OCR Civil Rights - Trade Unions

Between 1860 and 1900, the number of industrial workers

885,000

Trade unions within 1865

limited to what workers could negotiate with employers individually.

Small craft unions (1865)

Unions operating a closed shop, only admitting skilled craftsman

William H Sylvis

Promoted working-class solitude as President of the Iron Moulders International Union.

The National Labour Union

Created by Slyvis in 1866 to campaign for 8hr day, currency and banking reform, the ending of convict labour, and a federal labour department. Accepted women but encourage AA to create their own unions.

Membership of NLU in 1868

300,000

Sylvis realisation - 1866 and 1867

After a strike failed, Sylvis realised that labour rights could only be established through political reform

End of NLU

1869 when Sylvis died

Impact of industrialisation

increase in unskilled work and low pay

1890 workforce

unskilled women made up 35% of the workforce.

Impact of industrialisation

increase in contract in employment

Employer negligence in industrialisation

Until 1890s, the courts considered injury at work a risk of the employed. In 1889, 2,000 railway workers were injured from accidents, with minimal aid from employers.

The Knights of Labour

Founded in 1869 by Uriah Smith Stephens

KOL influence

Influence increased under the leadership of Terence Powderly as he aimed to unite unskilled and skilled workers. He wanted equal pay for women, 8hr day, and no child labour.

KOL Membership in 1881

Grown to 20,000

KOL strike policy

Until 1885, KOL had an anti-strike policy. Powderly was forced to change this when Jay Goulds started an anti-union campaign at Wasbash Railroad

The end of KOL

KOL ended mainly because of a bad reputation as a result of the Haymarket Affair, with membership decreasing to 100,000 in 1890. It also had internal divisions.

The American Federation of Labour

Replaced KOL in 1886.

Samuel Gompers aspirations with AFL

wanted to harness the bargaining power of skilled workers to raise wages and reduce working hours.

The influence of the AFL

Influential businessmen, e.g. Marcus Hana, were prepared to give workers the right of mediation and concillation.

AFL membership in 1914

2 million

AFL in 1924

Only remaining major national federation of trade unions

The Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies)

Set up in 1905, a militant organisation with a reputation for violence standing up for the rights of poor and illiterate workers

Wobblies membership

peaked at 100,00 members in 1923

The Haymarket Affair 1866

Location: McCormick Harvest Plant, Chicago.
Event: police fired at strike killing 4 workers.
A protest then took place where a bomb was thrown, the police opened fire and 4 more workers were killed.
Blame: blamed on German anarchists led by Johann Most and August Spies.
Result: 8 arrested with no evidence, all were convicted and 5 execueted. 3 survivors were pardoned in 1893. Created deep divisions between existed white protestant skilled workers, exacerbated by increasing immigration.

Old immigration

First Wave of immigrants to the US.

Increase in tensions as a result of immigration

Willing to work in poor conditions, with high levels of exploitation, angering Americans who believed they kept wages low and reduced bargaining power.

Immigration in cities, 1910

3/4 of the population.

Reluctance in late 1800s

The mass of workers were reluctant to join unions either from a sense of a disapproval of methods (e.g. the Molly Maguires (1873), the Haymarket Affair (1886) and the Homstead Strike (1892)).

The Molly Maguires

An active, militant Irish organisation of farmers based in the Pennsylvania anthracite coal fields who are believed responsible for much violence

Reasons for weakness of Trade Unions

Laissez-faire attitude of the government allowed for extreme power of employers, including the monopolising industries, e.g. Andrew Carnegie (steel), and John Rockefeller (oil)

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Outlawed monopolies and practices that restrained trade, such as price fixing

Weakness of Sherman Antitrust Act

Manufacturers continued to cut wages, lay off workers and change working hours. Workers had no mechanism for expressing there dissatisfaction.

The Role of the Supreme Court 1865 to 1914

Supported the employers, court injunctions were used to break strikes after 1894

Lochner v. New York (1905)

unconstitutional to declare a number of maximum workers as it violated the 14th amendment and the right of workers to determine their working hours.

African American trade unions

AA were rejected by the union movement - both as a result of inherent racism and a fear that they were responsible for keeping wages low. However, white union leadership recognised a need for unity. KOL - 60,000 AA members. AFL -rejected discrimination. Separate branches though.

National negro labour union (1869)

Attempted to affiliate with White unions

Homestead Strike (1892)

Lasted 143 days and ended in a battle between strikers and Pinkerton detectives.
Players involved: association of iron and steel workers (AA) and Carnegie Steel Company, Henry Frick
In 1882, a strike was led to prevent forcing contracts on workers and was successful.
Frick was determined to destroy the union. He ordered for over-production to mitigate the effect of any strike and withdrew union recognition. AA leaders asked for an increase in wages, but Frick reduced wage by 22%. The previously established collective bargaining agreement was due to expire on 30th June 1892, but Frick locked the union out of the plant.
Workers in Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Union Mills, and Beaver Falls went on strike. They blocked attempts of 'scab' labour. Frick hired Pinkerton detectives, who opened fire on a crowd (Killing 2, injuring 11). The crowd killed two and injured 12. The Pennysylvania state milita occupied the plant for 95 days. 16 strike leaders were arrested. Frick was killed by Alexander Berkman. The strike collapsed and the militia withdrew on 13th October.

