What was the primary purpose of labor unions that emerged during this period?

The primary purpose of labor unions that emerged during this period was to advocate for workers' rights and better conditions. As industrialization accelerated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, workers faced challenging conditions such as long hours, low wages, unsafe workplaces, and a lack of job security. Labor unions arose as a collective response to these grievances, seeking to improve the overall quality of life for workers.

Unions organized strikes, campaigns, and collective bargaining efforts to negotiate better wages, reasonable hours, and safer working conditions. They also aimed to raise public awareness about the struggles faced by laborers and to push for legislative changes that would protect workers' rights. This focus on advocating for workers is what distinguished labor unions during this time from other movements or organizations, making their primary purpose clear and impactful in the context of social and economic reform.