1945 - 1969 Flashcards
(19 cards)
How strong were trade unions by the end of WWII?
- Union membership reached over 14 million in 1945.
- Wartime growth due to Roosevelt’s support (e.g. National War Labour Board).
- Workers made a no-strike pledge in return for federal mediation and wage gains.
Why did the post-war period see a wave of strikes (1945–46)?
- Pent-up wage demands after wartime controls.
- Over 5,000 strikes in 1946, involving 4.6 million workers.
- Public saw strikes as selfish following wartime sacrifices.
What was the Taft-Hartley Act ?
- 1947
- Restricted union power
- banned closed shops
- allowed ‘right-to-work’ laws
- required non-Communist oaths
- enabled presidential strike intervention. Passed over Truman’s veto.
What was the significance of the Taft-Hartley Act?
- Weakened union power, especially in the South.
- Led to purging of Communists from unions (especially CIO).
- Shifted federal stance away from pro-labour during Cold War.
How did union membership and influence change in the 1950s?
- Membership peaked at 35.3% of the workforce in 1954 (16 million workers).
- Strong economic growth and labour shortages supported union bargaining power.
What gains did unions make in the 1950s?
- High Union Membership
- AFL–CIO Merger (1955)
- Wage Increases & Benefits: Secured wage rises, healthcare, pensions, and paid vacations.
- better working conditions
What was the AFL-CIO merger ?
- 1955
- Merged the AFL and CIO, creating a 16-million-member federation.
- Led by George Meany and Walter Reuther.
- Increased political influence and centralised labour movement.
What were the limitations of the AFL-CIO after 1955?
- Criticised for corruption (e.g. Teamsters), bureaucracy
- lack of outreach to service/white-collar workers.
- Often slow to support civil rights.
How did the Landrum-Griffin Act regulate unions?
- 1955
- Targeted corruption (e.g. Jimmy Hoffa’s Teamsters).
- Required democratic elections, financial transparency
- restricted secondary strikes and picketing.
Who were the teamsters?
- one of the largest U.S. labour unions, primarily representing drivers, truckers, and other industrial workers.
- involved in organized crime, with links to mobsters and corruption.
- allegations of bribery, fraud, and illegal activities, damaging the union’s reputation
- led to a decline in public trust in unions
What role did Walter Reuther and the UAW play?
- Reuther led the UAW, championed civil rights, profit-sharing, and anti-poverty policies.
- Funded the 1963 March on Washington.
- Seen as the moral conscience of the labour movement.
How did the Civil Rights Movement affect trade unionism?
- Some unions like the UAW supported civil rights; others resisted integration.
- A. Philip Randolph pushed for equal employment.
- 1964 Civil Rights Act banned job discrimination.
How were Black and female workers treated by unions?
- Often excluded from skilled jobs and union leadership.
- Many unions upheld discriminatory practices, especially in the South.
- Women were underrepresented in unionised roles.
What did the Equal Pay Act (1963) and Civil Rights Act (1964) achieve?
- Equal Pay Act targeted gender pay gap.
- Civil Rights Act (Title VII) banned job discrimination and established the Equal employment opportunity commission.
- Laws forced unions to be more inclusive.
How did the economy begin to change by the 1960s?
- Economic shift toward services, tech, and retail reduced blue-collar jobs.
- Automation cut demand for skilled manual labour
- Unions struggled to adapt.
How did the Vietnam War affect trade unions?
- AFL-CIO under Meany supported the war.
- Younger activists and Reuther criticised it.
- Inflation caused by war hurt real wages and living standards.
Why was public support for unions declining by the late 1960s?
- Media focus on corruption and disruptive strikes.
- Perceived as self-interested.
- Employers began resisting union demands more actively.
What were the key achievements of 1945–1969 for unions?
- Union membership peaked
- strong collective bargaining secured better wages and conditions.
- AFL-CIO merger.
- Legal victories like Civil Rights and Equal Pay Acts.
What were the key limitations of 1945–1969 for unions?
- Taft-Hartley Act (1947)
- Right-to-Work Laws
- Union Corruption undermined public trust
- failure to adapt to changing economy and job roles
