Which statement describes the effect on labor during the Depression?

Which statement describes the effect on labor during the Depression?

• A. Labor Unions were Angry
• B. Wages rose steadily
• C. Labor Unions gained complete power
• D. There was no effect on labor

Answer: (A)

During the Depression, workers faced widespread job loss and shrinking wages, which caused anger, frustration, and a surge in organizing and protests. That mood and action among workers is best captured by describing labor unions as angry, since unions became more active as people pushed for better conditions, higher wages, and job protections. The other statements don’t fit the period: wages did not rise steadily, and unions did not instantly gain complete power, while there was a clear impact on labor life—unemployment, strikes, and rising union activity—rather than no effect at all. Contextually, this unrest helped set the stage for later reforms that strengthened unions in the mid-1930s.

During the Depression, workers faced widespread job loss and shrinking wages, which caused anger, frustration, and a surge in organizing and protests. That mood and action among workers is best captured by describing labor unions as angry, since unions became more active as people pushed for better conditions, higher wages, and job protections. The other statements don’t fit the period: wages did not rise steadily, and unions did not instantly gain complete power, while there was a clear impact on labor life—unemployment, strikes, and rising union activity—rather than no effect at all. Contextually, this unrest helped set the stage for later reforms that strengthened unions in the mid-1930s.