Trade union and labour rights - industrial growth, federal government

Question 1

What are the positives for labour rights in the 1880s?

Answer 1

• The number of industrial workers grew from 885,000 to 3.2 million.
• led to greater demand for unions + formation - KOL, AFL and industrial workers of the world

Question 2

What are the negatives for labour rights in the 1880s?

Answer 2

• Union divisions between skilled and unskilled Labour

Question 3

What are the positives for labour rights in the 1920s?

Answer 3

Low unemployment forced employers to recognise unions or introduce ‘welfare capitalism’

Question 4

What are the negatives of labour rights in the 1920s?

Answer 4

• Welfare capitalism mitigated the need for the federal government to protect workers right
• Unions still had no legal rights and so failed to gain recognition from many employers.

Question 5

What are the positives of labour rights in the 1950s?

Answer 5

• average income increased by 35% during the decade
• 75% of workers owned a car

Question 6

What are the negatives of labour rights in the 1950s?

Answer 6

• Union membership in these industries dropped by 50%.
• White collar workers - some forced to sign non-union agreements.
• The number of women in work grew, who often didn’t join unions.

Question 7

What is the economic change post WW2?

Answer 7

• New technology and increased automation saw blue collar workers decline, union membership fell by 50%
• White collar increased, who often signed non-union agreements.

Question 8

What is the Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1890?

Answer 8

• attempt to restrict monopolies
• failed due to loopholes

Question 9

What is the Pullman strike 1894?

Answer 9

• President Cleveland sent 2000 federal troops to break the strike

Question 10

How did the government positively intervene in WW1?

Answer 10

• Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) - limited the use of injunctions and allowed peaceful picketing.
• need for production of war goods saw them recognise unions and establish the National War Labour Board (for negotiating with unions)

Question 11

What is government intervention in WW2?

Answer 11

• The government re-established the NWLB.

Question 12

Taft-Hartley act (1947)

Answer 12

(1947) restrained union power:

• stopped political picketing
• required union leaders to proclaim an “anti communist” pledge

Question 13

What is the Lochner v. New York case? (1905)

Answer 13

• (1905) The Supreme court rejected the law that limited the hours a baker could work.

Question 14

What New Deal legislation was there?

Answer 14

• Wagner Act 1935 - legalised and encourages unions
• The Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 - minimum wage

Question 15

What is the impact of Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson?

Answer 15

the ‘New Frontier’ and ‘Great Society’:

• Equal Pay Act 1963 - wage discrimination of race is illegal.
• Civil Rights Act 1964 - helped African Americans and Hispanics against discrimination.

Question 16

What did Nixon do?

Answer 16

• Occupational Safety and Health Act 1970 - aimed to better workng conditions

Question 17

What is the impact of Reagan?

Answer 17

• 1981-1989, Reagan was determined to reduce the power of unions.
• removed restrictions that protected workers.

Question 18

What is the PACTO strike 1981?

Answer 18

• Air traffic controllers go on strike
  Reagan said if they did not return in 48 hours, their contracts would be ended.

Question 19

Why was the PATCO strike important?

Answer 19

• Strikes and union membership decline after this.
• Reagan appointed his own members to the Labor Relations Board - ensured they would support his views

Question 20

How were wages affected by the world wars?

Answer 20

wages rose:

• 20% in WW1
• 70% in WW2

Question 21

what percentage of American families owned their own home by the end of the 50s

Answer 21

60%

Question 22

what union was Reagan apart of

Answer 22

Screen actors guild - first person to take them out on strike (wins endorsement of many unions before 1980 election)