Results of the Homestead Strike

Bankrupted the union and workers returned too work on the 20th November. Many employers refused to sign contracts with AA while the strike lasted.
By 1900, there were no unionised steel plants in Pennsylvannia.
By 1909, AA membership had sunk to 6,300

The Pullman Strike (1894)

Location: Pullman Palace Car Company
Reason for Strike: George Pullman claimed workers were well-paid and content. However in 1893, he cut wages by 23% and laid of 1/3 of workers. Workers lived in a company owned town, yet there was no reduction in living costs and negotiations for lower rent were ignored and the 3 workers in the discussion were sacked.
Events: ARU took over the strike, and after refusal to discuss arbitration, members were asked to stop operating carriages. Railroads could not operate without Pullman cars because of an agreement. Strikers agreed to operate only mail carriages after the Attorney-General issued an order. On the 3rd of July 2894, Pres Cleveland sent in federal troops to break the strike. Results: The ARU officers were arrested. They offered to end the strike provided workers were reinstated. When the company reopeed on the 2nd August, leaders of the strikes were not given back their jobs

American Railway Union (ARU)

Formed by Eugene Debs to unite railway workers. It was militant and Pullman workers joined the union

Arbitration

settling a dispute between labour and management by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider

The Significance of the Pullman Strike

- revealed how far federal authorities were willing to supress the assertion of the rights of labour.
- first time that the law had been used to break a strike, giving employers power - employers continued to use court injunctions against strikers until 1932.

Woodrow Wilson's presidential campaign (1912)

New Department of Labour

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

limited the use of court injunctions against striking workers, providing there was no damage of property

Impact of WW1

upsurge in violence, the 'red scare' manifested fear into employers at any industrial protest
a spate of strikes broke out in 1919 with 3,630 strikes occuring with 4,160,348 workers involved

giant corporations

Provided jobs, but also controlled the working conditions.

1920-29 increase in real wages

welfare capitalism reduced industrial unrest. Included the setting up of company unions - they could discuss with employers but not call strike

yellow dog contracts

contract prevents them from joining a union. Declared legal by Supreme Court

Henry Ford & Welfare Capitalism

Employed 80,000, was not until 1941 that the ford company recognised trade unions. reduced working hours to 8hrs and increased wages but tightly controlled by security

BSCP (Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters)

began in 1925 by A. Philip Randolph.
BSCP was finally recognised by the Pullman company in 1935. Working for Pullman was sen to be well paid but AA staff were constantly mistreated and degraded

During WW1

Wages increased by 20%.
Unions were recognised by the Federal Government and negotiated with them.
1918 - the National War Labor Board agreed employees could join unions and allowed collective bargaining.
An 8 hour working day was applied by most employers at the request of the War Labor Board.
There was also an increase in union membership, going from 2.7 million in 1916, to 5 million in 1920.

The National Mediation Board

an independent agency of the U.S. government that facilitates the resolution of labour-management disputes in the rail and airline industries

Impacts of the Great Depression

The 1929 Wall Street Crash led to unemployment, low wages, and rural depression.
led to more competition for work in cities, with preference given to white workers.
more strikes.
By 1933 only 10% of the workforce were unionised, as employers had the right to sack unionised workers.

Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932

banned yellow dog contracts

Impacts of the New Deal

offered more support for workers rights. Increase in strikes in 1933, 34 and 37. Women and AA still discriminated.

NIRA (National Industrial Recovery Act) 1933

encourage cooperation between workers and employers, established codes of practice with a blue eagle symbol. However, some employers refused to join and it was declared unconstitutional in 1935

Wagner Act 1935

established National Labor Relations Board; protected the rights of most workers in the private sector to organize labour unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to take part in strikes and other forms of concerted activity in support of their demands.

Impacts of the Wagner Act

Pro-worker legislation increased union membership, from 3.7 million in 1933, to 9 million in 1938.

Fair Labour Standards Act 1938

new minimum wage of $25, 50% extra for hours over 40 a week, banned under 16

Comittee of Industrial Organisation (CIO)

Formed by John Lewis in 1937, initially apart of the AFL, for unskilled workers in mass production industries

CIO and AFL tensions

CIO broke away from the AFL forming a rival group, indicating disunity

General Motors

In 1937, General Motors recognised Union of Auto Workers

During WW2

Union membership increased from 8.9 million in 1940 to 14.8 million in 1945
Number of women in the workforce increased by 50%

Re-establishment of the NWLB

Control wages increase and regulate increase

FEPC (Fair Employment Practices Commission)

Established in 1943 - aimed to prevent discrimination in employment

Smith-Conally Act of 1943

if workers strike the government and go in and punish the strike leaders as it could disrupt war-time production

Fear of strikes in 1945

wave of strikes to keep war time wages and prices made the government fearful that unions were too strong

Taft-Harley Act 1947

An act, passed in 1947 by the U.S. Congress, which made the closed shop illegal and gave states the right to pass right-to-work laws. These right-to-work laws prohibit employers from establishing union membership as a condition of employment.

Truman and the Taft-Harley Act

Tried to veto the act but was overruled

Union of the AFL and CIO

1955 - improved trade union unity

Unions in the 1960s

union workers earned 20% more than non-union workers

New Frontier (1961-1963)

Kennedy's plan for social change. Led to the improvement of womens wages
1970 - women earned 62% of male wages

Equal Pay Act of 1963

Legislation that requires employers to pay men and women equal pay for equal work

Great Society

1964 Civil Rights act prohibiting discrimination on any basis

Economic Opportunity Act 1972

fund for vocational training for the young to improve educational prospects.

Nixon

affirmative action
1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act - regulations in the workplace
during his term, the 1970 Postal Workers strike took place - first nationwide strike by public workers

Coalition of Black Trade Unions (CBTU)

focused on the employment of African American women

AFL-CIO actions

1974 formed a public services department and the CLUW
joined.
1975 - first major public strike

PATCO Strike (1981)

Strike by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization to which Reagan responded by firing all controllers not back to work within 48 hours (Taft-Hartley Act) and were banned from federal employment for life; ban lifted by Clinton in 1993, severely decreased union membership