From 1870 to 1890, American workers became aware of the unsafe conditions and unfair wages they worked for. These conditions developed as a result of the expansion of industry which required more workers to work for less pay in order for the employer to make the same profit. In a sense, employers were cheating their workers by offering them long work days and very few benefits. In response, workers began to form large unions, both nonviolent and violent, such as the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Smaller unions were also formed, but they were short-lived and had no substantial power to improve the working environment for workers. Strikes were frequent and when workers became aware of them, the strikes spread to different cities. The Haymarket Riot and the Great Railway Strike are prime examples of violent strikes that ultimately led to improved working conditions. Of all the efforts of workers, it was the violent strikes of the 1870s and 1890s, such as the Haymarket Riot, that caught the attention of employers and motivated them to listen to workers and improve working conditions and salaries. The conditions in which people worked were unsanitary and sometimes dangerous. Additionally, as industries expanded, it was easy for employers to find new labor reserves among women and children. Highly skilled workers were not needed to operate this growing industry, so women and children could be used (Pelling 49). Because of these conditions, there was an influx of men and women of all trades and skills who joined labor organizations by the thousands and began striking frequently. This period of frequent strikes is commonly referred to as the "Great Upheaval" (...... middle of document ...... t. There are numerous examples throughout history which confirm that aggression is often the only way to achieve a result It took over a hundred years to establish an eight-hour workday and a two-day weekend If the only steps taken to achieve these conditions were peaceful and non-violent. , American workers could still fight for them today The success of early unions shows that employees today have influence over how fairly they are treated in the workplace. from 1870 to 1890 were absolutely necessary Working conditions were increased tenfold and strikes proved that workers would not give up No matter how employers fought back, peaceful unions fell because they were easy to defeat. silenced, while the unions that embraced aggression managed to attract the attention of employers and force them to improve conditions and wages..