Trade unions OCR

The Unions Established by 1865

Only Skilled Workers and Craft Industries like Shoemakers

Reason for Excluding Unskilled Workers

Industrialization - No Representation or Protection

How Unskilled Workers Were Hired

Under Contracts for Temporary Employment

Worker Conditions in 1865

Long Hours, Lack of Safety Precautions, High Accident Rate

Main Unions in Late 19th Century

Knights of Labour and American Federation of Labour

Foundation Year of Knights of Labour

1869

Foundation Year of AFL

1886

KOL Membership in 1886

700,000 Members

KOL Membership in 1881

20,000 Members - Successful Strike Action Key to Growth

Reason for KOL Reputation Decline

Haymarket Affair - Membership Dropped to 100,000 in 1890

Establishment Year of the Wobblies

1905

Reason for Wobblies' Ineffectiveness

Used violence and militancy, disliked by employers

Peak Membership of the Wobblies

100,000 by 1923, declined thereafter

Factors Affecting Union Membership

Divisions within the workforce, impact of AA workers

Issue with AA in Workforce

Accepted lower pay rates, led to layoffs of white workers

Challenges Faced by White Workers in 1865

Increased immigrant workers from Europe and Asia

Exclusion of AA and Asian Ppl from Unions

Seen as job competition, limited ability to pressure employers

Impact of Workforce Division on Unions

Limited ability to exert pressure on employers, more likely to be exploited

Strikes Hindering Workers' Rights Progress

Homestead strike 1892, Pullman strike 1894

Year of the Homestead Strike

1892

Year of the Pullman Strike

1894

What was the Homestead Strike?

Resulted in a decline of membership from 24,000(1891) to 6300(1909)

What was the Pullman Strike?

Showed the difficulty in getting union recognition

What were some positive outcomes of trade unions by the outbreak of the First World War?

Membership increased to 2 million, unions began to pressure candidates in elections for workers' rights

What evidence shows that trade unions didn't improve by the outbreak of World War One?

Unions represented only 20% of non-agricultural workforce, lacked legal recognition and power over decisions, divided over ethnicity, gender, and skills

What was the position for trade unions like in WW1?

Improved due to increased demand for products, more opportunities to increase profit, and leniency towards workers

What did the government establish in WW1 to support workers?

National War Labour Board (NWLB)

What was the impact of the NWLB?

Implemented 8-hour working days, workers had to agree to a no-strike policy for this benefit

How did the economic boom following WW1 help workers?

Rise in real wages, decline in unemployment, and additional benefits like reduced working hours, pensions, and insurance

Evaluate the economic boom prosperity

Led to the development of welfare capitalism and no-strike agreements

Yellow Dog Contract

An agreement limiting workers from joining a union to weaken union power.

Philip Randolph

Established the Brotherhood of Sleeping Porters union.

What action did the Pullman Company take against the union Philip Randolph set up?

Countered it by forming a company union and prohibiting BSCP meetings.

Evaluate BSCP

Still not recognized by 1928.

What event allowed BSCP to claim representation rights for porters?

Roosevelt's 1934 Railway Labor Act change - led to successful negotiation with Pullman.

Actions of employees during the Great Depression in 1929

Took harsh measures against strikers, leading to decreased union membership and weakened bargaining power.

National Industry Recovery Act - year

What did the National Industry Recovery Act encourage?

Firms to adopt codes improving wages, union rights, and allowing union organization and bargaining.

Evaluate the National Industry Recovery Act

Not universally adopted; some like Henry Ford opposed it, leading to legal challenges and reversal of worker rights.

National Labor Relations Act - year

What was the National Labour Relations Act?

Established the National Labor Relations Board to negotiate on behalf of workers, prevent companies from using their own unions, allowed collective bargaining, constitutional, and workers could join unions.

Explain the Strike at General Motors

Sit-in strike in 1936 led to the recognition of United Automobile Workers and Steel Workers Organizing Committee in 1937.

When was the First Labour Standards Act?

1939

What was the Fair Labour Standards Act?

Introduced a minimum wage, strengthened workers' position during WWII.

Evaluate the Benefits of the Roosevelt New Deal?

Some workers, especially in car manufacturing, did not benefit. Lower-paid workers, ethnic minorities, and women still vulnerable. Agricultural workers were not given union rights.

Position of Workers in World War II

Workers had better wages, membership increased from 9,000,000 to 15,000,000 by the end of the war, employers resisted permanent improvements.

Taft Hartley Act - When was it?

1947

What was the Taft Hartley Act?

Limited union power, workers at General Motors negotiated pay linked to cost of living and pension package in 1948.

What does Economic Change Following the Second World War Threaten for Unions?

Membership fell between 1945 and 1950 due to more white-collar workers, new government jobs, and worker benefits outside unions, limiting union power.

When was the Equal Pay Act?

1963

Equal Pay Act

Kennedy gave women and men equal pay for equal work

Johnson's Great Society

Benefited those who lived in poverty or close to the poverty line

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Economic Opportunity Act of 1964

Created social programs for youth, antipoverty measures, small-business loans, and job training; part of the Great Society

Age Discrimination Act, 1968

Protected those over the age of 40

AFL-CIO Merger, 1955

Brought together 85% of union members, empowering 16 million members to negotiate better conditions, wages, benefits, and insurance

African-American Workers in the 1960s

Saw little improvement, faced increased demand for skilled workers, many lived in poverty despite education

Cesar Chavez

Farm worker, labor leader, and civil-rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers

Chavez's Tactics

Encouraged growers to recognize UFW, organized strikes for higher wages, and advocated against exploitation of immigrant workers

Union Membership in 1990s

Declined with reduced power, but rights remained; saw fewer strikes and increasing diversity in membership

When was the PATCO strike?

