Question

how did living in company towns make union membership more difficult for workers?
workers received free homes, food, and clothing.
company guards and agents spied on and reported workers.
workers made enough money that they did not need unions.
they could fire workers who moved away from the town.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Free homes/food/clothing would not directly hinder union membership; it's more of a benefit, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: In company towns, companies had control over the town. Spying on workers by guards/agents would discourage them from joining unions (fear of retaliation), which makes sense.
• Option 3: Workers in company towns typically had low wages and poor conditions, so "made enough money" is false.
• Option 4: Firing workers for moving away is not related to union membership difficulty; the focus is on union - related actions, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

B. Company guards and agents spied on and reported workers.