What event helped lead to the formation of labor unions how are labor unions affected the availability of jobs?

Answer 1

Trade Unionism generally developed in the 19C with the Industrial Revolution in Britain, though had a difficult start thanks to industrialists' and agricultural land-owners' fears of the labour force having any say in things. The rapid growth of factory work, and the desperately poor conditions of farm labourers who saw the former as the better option, brought thousands of people from country to town; but the physical and contractual working conditions were often appalling and exploitative, and their housing was of very low standard.

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The employees realised the essential unfairness of their way of life, and banded together to campaign for better pay and conditions, against powerful opposition. (There were notable exceptions, particularly among industrialists who were in the Society of Friends - the Quakers - such as Salter and Cadbury and so who considered treating their staff well, a Christian duty.)

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Other European nations, and the young USA, were developing their own industries too, and trade-unions in these countries followed suit.

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Some cite the 'Tolpuddle Martyrs' as pioneering trade-unionists, but they were not that at all despite modern trades-union leaders and Labour Party members claiming otherwise. They were 6 farm labourers who swore an oath of mutual help, a serious crime then, and it was for that they were charged, convicted and transported to Australia. Although this ideal of mutual support became a leading union ethic, they did not form a union! Nevertheless the case aroused considerable contemporary public sympathy and support for the men, and eventually they were pardoned and brought home.

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I'm not clear what the second question means, thanks to its ambiguous wording. Trades unionism has not sought to control availability of work, but has had convulsive periods, especially in the UK, when uncontrolled strikes, working-to-rule, go-slows, demarcation disputes and general animosity between employer and employee, helped ruin large chunks of their own industries - hardly protecting workers as it set out to do! Nowadays a far more co-operative atmosphere prevails.