TUs Black Power Flashcards
Negative view
The Black Power movement, in addition to not being particularly concerned with Trade Union rights, emphasised the differences between blacks and whites, hence harmed worker solidarity.
It was concerned with African American worker solidarity rather than bi-racial solidarity.
Lack of economic progress for African Americans in this era, ongoing discrimination in the workplace, and the reluctance of employers to implement affirmative action.
Ongoing racial discrimination and division within trade unions, for example having very limited black leadership
Black Power violence
The violence and militancy of the Black Power movement lost support for African Americans, not just among the white population but also among African Americans, and this may have limited their influence
Black Power deepening divisions
The Black Power movement put much of its emphasis on differences between African Americans and white Americans, and did not argue for integration - this helped to create further divisions among the labour movement
Black Power lack of economic concern
The Black Power movement did not place a great deal of emphasis on the economic position of African Americans, showing a greater concern for culture
In tackling economic issues, the movement was more concerned with poverty than labour rights
Economics in ten-point programme
The lack of concern about the economic position of Africans Americans is further emphasised by the fact that it was just one point in a ten-point programme
Black Power undermining solidarity
The Black Power movement was militant and opposed any whites assisting, leading to little support among unions - undermined concepts of worker solidarity championed by figures such as Chavez
Mixed view
A balanced view would cite Black Power’s attempts to shift focus onto economic issues as a good thing, but also note the limitations in success.
This view would question the idea of ‘class solidarity’ and note the Black Power was predominantly an African American movement with little relevance to workers as a whole.
Nyden
Emphasised the benefits achieved by unions which increased black representation as a result of the movement.
Ending racist practices
The movement encouraged trade unions to abandon any remaining racist practices within their organisations
Impact on federal policy
The movement may have partially inspired Nixon’s affirmative action policies or the 1964 Equal Opportunity Act - focus on poverty resonated with Johnson’s “War on Poverty” programme
Black Power in the UWSA
Black Power increased the strength of representation of blacks in the UWSA (had over 1.2 million members)
In 1964, there was not a single Black International Executive Board (IEB) member; fewer than 24 of the 800 USWA staff members were Black.
At the same time that barely 3% of the staff was Black, 16% of the union membership was Black
By 1975, 57 Blacks were on the International staff
Ad Hoc committee
The Ad Hoc Committee of Concerned Black Steel Workers was formed in 1964 by a group of Black steelworker
Ad Hoc gained a following of well over 1000 Black steelworkers who regularly attended local and district caucus meetings in Chicago, Gary, Youngstown, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Birmingham, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Philadelphia in the mid-1960
Positive view
Some historians point to the impact that the Black Power movement made in focusing attention on the poverty and employment discrimination that African American workers faced.
Marxist historians would see it contributing to the formation of a non-racial ‘class consciousness’ and solidairty between African American, ethnic minority and white workers, which allowed them to negotiate more effectively with employers and reduced the likelihood of wage deals etc. being undercut by using minority workers.
Sustar
Of Socialist Worker argued that Black Power “demonstrated that a united struggle… was possible”
