that certainly isn’t what history shows, at least in North America. For the most part Unions did the work of getting kids out of the mines. While some union brothers may have been interested in safety, there evidence that it was about eliminating the competition from younger workers who had leas need of $$$ due to not having to support a family etc. As usual after the market has already generally made the switch, the government comes in and makes a law so they can claim the change in market was due to their regulation.