What did people, artisans do in the Middle Ages?

Craftsmen made various devices needed for everyday use by people: tools, dishes and others. Craftsmen worked in workshops, which were often places of sale of products. Over time, artisans began to unite in workshops that protect them from monopoly and competition (there were no factories in the Middle Ages). The shop had a specific charter. Each artisan could work for a set amount of time, on set days. So everyone was on an equal footing, everyone could earn.