Trade Unions - Fed Govt. Help/Hinder

Question 1

What are the 4 paragraphs for this essay?

Answer 1

• Presidents and Congress Help
• Presidents and Congress Hinder
• Supreme Court Help
• Supreme Court Hinder

Question 2

What are the points for Presidents and Congress help TUs? (3)

Answer 2

• NWLB in WWI and WWII
• FDR Presidency
• Nixon (70s)

Question 3

What did NWLB do to help TUs?

Answer 3

Allows representation of workers, settles wartime disputes as alternative to striking. Allows employees to have a voice.

Question 4

What did FDR Presidency do to help TUs?

Answer 4

N.I.R.A leads to NRA forming, regulating working hours and pay. Although declared unconstitutional, F.L.S.A 1938 reinforces. Wagner Act allows collective bargaining, although T-H undermines.

Question 5

What did Nixon Presidency do to help TUs?

Answer 5

Age Discrimination Act and Occ. H+S Act 1970 improves working conditions.

Question 6

What are the points for Presidents and Congress hinder TUs?

Answer 6

• Pullman 1894
• PATCO 1981
• Taft Hartley 1947

Question 7

What did Pullman 94 do to hinder TUs?

Answer 7

2000 troops, 4 workers killed, leads to Omnibus Indictment to stop collective strikes. Therefore limits power and causes fear, damaging union activity

Question 8

What did PATCO 81 do to hinder TUs?

Answer 8

Reagan says that 50s laws banning govt strikes make it illegal, forces return to work threatening dismissal. Causes drop in union activity.

Question 9

What are the points for Supreme help TUs?

Answer 9

• Sherman Antitrust (Gilded Age)
• Clayton Antitrust
• Upholding of Wagner 1937

Question 10

How did Sherman help TUs?

Answer 10

Curtails power of monopolies so workers aren’t heavily exploited. However requires reinforcement in 1914.

Question 11

How did Clayton help TUs?

Answer 11

Reinforces Sherman A-T act, further limiting monopolies. However Carnegie 90% oil so didn’t work too well

Question 12

How did upholding Wagner help TUs?

Answer 12

Allows collective bargaining, shows good attitudes towards unionism. Membership numbers rise. 1935 3.5mil, 1938 9mil

Question 13

What are the points for Supreme Court hinder TUs?

Answer 13

• Lochner vs NY
• NIRA unconstitutional
• 1915 Coppage v Kansas

Question 14

What did T-H Act do to hinder TU?

Answer 14

Prevents solidarity strikes and closed shop unions to limit bargaining power and progress. Reverses positives of New Deal.

Question 15

What did Lochner v NY do to hinder TU?

Answer 15

1905, Declares limit on working hours unconstitutional. Allows employer exploitation of workers

Question 16

What did NIRA unconstitutional do to hinder trade unions?

Answer 16

Undermines progress of the NRA on working hours and condition standards. However F.L.S.A 1938 rejuvenates this so limited impact

Question 17

What did Coppage vs Kansas 1915 do to hinder TUs?

Answer 17

Permits the use of yellow dog contracts, limiting workers’ voice. However Ford, who used them, provided welfare capitalism so not too bad

Question 18

Synthesis for Presidents and Congress help TU?

Answer 18

• FDR presidency and NWLB both improve working standards, one by coop, one by enforcement
• Nixon and FDR both pass legislation to improve worker welfare

Question 19

Synthesis for Presidents and congress hinder TU?

Answer 19

• Pullman and PATCO both see major decline in union activity due to fear and injunctions
• Omnibus and T-H both prevent solidarity strikes to reduce power of the movement

Question 20

Synthesis for Supreme court help TU?

Answer 20

• Wagner (congress) and supreme (upholding) work together to reduce stigma around TUs and encourage activity
• Clayton 1914 continuation of late 19th cent attitudes (sherman)
• A-T acts and NWLB both give employees greater say over their employers

Question 21

Synthesis for Supreme Court hinder TU?

Answer 21

• Coppage v Kansas 1915 and Lochner v NY 1905 both allow exploitation of workers
• Coppage v Kansas and failed A-T acts both contribute to employer exploitation

Question 22

Conclusion for Federal Government help/hinder TU

Answer 22

Did more to hinder as repeated backwards steps in allowing unionism, facilitated by supreme court and congress, epitomised by T-H Act.