History and Heritage Flashcards
What was Peter J McGuire’s founding credo?
Educate, Agitate, Organize.
When was the UBC founded?
Chicago, 1881
Why did the UBC become an international union?
To combat replacement workers being brought from Canada to disrupt American worker strikes.
What were some of the reasons we began losing market share in the 60s-70s?
We were largely a servicing union. Organizing ranked low on our priorities and top-down campaigns were the primary method of organizing. We had so much work after the “Wars” that we failed to train and modernize. We had so much market share that we were lazy.
In the 1970s, a group of business owners came together to form an organization to collectively fight back against the Union movement. What was this group called?
The Business Roundtable
“The white man is robbed by the slave, he is thrust into competition with a class of worker that __________________”.
has no wage. Commentary on the diversity issues of the early UBC. The UBC was against slavery both morally and economically. This situation is similar to today’s undocumented workers (the “situation” is similar. do NOT compare undocumented workers to slaves. ECONOMICALLY, it has similarities).
What are some of the reasons the UBC was formed?
Standardized work dayRegular payJobsite conditionsTo combat strike breakers
How did the UBC organize workers in the early years?
Carpenter to carpenter. Member to member. In the early days, word of mouth was the primary building block of the UBC. In a time when information moved slowly, the interactions between union members and unrepresented workers were the glue that made the fledgling organization strong. It wasn’t documents or buildings, it was people.
What happened to our industry when the recession hit in the 1970s?
Work declinedConstruction was hit extremely hard (financial constraints on other business gring construction to a halt)Business roundtable Right to Work introduced more aggressivelyWhen construction slowed, it became obvious that we had done little organizing over the previous years to gain market that would be sustainable.
How high did our market share get in some areas after WWII?
Up to 90% in some areas.
What drove our high market share percentage after WWII?
Troops returning from war (more people)Troops starting families (more homes, more babies)More families (more homes, roads, hospitals, schools, etc)Reconstruction boom (manufacturing megapower)Exports (everywhere else was blown up!)Post-war Nationalism (be american, buy american, be american, spend american)Etc, etc
How did membership change during WWII?
Intense growth. Membership catapulted 100%. With the need for military servicemen/women, many members were sent overseas for service (even starting construction battalions). Women made a historic entry into non-trade occupations. Retooling of American industry to support the war effort increased the need for product. Everyone worked. Everyone worked to support the war. However, it was intense growth out of NECESSITY not hard won organizing.
Why did WWII growth not increase member loyalty to the UBC?
There were so many opportunities for employment that commitment was at an all time low. It was a “buyers market.” Anyone who wanted a job could likely find one. This started an era of the “entitled union member,” when conditions were at an all time high. This was largely due to the amount of work needed and the high prosperity of post-war spending. Union members enjoyed the prosperity, but didn’t actually fight for it. So they believed it should always be there for them.
What were some of the ways that UBC members found employment during/after the Great Depression?
Grand Cooley Dam, Tennessee Valley Authority, Hoover Dam. All part of New Deal work
What was the ongoing significance of the employment gained from the New Deal?
It was a HUGE benefit to the people that so desperately needed the work. Coming out of the New Deal and the huge infrastructure projects, there were two generations of UBC members that enjoyed the results of economic prosperity. Those generations often believed that prosperity should ALWAYS be there. They had not seen hard times. They lived and worked through the best times in the labor movement. They developed a sense of entitlement.
Where is PJ McGuire laid to rest?
Philadelphia, PA
