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Trade Unions & the New Deal - Coggle Diagram
Trade Unions & the New Deal
NLRA/Wagner Act (1935) - gave right to join a union, enter collective bargaining, elect representatives, set up the NLRB and barred unfair practices
NIRA (1933) set up an optional code of practice to improve relations between workers and employers - gave workers right to organise
NIRA deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1935 in the Schechter Poultry v US ruling
many unskilled, agricultural and Federal workers were left unprotected by New Deal legislation
union membership increased from 3.7 to 9 million between 1933 and 1938, and 12.6 million by 1945
gains were often limited to skilled, white males - therefore gains not extended to all workers
formation of CIO in 1935 led to rapid unionisation of industry and support for unskilled workers - extended union recognition into automotive and heavy industry
argument that economic recovery was led by the war economy, not the New Deal
some employers such as Henry Ford repeatedly refuse to recognise unions - this showed the weakness of voluntary codes of practice
impact of reforms limited by disputes over legality of Federal over State law eg over minimum wage regulations
the Fair Labour Standards Act (1938) established a minimum weekly wage
previously non-unionised industries now saw recognition - eg the Pullman Company recognised unions in 1935, General Motors in 1936 and US Steel in 1937
women did not make gains in pay as pay differentials were upheld by legislation and the New Deal agencies
National Labour Relations Board set up to negotiate between employers and unions
African Americans, many employed in domestic service or agriculture, did not benefit from many of the gains
some employees continued to use illegal strikes and employers employed intimidation and strike breaking to end disputes
the number of violent strikes increased compared to the 1920s, however it was lower than the level seen between 1870 and 1910 and had significantly declined by the end of the decade
the Norris-La Guardia Act (1932) banned yellow-dog contracts, barred federal courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent union action and reinforced the freedom of workers to join unions
1936 sit-in strike organised by the CIO resulted in the recognition of the UAWU by General Motors
Roosevelt's First New Deal (1933-34) focused on the passage of banking reform laws, emergency relief programs, work relief programs and agricultural programs, which helped improve conditions for many workers
the WPA - Works Progress Administration (1935) provided work for millions of unemployed people
the Second New Deal (1935) included union protection programmes, the Social Security Act and support for tenant farmers and migrant workers
the CWA - Civil Works Admistration (1933) created construction jobs, mainly improving or constructing buildings and bridges - by Mar 1934 it had created jobs for four million people.
the AAA - Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933) was designed to boost agricultural prices by paying farmers to reduce production - this resulted in further hardships for tenant farmers and AA sharecroppers
employers criticised New Deal policies, particularly the NLRA, which some likened to communism
the 1934 West Coast Waterfront strike lasted 3 months and saw the longshoremen win concessions
the Minneapolis general strike of 1934 saw eventual success and the creation of the powerful Teamsters Union
violence continued - in 1934 two strikers were killed by police in San Francisco, and on 'Bloody Friday' in Minneapolis two strikers were killed and 67 wounded - state troops were regularly deployed
New Deal legislation saw the number of strikes double to 1700 between 1932 and 1933, with 3x the number of workers involved - in 1934 1850 strikes involved over 1.4 million workers - the total doubled again between 1936 and 1937, a year which saw over 4700 strikes
the 1938 split between the AFL (who favoured smaller craft unions) and CIO (who represented larger industrial unions) weakened the labour movement
the Federal government's involvement in labour disputes saw a gradual weakening of employers' power and strengthened union influence