Study Notes on Labor Movement and Class Structure

Upcoming Exam and Homework Assignment

Exam scheduled for next Friday.
Students assigned to watch the movie "Race" by Jesse Owens over the weekend.

The focus is on labor and related themes in the U.S.
Importance of understanding the labor movement spanning 1850 to the 1930s (approximately eight decades).

Definition: Collective bargaining is the process whereby working-class individuals band together to negotiate with businesses for better pay and working conditions.
The struggle of working-class people to gain rights culminated in the passage of the Wagner Act in 1935 under the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR).
The Wagner Act legalized collective bargaining, significantly improving workers' lives.

Following the Wagner Act, from 1935 to the early 1980s, the working class thrived.
The wealth gap, which was exacerbated during the Gilded Age (pre-1929), narrowed significantly by the mid-1970s.
A regression in equality began to escalate towards the state observed in 1929, leading to the characterization of the current era as a Second Gilded Age.

The Gilded Age was characterized by extreme labor unrest, not limited to peaceful demonstrations.
Labor strife often involved violent confrontations, deaths, and significant destruction of property.
Example: The Great Railway Strike of 1877 paralyzed the economy, leading to widespread violence.
- The strike spanned multiple towns, fueled by shared economic conditions and solidarity among workers.
- Local business owners, although not predominantly working class, often supported striking workers due to community ties.
- The response to strikers involved law enforcement and security forces aiming to restore order, often resulting in fatalities among workers.

Working-class individuals fought for better living conditions, emphasizing the toll of poverty and exploitation.
Claims are made that working-class people are also American heroes for their sacrifices.
The lack of memorials or public acknowledgment for labor struggles is compared to those for veterans.

The decline of unions is linked to widening wealth and income gaps, unlike the periods of union strength enjoyed from the 1930s onward.
Division within labor forces (skilled vs. unskilled) hindered collective efforts:
- Skilled labor (e.g., welders) typically had better wages and were reluctant to unite with unskilled workers (e.g., bus drivers).
- Historical racial tensions further complicated alliances between different skilled and unskilled demographics.
Labor unions contested Social Darwinism, arguing against the notion that poverty and inequality were natural occurrences.
Opposition to unions had economic and racial implications, as the middle-class elite often viewed unskilled, immigrant labor as a threat.

The historical narrative illustrates the necessity for labor unity, engaging in collective action to argue for their needs and rights against overwhelming social and economic forces.
The labor movement confronted economic ideologies that emphasized individualism and a free market as justifications for inequality.
The overall impact of labor movements is assessed in the context of both economic gains and societal changes in the face of conflict and reform.

Discussion around identifying middle-class constituents, historically inclusive of various sectors such as:
- Small business owners, manufacturers, professionals (e.g., lawyers, doctors).
The concept of social mobility, where workers can move between classes based on various socio-economic factors.

Middle class individuals viewed as respectable, often characterized by attending church, ensuring education for children, and embodying familial norms.
Cultural expectations dictated certain behaviors and appearances in both public and private settings.
The role of women in the middle class often confined to domestic responsibilities, reinforcing societal norms around motherhood and nurturing.

The middle class engaged in social reform as a means to maintain order and control over lower classes.
Reform efforts were sometimes motivated by a desire for social control and the prevention of uprisings, rather than a genuine altruistic intent to aid the poor.