Life of the Workers


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Life of the Workers

Life of the Workers: Since, there was an abundance of workers in the market, getting a job was not easy. The actual possibility of getting a job depended on existing networks of friendship and kin relations. It means , if you had a relative or a friend in a Factory you were more likely to get a job quickly . But not everyone had strong social connections . Many job seeker had to wait weeks , spending nights under bridges or in  night shelters. Some stayed in night refuges that were set up by private individuals , others went to casual wards maintained by the Poor Law authorities . Seasonality of work in many industries was another big problem.

Seasonality of work in many industries meant prolonged periods without work . After the busy season was over , the poor were on the streets again . Some returned to the countryside after the winter , when the demand for labour in the rural areas opened up in places . But most looked for odd jobs , which till the mid 19th century difficult to find . 

Wages increased somewhat in the early nineteenth century . But they tell us little about the welfare of the workers . the average figures hide the variations between Trades and the fluctuations from year to year . for instance ; when prices rose sharply during the prolonged Napoleonic war the real value of what the workers earned fell significantly . Moreover the income of workers depended not on the wage rate alone . What was also critical was the period of employment: the number of days of works determined the average daily income  of the workers .Till this time 10% of the population were extremely poor  & in the period of economic slump like the 1830's the proportion of unemployed went up to anything between 335 and 75 % in different regions .

After the 1840's buildings activity intensified in the cities , opening up greater opportunities of employment . Roads were widened , new railway stations came up railway lines were extended , tunnels dug , drainage and sewers laid ,reivers embanked . The number of workers employed in the transport doubled in the 1840's and doubled again in the subsequent 30 years .  

 
 


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