They did. Right before they didn't. It's a shame grassroots attempts to address exploitation usually turn into another form of exploitation if not out and out

They did. Right before they didn't. It's a shame grassroots attempts to address exploitation usually turn into another form of exploitation if not out and out gangsterism. See: the communist revolution, the origins of the Italian Mafia, some cartels in Mexico. In the US unions did much good for society in general. But now we are saddled with things like public sector unions which do very much the opposite.