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TU Factors (Employers and opposition (The Contract System, used frequently…
TU Factors
Employers and opposition
The Contract System, used frequently in the late 1800s, meant that workers could be laid off in slack periods with little notice -pay/cond
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During the 1920s, employers began using “welfare capitalism” to appease workers by reducing working hours, improving working conditions, introducing insurance and pension plans, building recreational facilities, and allowing workers access to profit-sharing schemes - pay/cond
From the 1970s, there was an increasing tendency for employers to flout the law in their dealings with workers so that they could be more competitive - pay/cond
In 1939, a female teacher earned 20% less than her male counterpart
In 1940, only 10% of defence contractors employed African Americans
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Employers exploited the divisions in labour by laying off white workers in times of unrest and replacing them with African American “scab labour” - bargaining
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Employers used workforce spies to root out employees who wanted to unionise the workforce so that they could be fired to prevent unionisation - bargaining
HOWEVER...
- From the 1890s, some of the USA’s most influential businessmen, including Marcus A Hanna and J P Morgan, were prepared to work with the American Federation of Labour to establish mediation and conciliation in the workplace
- bargaining rights
During the 1920s, employers began using “welfare capitalism” to appease workers in order to prevent strikes by allowing workers to discuss grievances with employers at “company unions”, however they were not allowed to negotiate wages - bargaining
In the 1950s, increasing numbers of white collar workers signed no-strike agreements and were often barred from joining trade unions - bargaining
From the Air Traffic Controllers Strike (1981), employers increasingly used “scab labour” to reduce the negative effects of strikes - bargaining
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Public opinion
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Public opinion was more favourable to pay and working conditions rights during the New Deal in order to get the USA out of the depression
Air Traffic Controllers Strike (1981) – public opinion towards unions became increasingly negative because workers were seen to already have good wage levels and working hours
In Mobile, Alabama, 50 people were injured in riots after 12 African American welders were promoted in May 1943
Between 1881 and 1905, seven million workers participated in 37,000 strikes, some of which involved damage to property and looting - bargaining
Violence by the Molly Maguires (1873), at the Railroad Strike (1877), the Haymarket Affair (1886), the Homestead Strike (1892) and the Pullman Strike (1894) increased negative public opinions towards unions and workers, so reduced the chance of them getting their rights - bargaining
The Red Scare (1919-20) caused negative public opinion towards unions as they were seen as socialists and even communists + Anticommunist feelings from cold war - bargaining
Air Traffic Controllers Strike (1981) – public opinion towards unions became increasingly negative because workers were seen to be holding the country to ransom - bargaining
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Women TU's
The Women’s Trade Union League (1903-1950) campaigned for ending sweatshop conditions, establishing an eight-hour day and a minimum wage
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During the 1930s, the female membership of unions increased from 265,000 to 800,000
1970's
Women were more likely to take strike action during the 1970s, such as the strike action by female bank workers in Minnesota from 1977 to 1979
TU's
POSITIVE
The National Labour Union (1866-73) and Knights of Labour (est 1869) campaigned for an eight-hour day, but had limited impact - pay/cond
The American Federation of Labour (est 1886) represented labour interests in wages, hours and safety - pay/cond
The American Federation of Labour (est 1886) was more widely recognised by employers and had over 2 million members by 1914 - bargaining rights
AFL-CIO
By 1960, due to the formation of AFL-CIO, unions were more successful in bargaining over wage rates and working conditions
The merger of the American Federation of Labour and the Congress of Industrial Organisations to form the AFL-CIO (est 1955) brought 85% of union members into a single unit, so reduced divides between skilled and unskilled labour - bargaining rights #
The Knights of Labour (est 1869) had 700,000 members in 1886, but they were of limited importance by the 1890s due to failed strikes and dwindling membership - bargaining rights #
In the 1970s, public sector workers increasingly joined unions and began to strike more, for example 1970 saw the first nationwide strike of public employees when the US Postal Workers took industrial action - bargaining rights
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Minorities TU's
The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids (est 1925) initially was rejected by the Pullman Company, but later gained the support of the American Federation of Labour and was recognised by the Pullman Company in 1935