Final answer:
Workers communicated with their bosses through various means, including union representatives, collective bargaining, and strikes, especially during the historical development of labor movements. Some companies attempted to undermine unions with 'company unions' that offered modest reforms. Effective strategies that shaped workers' rights included organized union actions and negotiations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The methods workers used to communicate their desires to bosses historically have included several approaches. Union representatives played a key role in presenting the demands and concerns of the workforce.
Unions employed strategies such as collective bargaining and strikes. Collective bargaining involved a process of negotiation between the employer and the union representatives to reach a mutually agreeable set of work terms and conditions, whereas striking was a more forceful tactic in which workers refused to work until their demands were met. Elsewhere, workers would use tactics like anonymous letters or organized strikes to express dissatisfaction or push for change.
In contrast to these more direct forms of action, some companies set up 'company unions', which often secured modest reforms or one-time bonuses through negotiations that appeared favorable but lacked the true collective power of independent unions. However, these company unions often served the interests of management more than those of the employees. Labor leaders creating the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) to pursue aggressive tactics,
- United Auto Workers occupying factories during a sit-down strike,
- The American Federation of Labor pushing for workers' rights despite negative publicity.
These examples highlight differing strategies used to communicate with and influence employers, but it was the efforts of organized labor, through unions and representative actions that often had the most significant impact.