1915-1945 Flashcards
1
Q
What was impact of first world war on labor rights ?
A
- Real wages rose by 20%
- The FG for the first time recognised the unions as organisations representing labor and negotiated with them
- Union membership increased during the war years from 1916 2.7 M to 5M in 1920
2
Q
What gains were made by TU during 1920s ?
A
- in 1920s, America enjoyed a high level of economic prosperity
- During these years, wage levels rose steadily and a whole range of consumer goods became available and this was due to the new techniques of mass production
3
Q
What was welfare capitalism
A
- Was an economic and social system which was a way for companies to improve worker conditions, foster loyalty, and avoid labor unrest or the growth of labor unions.
- Features of it included Pension plans, improved working conditions by reducing hours and safer conditions, insurance plans
- was a way to dissuade individuals from joining unions and was a way to reduce strikes
- weakened right to bargain as many benefits were voluntary and could be withdrawn at any time
- Workers were also obliged to sign yellow dog contracts which prevented workers from joining unions
4
Q
What is an example of Welfare Capitalism at work?
A
- Henry Ford who owned the biggest factory in the world
- He employed 80,000 workers and in 1914 he reduced the working hours to 8 hour days and doubled the daily wage to $5
- The workforce was tightly controlled and supervised
- he employed armed security men to keep a close eye on potential union organisers by intimidating and assaulting them
5
Q
What happened in the campaign for the recognition of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters as a union?
A
- Was led by AA workers seeking to gain union recognition and improve their working conditions
- The Pullman company opposed it
- Founded by Philip Randolph in 1925
- The Pullman company squashed all efforts to organise a union by sacking or isolating union leaders
- It also employed spies to inform about employee activities
- There was limited support from white labour unions
- in 1925 a campaign was led by Phillip Randolph
- He was also a member of the Socialist Party of America which was a political group formed in 1901 and began to focus on the rights of black workers
- It Organised roughly half of the porters within the company
- The agreement negotiated by the BSCP in 1937 improved wages, reduced working hours,
6
Q
What was the great depression?
A
- In 1929, share prices on the New York Stock Exchange on Wall street fell faster and lower than ever before
- Millions of dollars were lost
- Led to factory closures and bankruptcy for large numbers of businesses
- Unemployment rose from 3% to 25% from 1929 to 1933 in terms of numbers 12,000 to 13 Million
7
Q
What was the new deal?
A
- Hoover had lost the support and confidence of the people when he failed to positively deal with the effects of the great depression, so they elected FDR and he implemented the New Deal
- was a series of programs, policies and reforms in the US during the time of Roosevelt from 1933-1939
- It was designed to address and find solutions to the economic challenges caused by the great depression in 1929
- Focused on the 3 R’s which were reform, relief and recovery
8
Q
What was the National Industry Recovery Act ?
A
- in 1933 Congress passed the National Industry Recovery act which was part of FDR’s New Deal
- It established the National Industry Administration (NRA) and the NRA aim was to maintain cooperation between the different sides of industry by developing agreed codes of practice about issues such as wage levels , working hours and union rights
- By 1934, 557 codes had been agreed by joining companies which covered 23 million workers
- it provided laws giving workers the right to organise and take part in collective bargains which would groundwork for a more balanced power dynamic in labor relations
- However it had limited impact because and the codes agreed often favoured the employers rather than the employees and it was short lived as the supreme court declared it as unconstitutional in 1935
9
Q
What was the Wagner act ?
A
- Made in 1935
- it strengthened labor rights by protecting workers’ ability to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in labor activities without fear of retaliation.
10
Q
Why was the wagner act significant ?
A
- Was the first piece of legislation that recognised the right of workers to elect their own representatives to take part in collective bargaining with employers and therefore is a significant moment in development of labor rights
- it gave workers the right to join trade unions and to bargain collectively through their own chosen representatives
- It set up the National Labor Relations Board in 1935 that had the power to bargain on behalf of the workers and it also had the power to reinstate unfairly dismissed workers
- Led to the Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 which created a $25 minimum weekly wage for industrial workers and prohibited the employment of children under 16
- Led to a rise in Union membership
- ## was passed during a time of significant labor strikes and unrest, partly fueled by the Great Depression
11
Q
What challenges did the Wagner Act face?
A
- Many employers resisted the Wagner Act, using tactics such as delaying union recognition
- In 1947, the Taft-Hartley Act amended the Wagner Act, placing restrictions on unions, such as banning secondary boycotts and allowing states to pass “right-to-work” laws, which limited union power
- Divisions within Trade Unions continued and there was the continuation of depriving the mass of unskilled workers of their rights
12
Q
What was the CIO?
A
- Congress of Industrial Organisations set up in 1935 led by John Lewis
- split away from the AFL because it largely ignored unskilled and semi skilled workers
- organised workers no matter their skill
- sought to represent marginalized groups, including African Americans, immigrants, and women, who were often excluded from AFL unions
-Helped labor rights as it pushed for legislations such as the Fair Labor Standards Act
13
Q
What was the NWLB?
A
- The National War Labor Board set up in 1941 was established to mediate labor and wage disputes during wartime
- mediated disputes to prevent strikes and lockouts that could disrupt the war effort. and required unions to give 30 day notice of all strikes
- reinforced the importance of collective bargaining and established the government as a mediator in labor disputes
14
Q
What happened to Unions during war years (WW2)
A
- TU grew in size from 1940 which was 9 million to 15 million in 1945
15
Q
What was the Taft Hartley Act?
A
- in 1947
- restricted union activities for example it made it illegal for unions to operate a closed shop
- was a response to a post-World War II surge in strikes and growing concerns about union influence
- banned strikes
-the president could order a 60 day cooling off period prior to strike where workers would have to work - placed limits on how unions could press their demands.
- led to decline in union membership
- weakened the CIO in particular as it weakened the claim of the CIO to represent unskilled working classes
