Final answer:
Labor unions had a better chance of improving working conditions due to their collective bargaining power and ability to employ strategies like strikes, which individual workers could not do. They also established higher wage standards and longer-term employment, leading to increased productivity. Despite successful advocacy for worker's rights, union membership has seen a decline as government-enacted labor laws sometimes reduce the perceived need for unions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Labor unions had a better chance of improving working conditions than individual laborers because they brought workers together to collectively bargain for their rights and interests. This unity meant that unions could employ strategies such as collective bargaining and strikes that individual workers would not have the power to execute alone. Since labor unions represented a large group of workers, they had more negotiating power to push for higher wages, reasonable work hours, enhanced safety regulations, and the establishment of health benefits and support programs for workers in cases of illness, injury, or retirement.
Union workers typically had higher productivity than nonunion workers. There are several reasons for this; higher wages are believed to elicit greater productivity, and union workers often remain longer in their jobs, leading to reduced turnover costs for employers and a more experienced workforce. Additionally, many unions provide job training and apprenticeship programs, further increasing the skill level and productivity of their members.
Despite the successes in improving working conditions, there has been a decline in union membership as some workers now rely on laws enacted by government officials, which unions have historically strongly supported, to protect their rights without the need for union membership. However, throughout the 20th century, especially during the Progressive Era and under Franklin Roosevelt's administration, unions experienced growth in numbers and gained further rights for workers.