La Follette Seamen's Act
United States 1915
Synopsis
Sailors and fishermen have historically faced grueling hours, hazardous conditions, and low wages. During the nineteenth century, they were also confronted with corporal punishment, poorly maintained vessels, and few labor rights. Despite union representation, seamen remained without a substantial voice in government and the courts. This changed in 1915 with the passing of the La Follette Seamen's Act.
In 1908 Andrew Furuseth became the president of the International Seamen's Union. He partnered with Senator Robert La Follette to create a bill devoted to changing important issues in the seafaring trades. However, like the oceans, politics are a fickle and ever-changing environment. It took years of sustained effort to see important legislation passed, but Furuseth and La Follette successfully championed the cause. With the passage of the La Follette Seamen's Act in 1915, the new legislation improved labor conditions and helped to protect the lives of America's seamen.
Timeline
- 1895: Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière show the world's first motion picture—Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory—at a café in Paris.
- 1900: China's Boxer Rebellion, which began in the preceding year with attacks on foreigners and Christians, reaches its height. An international contingent of more than 2,000 men arrives to restore order, but only after several tens of thousands have died.
- 1905:
