13. Unions Had Been On The Rise Nationally
Wars tend to create changes in economic conditions, and World War I was no exception. With men gone to fight on the front in Europe, women had to work in the factories to produce uniforms, artillery, and other means for the war effort. These workers organized into unions on a large scale to make sure that they received fair compensation. By the end of the war, it was becoming clear that unions were here to stay.
But not everyone welcomed the rise of unions. They threatened big businesses, who would have to pay out higher wages and spend more money on worker safety. They also fed into the Red Scare; Russia was in the throes of a communist revolution, and many became fearful that the communist ideology would spread among unionized workers.
