 One of its first actions was to send petitions signed by thousands of textile workers to the Massachusetts General Court demanding a ten @-@ hour work day . In response , the Massachusetts Legislature established a committee chaired by William Schouler , Representative from Lowell , to investigate and hold public hearings , during which workers testified about conditions in the factories and the physical demands of their twelve @-@ hour days . These were the first investigations into labor conditions by a governmental body in the United States . The 1845 Legislative Committee determined that it was not state legislature 's responsibility to control the hours of work . The LFLRA called its chairman , William Schouler , a " tool " and worked to defeat him in his next campaign for the State Legislature . A complex election Schouler lost to another Whig candidate over the issue of railroads . The impact of working men [ Democrats ] and working women [ non @-@ voting ] was very limited . The next year Schouler was re @-@ elected to the State Legislature . 
