TU synthesis pairings

Question 1

SARG: Federal Govt use of violent opposition to right to exist - Haymarket 1886, Homestead 1892, Pullman 1894 & PATCO 1981

Answer 1

Opposition to right to exist can be seen as early as: Haymarket affair 1886, homestead strike 1892 & pullman strike 1894 – all were met with violent suppression from federal troops, demo fed govts unwillingness to recog. or coop w unions.

• By the end of the period fed. Govt support for unions right to exist was relatively limited as Reagan’s use of the Taft Hartley act legislation to crush the 1981 PATCO strikes, firing 11,000 workers firmly cemented the us govts attitude towards unions, returning to a state of violent unwillingness to cooperate.

Question 2

SARG: Federal Govt use of restrictive legislation to oppose right to exist - Adair v. US 1908 & Taft-Hartley 1947

Answer 2

• Adair v. Us 1908 ruling prevented the banning of yellow-dog contracts, forcing workers to abandon union movements.
• Wagner act’s gains for union recog. Reversed by Taft-Hartley (1947) = allowed states to pass ‘right to work’ laws.= again govt legislation infringing on right to join unions.

Both demo. govt’s unwillingness to grant full recog. to unions.

Question 3

WARG: Federal Govt legislation showing recognition of right to exist - Wagner Act 1935 & Order 10988 of 1962

Answer 3

Despite the ‘New Deal’ era marking turning point in fed. Govt attitudes due to the passing of the Wagner act (1935) legally recognising unions and workers right to unionise & the exec. Order 10988 of 1962 which similarly granted fed employers right to unionise = short lived bc overturned by actions of successive govt.