The Labor MovementThe Labor Movement

Chapter 8, Section 1Chapter 8, Section 1

MacroeconomicsMacroeconomics: economy as a : economy as a whole (employment, gross domestic whole (employment, gross domestic product, inflation, economic growth product, inflation, economic growth and distribution)and distribution)

Civilian labor forceCivilian labor force: women and : women and men 16+ actively looking for a jobmen 16+ actively looking for a job

Early Union DevelopmentEarly Union Development

Unions = skilled workers and Unions = skilled workers and collective bargaining powercollective bargaining power

Colonial Times – Civil WarColonial Times – Civil War• 1778 – New York City printers1778 – New York City printers• Shoemakers, carpenters and tailorsShoemakers, carpenters and tailors• 1820 – majority of workforce farmers1820 – majority of workforce farmers

Early Union DevelopmentEarly Union Development(continued)(continued)

Civil War – 1930sCivil War – 1930s

Attitude towards unions became positiveAttitude towards unions became positive• Demand for goods and services increasedDemand for goods and services increased• Shortage of workersShortage of workers• Industry expandedIndustry expanded• Farming industry declinedFarming industry declined

Hourly workers ¼ of the working Hourly workers ¼ of the working populationpopulation

Types of UnionsTypes of Unions

Trade (craft) unionTrade (craft) union: skilled workers : skilled workers performing the same kind of job performing the same kind of job (printers, electricians, engineers, (printers, electricians, engineers, carpenters)carpenters)

Industrial unionIndustrial union: association of : association of workers in the same industry workers in the same industry regardless of specific jobregardless of specific job

Union ActivitiesUnion Activities

When agreements could not be When agreements could not be reached the unions could…reached the unions could…• StrikeStrike• PicketPicket• BoycottBoycott

Employers might…Employers might…• LockoutLockout• Company unionCompany union

Attitudes of the CourtsAttitudes of the Courts English Common LawEnglish Common Law: conspiracies against : conspiracies against

businessbusiness

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)Sherman Antitrust Act (1890): curbed : curbed monopolies, kept labor in linemonopolies, kept labor in line

The Danbury Hatters caseThe Danbury Hatters case: conspiracy to restrain : conspiracy to restrain trade under the Sherman Antitrust Acttrade under the Sherman Antitrust Act

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)Clayton Antitrust Act (1914): exempts labor : exempts labor unions from prosecution under the Sherman Actunions from prosecution under the Sherman Act

Great DepressionGreat Depression

1 in 4 workers without a job1 in 4 workers without a job

1929 average wage was 55 cents1929 average wage was 55 cents

1933 average wage was 5 cents1933 average wage was 5 cents

Common problems united factory workers Common problems united factory workers and union promoters renewed their efforts and union promoters renewed their efforts to organizeto organize

Great Depression:Great Depression:Pro-Union LegislationPro-Union Legislation

The Norris-LaGuardia Act (1932)The Norris-LaGuardia Act (1932)::• federal courts cannot issue rulings federal courts cannot issue rulings

against unions organized is peaceful against unions organized is peaceful strikes, picketing or boycottsstrikes, picketing or boycotts

The National Labor Relations Act / The National Labor Relations Act / Wagner Act (1935)Wagner Act (1935)::• Collective bargainingCollective bargaining• NLRB to police unfair labor practicesNLRB to police unfair labor practices

Great Depression:Great Depression:Pro-Union LegislationPro-Union Legislation

(Continued)(Continued) The Fair Labor and Standards Act The Fair Labor and Standards Act

(1938):(1938):• Businesses that engage in interstate Businesses that engage in interstate

commercecommerce• Federal minimum wage, time-and-a-half Federal minimum wage, time-and-a-half

(40+ hours)(40+ hours)• Prohibits excessive child laborProhibits excessive child labor

Labor Since World War IILabor Since World War II

Many believed communists secretly Many believed communists secretly entered unionsentered unions

1946 – 116 million work days were 1946 – 116 million work days were lost due to work stoppageslost due to work stoppages

Was management the problem?Was management the problem?

Labor Since World War II:Labor Since World War II:Antiunion LegislationAntiunion Legislation

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)Taft-Hartley Act (1947)::• Limited what unions could do in labor-Limited what unions could do in labor-

management disputesmanagement disputes Employers can sue unions for breaking Employers can sue unions for breaking

contractscontracts

Prohibits unions from requiring union Prohibits unions from requiring union membership as a condition for hiringmembership as a condition for hiring

80-day “cooling off” period80-day “cooling off” period

Labor Since World War II:Labor Since World War II:Antiunion LegislationAntiunion Legislation

(continued)(continued) Right-to-work lawRight-to-work law: Section 14(b): Section 14(b)

• illegal to force workers to join unionillegal to force workers to join union

Landrum-Griffin Act (1959)Landrum-Griffin Act (1959)::• requires unions to file regular financial requires unions to file regular financial

reportsreports• Limits amount of money officials can Limits amount of money officials can

borrow from unionborrow from union

AFLAFL

American Federation of Labor American Federation of Labor (AFL)(AFL)

• 1886 – organization of craft unions1886 – organization of craft unions

• Later added industrial unionsLater added industrial unions

• Craft and industrial unions disagreed on Craft and industrial unions disagreed on the future of labor movementthe future of labor movement

CIOCIO

Committee for Industrial Committee for Industrial Revolution (CIO)Revolution (CIO)::

1935: 8 AFL industrial unions created 1935: 8 AFL industrial unions created CIOCIO

Bring about greater unionization in Bring about greater unionization in industryindustry

1937: CIO expelled from AFL1937: CIO expelled from AFL 1940s: 7 million members1940s: 7 million members

AFL-CIOAFL-CIO

1955: AFL and CIO joined forces to create 1955: AFL and CIO joined forces to create AFL-CIOAFL-CIO

Now a major force in the union labor Now a major force in the union labor movementmovement

Independent unionsIndependent unions: unions that do not : unions that do not belong to the AFL-CIO (Brotherhood of belong to the AFL-CIO (Brotherhood of Locmotive Engineers)Locmotive Engineers)