Philip M. Dine, State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence (2007) Dine, who brings a clear pro-union agenda to his work, uses vivid contemporary examples to provide an overview of the labor movement and suggest ways for unions to regain influence. While 31.5% of workers were union members in 1950 and 33.2% were in unions in 1955, that percentage fell to 31.4% in 1960, 28.4% in 1965 and 27.3% in 1970. The National Industrial Recovery Act (1933) provided for collective bargaining. Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World. Virtually identical state versions of H.R. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/depwwii/unions/, http://depts.washington.edu/depress/strikes_unions.shtml. The act established the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to punish unfair labor practices and to organize elections when employees wanted to form unions. Beginning in 1929, Communist Party activists formed “Unemployed Councils” (renamed “Unemployment Councils” in 1934). Unions formed a backbone element of the New Deal Coalition and of Modern liberalism in the United States. Federal troops made war on unarmed people, while the mainstream press branded the demonstrations as “riots.”. A member of the Labour Committee formed in Jamaica in 1938 by Norman Manley to assist William Alexander Bustamante in the formation of a trade union, he had the responsibility of drafting a model trade union constitution. * Las… Unions from this point developed increasingly closer ties to the Democratic Party, and are considered a backbone element of the New Deal Coalition. “. Joint rallies comprised progressive trade unions, communist activists and alliances of communities. Organization leaders conducted work stoppages and demonstrations on WPA projects, protesting layoffs and demanding more adequate security wages. They called for the “abolition of the profit system.”. Some of labor's strength had been lost in the 1920s, a decade dominated by conservative Republicans and business boosterism both in Washington DC and Washington State. Wobblies, Knights, AFL. There were some militant strikes and a few partial victories in the last year or so, but the weakened condition of the unions remained unchanged and this is what continues to prompt reassessment of their prospects for survival. Starting with a chapter on "why labor matters," Fantasia take… The history of labor unions in the United States begins before the Civil War, but mostly comprised the last 120 years when the AFL (now AFL-CIO) and the railroad brotherhoods built strong permanent unions.. One aspect in particular was the emergence and development of labor movements due to the increasing rates of unemployment. A few random examples will suffice to indicate the scope and character of this discussion to date. Thousands of them joined the CP. The economic collapse also impacted those with low-wage jobs. Many of the migrant workers had owned their own small farms in the Plains states and hoped to save enough money to start their own farms in California. The percentage of workers belonging to a union (or “density”) in the United States peaked in 1954 at almost 35% and the total number of union members peaked in 1979 at an estimated 21.0 million. The CP also undertook food collections in the Black community of Harlem, N.Y., where unemployment had risen to as high as 80 percent. Of the 14.7 million wage and salary workers who were part of a union in 2018, 28% were Black and 25% were women. A Wealth Tax Act, Wagner Act and Social Security Act were implemented. The Washington State Labor … And if the USWA and other unions had maintained their civil rights focus, the course of the civil rights struggle and of history might have been altered. Source: “Poor People’s Movements: Why They Succeed, How They Fail” by Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward. In 1936, most major groups of the unemployed merged, and a national poor people’s alliance was formed that agitated and protested to get legislation implemented. They held mass meetings and focused on a dual approach of community and trade union unity. Such difficulties included homelessness, dispossession, serial unemployment, discrimination, violence and even persecution. They contacted President Roosevelt with reviews of the economic situation, deplored WPA cuts and called for the expansion of the WPA. The mid-19th century saw an ever-increasing number of new industrial unions created to fight for workers' rights. Thousands of them joined the CP. In the 1960s, the percentage of workers who were members of unions was falling from the peak achieved in the 1940s and 1950s. Initially, local grassroots organizations were loosely structured, held together mainly by periodic demonstrations. Industries were devastated, as were the towns where they were located. Communists declared March 6, 1930, to be International Unemployment Day, and led marches and rallies of the unemployed in most of the major cities in the U.S. Several thousand marched to factories and auto plants to demand jobs and unemployment insurance. In 1939, WPA funds were cut, WPA wages were reduced, and workers who had been on WPA payrolls for 18 continuous months were terminated. Unemployment was prevalent in the streets during the 1930s. Rising anger led to defiance and resistance. Union participation has continued to fall since then. A half century ago, American unions were a force to be reckoned with. Congress of Industrial Organizations: the CIO. In 1934, there were over ___ strikes in the U.S. Huey Long (Kingfish) ... Why were German soldiers willing to … 2827 were, or already had been, introduced in the legislatures of California, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and other states. Rick Fantasia, Hard Work: Remaking the American Labor Movement (2004) This account deals with the decline of unions. Communist Party-led trade union organizations fought against the white chauvinistic policy of the American Federation of Labor, which excluded Black workers, and demanded a united labor movement based on equal rights for all workers. The Unemployed Councils’ headquarters served as meeting halls and places where tired job searchers could rest and talk. The lack of alternate job opportunities, drought conditions, and cut on government expenses were a few of the factors that contributed to the mass amounts of unemployment. The reason for that is primarily the employers’ war against workers, using tactics both legal and illegal to bust unions and to deny workers their basic human right to join and form a … The cannery workers were initially organized under an AFL charter, but when the CIO formed in 1937 the Filipino-led union joined, at first affiliating with the United Cannery, Agricultural, Packers and Allied Workers of America (UCAPAWA), later becoming Local 37 of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU). Conferences of unions and fraternal organizations were called in a number of states to plan further campaigns for the Workers’ Bill. What explains why the AFL rather than the Knights of Labor or the Wobblies were the dominant force in American labor prior to the 1930s? Political demonstrations by the unemployed in big cities marched under Communist Party banners with slogans like “Fight—Don’t Starve.” The Unemployed Councils also led mass protests against police oppression and brutality. The CP declared those out of work to be “the tactical key to present the state of the class struggle.” Party organizers concentrated on direct action in the streets and relief offices, seeking out opportunities for leafleting and pamphleteering as well as inciting mass actions and agitation. The tremendous gains labor unions experienced in the 1930s resulted, in part, from the pro-union stance of the Roosevelt administration and from legislation enacted by Congress during the early New Deal. During the 1930s, the Communist Party played a leading role in fighting for the demands of African Americans — who were devastated by the Great Depression — and helped mobilize them for their struggle. Entire families contributed to the production of goods (see History of Childhood). Thousands of unemployed veterans descended on Washington, D.C. Unions were formed for all types of different jobs. These leaders were also recognized as the official bargaining agent for WPA workers. At the beginning of the 1930s, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the largest workers’ organization in the country, did not even support unemployment insurance. During the 1930s, the Communist Party played a leading role in fighting for the demands of African Americans — who were devastated by the Great Depression — and helped mobilize them for their struggle. Due to people’s unrest, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” administration put forth more liberal relief policies. They opposed high food and rent costs, and big business. Richard Hart was involved in trade union activities in the British Caribbean region colonies for many years. While the Works Project Administration did provide jobs, the actual number of jobs fell short of the number promised. There is no doubt that 1933 was the worst year, and March the worst month for joblessness in the history of the United States” (1). The jobless rebelled against the inequalities produced by capitalism, an institution of rising profits for the wealthy ruling class. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Labor Unions were an important part of the labor movement in the 1920s. The toll increased during the initial years of the Depression. The decline gained speed in the 1980s and 1990s, spurred by a combination of economic and political developments. Rallies comprised progressive trade unions, Communist Party activists formed “ unemployed Councils headquarters. Richard Cloward class subsequently became leaders of the unions in the 1980s 1990s. 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