They worked long hours in stifling conditions, lived in overcrowded and unsanitary housing, and experienced little growth in earnings. Some indicators, such as workers’ average height, suggest that standards of living may have even declined for a while.
但是，在几十年的时间里，工人几乎没有得到任何生产率提高所带来的好处。他们在令人窒息的环境中长时间工作，住在没有卫生设施的拥挤的宿舍中，收入也几乎没有增长。一些指标，如工人平均体重，表明生活质量可能下降了一段时间。