What did the formation of unions aim to improve for the workers?

The formation of unions primarily aimed to advocate for higher wages and safer working conditions for workers. During the Industrial Revolution, many factory workers faced long hours, low pay, and dangerous working environments. Unions were established as collective groups of workers who banded together to negotiate with employers for better terms of employment. By organizing, workers could leverage their collective power to demand not only higher wages that reflected the profits owners were making but also improvements in workplace safety, thus reducing the risk of injury or illness related to hazardous working conditions.

The other choices do not accurately capture the main objectives of unions. While job security and health insurance are important, they were not the primary initial goals of many unions at that time. Unions often fought for less governmental oversight as a means to gain more freedom to organize rather than for less overall oversight on businesses. Additionally, the idea of reduced hours without pay does not align with unions' mission; unions typically sought to reduce working hours while maintaining or increasing pay, not reducing pay for less work.