Historical story

How did the depression affect workers who kept their job?

Workers who kept their jobs during the Great Depression faced significant wage cuts and reduced working hours. Many were forced to work longer shifts for less pay, with some seeing their wages cut by as much as 50%. This decrease in income resulted in a decline in living standards and decreased consumer spending, further exacerbating the economic downturn.

With unemployment rates soaring, those lucky enough to retain their jobs were often grateful to have any source of income and may have felt pressure to accept lower wages and poor working conditions out of fear of losing their jobs.

The loss of income and decline in consumer spending also had a ripple effect on the broader economy, affecting businesses, industries, and communities that depended on worker income for survival.