Life was not easy for the average American worker in 1914..
The average American worker in 1914 earned about $200 per year. This would be the equivalent of earning about $4,700 in today’s dollars. The average worker worked about 60 hours per week.
Workers in 1914 did not have many rights or protections. There were no laws requiring employers to provide breaks, vacation days or health insurance. Workers could be fired at any time for any reason. If they were injured on the job, they were not entitled to any compensation from their employer.
Henry Ford’s $5 a day minimum wage was more than double the average wage in 1914. His decision to raise wages helped improve working conditions and standards for workers across the United States. The move also helped to reduce turnover and improve productivity at Ford’s factories.
In 1914 many workers died from preventable accidents and illnesses.
The mortality rate for American factory workers in 1914 was quite high. Many workers were killed or injured on the job due to dangerous working conditions. There were no laws in place to protect workers from unsafe working conditions. As a result, many workers were killed or injured each year in workplace accidents.
In addition to being killed or injured in workplace accidents, many factory workers in 1914 died from exposure to dangerous chemicals and pollutants. Factory workers were often exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals that caused them to become ill. Many of these workers died from diseases such as cancer or respiratory illnesses.
The high mortality rate for American factory workers in 1914 was due in part to the low wages that workers were paid. Many workers could not afford to live in safe or healthy conditions. They were forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions for little pay. As a result, many workers died from preventable accidents and illnesses.
Despite the high mortality rate, many workers continued to work in factories because they had no other options.
What did Ford think about his workers value?
Henry Ford believed that workers should be paid based on their skills and abilities, not just for the number of hours they worked. He wanted to encourage workers to develop their skills so that they could be more productive and efficient.
“The worker is not paid for his labor but for his skill.”
– Henry Ford
Here is a quick list of noted industrialists in 1914
– Henry Ford
– John D. Rockefeller
– Andrew Carnegie
– J.P. Morgan
– Cornelius Vanderbilt
– James Buchanan Duke
– Frank Workman Duffield