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Workers rights: Key turning points, Actions of employers - Coggle Diagram
Workers rights: Key turning points
The booming 20s and WW1
The boom of the 1920s
The economic boom that followed the war resulted in a rise in real wages and a decline in unemployment
"Real wages" describes what wages can actually buy. Wages could increase but if prices increase faster then real wages are falling.
Employees were offered benefits like reduction in working hours, pensions, insurance and other services. However, this was often in return for no-strike agreements.
In some industries, company unions were set up. In practice, workers lost their independence and were sometimes forced to sign a "yellow-dog contract" in which workers agreed not to join a union.
The development of welfare capitalism was usually in return for no-strike agreements and abandoning the right to negotiate wages. It aimed to reduce industrial unrest and entailed offering workers improved working conditions and other benefits in return for letting the employers control unions.
Many employers refused to recognise unions, like before WW1. For example, Henry Ford exerted tight control over his workforce, and it took until 1941 before he =would recognise any union for collective bargaining
The Pullman Company, who manufactured railway carriages, employed a significant number of African American porters who had few rights.
WW1, 1914-18
The position of workers improved during WW1. As there was an increase in demand for products, there was greater opportunity to increase profits, so factory owners were more conciliatory towards workers.
Products that saw an increase in demand include textiles (for uniforms) and steel (for weapons).
Government action
To maintain production, the government recognised and negotiated with unions through the National War Labor Board (NWLB). This limited working hours to eight per day, but in return workers had to agree to a no-strike policy.
The NWLB was created in 1918 by President Wilson to settle disputes between workers and employers, and ensured that production would not be interrupted by strikes.
1960s and 1970s
Government action
Equal Pay Act passed by
Kennedy
in 1963
President Johnson's
Great Society' programme helped those in poverty
Equal Opportunities Act of 1964 increased training opportunities
Age Discrimination Act of 1968 protected those over the age of 40
Union actions
African Federation of Labor
and
Congress of Industrial Orgnaizations
merged, bring together 85% of union members
More union bargaining power
More health insurance gains
More ability to negotiate contracts
Violence and strike action that had been present in the earlier years of the story seemed to hopefully have ended
1960s and 1970s led to a decline in union membership
More technological jobs meant more skilled workers that were paid well and didn't look to unions for protection as much
Ethnicity
Demand for more skilled workers disadvantaged many African American workers
Lacking necessary education, many African Americans remained in poorly paid jobs - and could be exploited
Divisions
Farm workers failed to gain from the benefits that unions in industry did
Cesar Chavez
tried to fight for better rights for farm workers
Helped form the
UFW (United Farm Workers Union)
in 1972
They followed non-violent protest ideology
Their tactics forced growers to recognise the UFW as the bargaining organisation for pickers in california
1970s strikes and boycotts led to higher wages for grape and lettuce growers
Arizona's state government passed a law banning boycotts and strikes during harvest time
The Great Depression 1929 + Roosevelt's New Deal
The Great Depression
Employer actions
employers could exploit weak position of workers who feared for their jobs
employers took tough actions against strikes and often called in the police or strike breakers
so, union membership fell as workers' positions and union strength were undermined
What?
Improvements in living standards from boom years were brought to an end
began with the Wall Street Crash
high unemployment
Roosevelt's New Deal
Acts passed
Roosevelt introduced a wide range of legislation. Some was beenficial to the labour movement, to tackle economic problems and get people back to work
National Industry Recovery Act 1933 = encouraged firms to agree to codes of practice to deal with improving hours, wage rates + union rights. It enshrined in law the rights of workers to organise unions + take part in collective bargaining. It was a major step forward in union rights but there were limited effects as not all employers signed the code and the Supreme Court declared the Act unconstitutional
Wagner Act 1935
-great step forward from pre-war period.
established the NLRB which could negociate on behalf of workers, prevent companies from using their own unions + looked into accusations of unfair labour practices.
workers given right to elect their own representatives to undertake collective bargaining
declared constitutional
workers given right to join unions
using spies against unions banned
recognised role of unions = rapid expansion of union membership from 3.7 million in 1933 to 9 million by 1938
Fair Labour Standards Act 1939 - gave workers a minimum wage = workers position at start of WW2 far stronger than end of WW1 in 1918
Employer Reactions
some firms initially resisted but most were forced to accept the changes, such as General Motors, which employed over 80,000 after 1936 sit-in strike
Limitations = improvements only benefited some workers, many unskilled workers eg car manufacturing didnt have rights and lacked the gains made, the lowest paid didn't benefit so many ethnic minorities and women were still very vulnerable, Wagner Act didn't give agricultural workers the right to join unions
Actions of employers