APUSH Labor Union Review
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Transcript APUSH Labor Union Review
Growth and
Development of the
Labor Movement
Labor Movement
Discuss
how the perception of
organized labor has changed in
America from the period of the mid1800’s to the 1960s.
APUSH Labor Union
Review
Labor Union Organizations
Shoemakers
in PA (1790’s)
Mechanics Union (1820’s)
Molly Maguire's in PA (1860’s)
Freemasons (1700’s)
Knights of Labor (1869)
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Org. 9 tailors in PA
Secret society
Uriah S. Stephens
Gained influence during Great RR Strike 1877
1880’s dropped secrecy & became public
Terrence Powderly—new leader of KOL
Included everyone w/ a job—except bankers,
lawyers, gamblers & liquor producers
Aims of the KOL
An eight-hour work day
Termination of child labor
Termination of the convict contract labor system (the
concern was not for the prisoners; the Knights opposed
competition from this cheap source of labor)
Establishment of cooperatives to replace the traditional
wage system and help tame capitalism's excesses
Equal pay for equal work
Government ownership of telegraph facilities and the
railroads
A public land policy designed to aid settlers and not
speculators
A graduated income tax.
Influence of KOL
Main strategy—strikes
Successful in Union Pacific strike (1884) &
Wabash RR Strike (1885)
Membership rose to over 700,000 in
1880’s
Haymarket Square Riot (1886)
KOL implicated
“union” = “anarchism”
Membership declines to 100,000
Too large, too many differing ideologies
(some radical)
American Federation of Labor
(AFL) 1886
Rise of AFL
Led by Samuel Gompers
Rejected Radical Unionization
Promoted union for skilled laborers
Used collective bargaining & strikes as last
resorts
Wanted much of the same as KOL
– Focused on higher wages, better workplace
environ, & shortened work week
– Left out minorities and unskilled laborers
Minorities & Labor Unions
African
Americans
– Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Women
– Women’s Trade Union League
– International Ladies Garment Workers
Union (after Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Fire-1911)
Success of AFL
AFL
becomes the largest and most
powerful union in late 1800’s early
1900’s
Combating the ideology of “union” =
“anarchism”
Most strikes are unsuccessful—put
down by police, state or national
guard
Radical Labor Organizations
Wobblies—International
the World
– Big Bill Haywood
Socialists
Workers of
WWI
Labor
Unions benefit from WWI
Fed. Gov’t regulates unions—promise
to keep union demands—pay, hours,
workplace conditions, end of child
labor in return for not striking
Women & AA also receive benefits
End of WWI—return to labor
problems
Roaring 20’s
Labor
unions are hurt due to
assembly line (unskilled laborers)
Open shops—refused to give work to
members of a union
“welfare capitalism”—internal
workplace unions
Booming economy
“Bull” market
Rampant immigration
Great Depression & Unions
FDR favors Unions
New Deal Legislation
– NIRA “blanket code”=unconstitutional—”sick
chicken”
– NRA—creation of National Labor Board—
employers must negotiate with legitimate
unions
– CIO (Committee of Industrial Organization)
Makes
unions industry specific
United Auto Workers
SWOC