Final answer:
Factory workers were typically paid a wage, which is an hourly rate, rather than a salary, commission, or bonus. This form of compensation is historically tied to the conditions and agreements workers had with industrial employers, including responses to union actions and the relationship between pay, productivity, and employment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Instead of being paid a set price per product or service, factory workers during various periods, including the industrial revolution, would typically be paid a wage. This wage would be an hourly rate for the time they spent working at the factory, rather than a salary which is a fixed amount paid regardless of the number of hours worked, a commission which is a percentage of sales made, or a bonus which is an extra payment given for achieving set targets or as a reward for good performance.
A relevant historical context is during World War II when unionized workers agreed to keep production going by not striking to support the war effort. Over time, management might respond to union demands for higher wages by investing in more machinery, which could make workers more productive but might also lead to a need for fewer workers. This is an example of the complex relationship between worker compensation, productivity, and employment levels in industrial settings.