1981

Explain the PATCO strike

What did the period of the 1980s witness regarding trade unions?

Non-unionized firms had the advantage, leading to employers ignoring laws and denying workers their rights. There was a trend of employers realizing they could bypass regulations, resulting in a stronger employer position.

What positive developments occurred for trade unions in the 1980s?

Workers were able to join unions even in non-union firms. Collective bargaining was possible, but the threat of unemployment weakened the workers' position. Women saw improvements in equal pay and opportunities.

What were labor rights like during periods of industrial growth and economic change, such as the Great Depression?

During economic growth, there was more pressure on employers for better conditions and wages. However, improvements in conditions sometimes reduced interest in union activity, leading to improved conditions but not necessarily improved rights.

How many people worked in the industry from 1860-1900?

885,000 (1860) - 3.2 million (1900) workers used this to win concessions from employers.

Why did the Knights of Labor, AFL, and Wobblies form in 1869, 1886, and 1905?

Economic growth increased the demand for unions.

What led to a new wave of workers seeking representation and protection?

The development of mass production and growth in heavy industry led to a large number of unskilled workers.

Statistics on union membership from the end of the nineteenth century to 1915

500,000 in the nineteenth century, 2.5 million in 1915, 5 million in 1920. This increased pressure for employers to recognize workers, resulting in some progress.

What impact did the 1920s have on workers?

Real wages rose, and there was an increased demand for workers due to the need for consumer goods. Employers took conciliatory actions, leading to shorter working hours and better wages, exemplified by Henry Ford.

What challenges did AA and Hispanic workers face during the 1980s?

AA and Hispanic workers did not benefit from the improvements seen by women. They were in vulnerable positions with low pay, lacking the same benefits.

How did the New Deal affect employment during the Great Depression?

The New Deal aimed to reduce high unemployment rates by creating job opportunities. This government action increased conflicts between employers and employees.

What were the implications of the increased union membership from 1915 to 1920?

The rise in union membership put pressure on employers to acknowledge workers' rights, leading to some advancements in labor conditions.

What were the consequences of the increased demand for workers in the 1920s?

The demand for workers resulted in improved wages and working conditions, with employers taking actions like recognizing unions and implementing no-strike clauses.

Why did the Knights of Labor, AFL, and Wobblies emerge during their respective years?

The growth in the economy created a need for labor unions to represent and protect workers' rights.

How did the rise of mass production impact the labor movement?

The expansion of mass production led to a surge in unskilled workers, prompting a new wave of laborers seeking union representation and safeguards.

What changes did the 1920s bring for workers?

Despite some progress, the 1920s saw an increase in real wages and job opportunities due to the growing demand for consumer goods, leading to improved working conditions and shorter hours.

What were the labor conditions like during the Great Depression?

The economic downturn of the Great Depression placed employees in a vulnerable position, with employers having more leverage. However, the government's intervention through the New Deal aimed to address high unemployment rates and mitigate conflicts between employers and workers.

How did the increase in union membership impact employer-employee relations?

The surge in union membership from the late 19th century to the early 20th century exerted pressure on employers to acknowledge workers' rights, leading to incremental improvements in labor conditions.

What were the outcomes of the heightened demand for labor in the 1920s?

The heightened demand for labor resulted in enhanced wages and working conditions, prompting employers to adopt more conciliatory measures such as recognizing unions and implementing no-strike agreements.

Impact of 1950s on Workers

Similar to 1920s - income 35% higher post-WW2, improved positions, increased consumer goods ownership.

Unions in Gilded Age and Labour

Unprecedented demand for unskilled workers, craft unions reluctant to include them, weakening worker unity.

Impact of 1880-1920 Boom on Unions

Negative - lower wages, lack of power, violence in union movement.

Economic Change Post WWII on Unions

Tech automation, decline in blue-collar workers, 50% union membership drop, more white-collar workers.

Economic Change in USA from 1970

Foreign competition, decline in productivity, dispersed unions, reluctance of skilled workers.

US Government Attitude

Favoring employers.

Sherman Antitrust Act

1890 - restricts monopolies by large companies.

Pullman Strike Explanation

Injunction to stop interference with mail movement, govt sent troops to break strike, anti-union actions.

Clayton Anti-Trust Act

Limits injunctions against striking workers.

Clayton Anti-Trust Act Allowance

Allows peaceful picketing.

General Lack of Legislation

Owners could reduce wages and lay workers off.

Government Intervention in First World War

Prevent strikes and sustain production

Government Recognition in First World War

Unions.

Establishment to Negotiate with Unions in First World War

NWLB.

Leader Who Ordered Workers Not to Strike in First World War

Samuel Gompers.

Result of Government Action in First World War

Improved position of unions and increased union membership.

Repetition in Second World War

Re-establishment of NWLB.

Encouragement from Improved Union Position in Second World War

Workers to join and membership to rise.

Improvement by Government Action in Second World War

The position of workers.

Reason for Government Improving Worker Position in Second World War

Their efforts were essential to the war effort.