in 1999 was $13.90, which meant in 1909, a man’s hourly wage was $3.80. Moreover, one can see the drastic income increase throughout the years, but also the lack of money a person was receiving for not only laborious work, but unsafe