What happened in industry as big business and workers expanded?

I think that the growth of big business, especially in the
early stage of American capitalism, traded off with the rights of the workers. 
Businesses grew and advanced to a certain point where workers' rights were sacrificed in
favor of profit and economic growth.  Many industrialists saw the opportunity for profit
and generating more wealth.  The protection of workers' rights and the increase of their
own economic empowerment were not factors in this equation.  Through this, the
antagonism between business and workers developed and advanced.  This becomes the basis
of their relationship at the turn of the century.  Big business and workers found
themselves at odds with one another as the former developed greater wealth and the
latter developed greater numbers of dissatisfied individuals.