Civil Rights- Trade Unions Flashcards
(27 cards)
why was trade union action limited?
unions focused mostly on skilled, white, male workers, workers were divided leading to divisions, many industries (steel/iron) not represented
when was the Knights of Labour established?
1869- reaching 20,000 members by 1881
why were unions in the 19th century less effective?
they were very militant and prone to using violence, e.g. the Wobblies and the Molly Maguires
when was the Haymarket affair?
1890
when was the Homestead Strike?
1892
when was the Pullman strike?
1894
how did the economic changes benefit workers?
there was an economic boom that resulted in a rise in real wages and a decline in unemployment as well as other benefits like reduced hours, pensions and isnurance
what was welfare capitalism?
a policy to reduce industrial unrest, which entailed offering workers improved working conditions and other benefits in the return for unions under the control of the employer
what were yellow-dog contracts?
workers signed to agree not to join a union
how did the Great Depression worsen the position of workers?
a period of high unemployment, employers would exploit the weak position of workers who thought they’d lose their jobs by using strike breakers
what was the NIRA and why was it limited?
National Industry Recovery Act set up in 1933, set about to have codes of practise to protect workers and enshrined in law the right to collective bargaining BUT it was deemed unconstitutional
what did the NLRA or Wagner Act of 1935 do?
established the NLRB to negotiate on behalf of workers and looked into accusations of unfair treatment, collective bargaining allowed and workers were formally given the right to join unions
when and what was the Fair Labour Standards Act?
1939- gave workers a minimum wage
why was the legislation in the New Deal period limited?
it still excluded ethnic minorities and those of the lower end of pay scales did not benefit
women were also still paid less than men
what was union membership like during WW2?
boosted from 9 million in 1938 to 15 million by the end of the war
when and what was the Taft-Hartley Act?
1947- prevented unions from running closed-shop unions, lessening union power
why did union membership fall post-WW2?
there was a growth in white-collar workers who lacked the need for unions, and often these workers signed no-strike agreements
when was the Equal Pay Act?
1963
when and what was the Economic Opportunity Act?
1964- increased training opportunities for all
when was the merger of the AFL and CIO and how did this impact unions?
1955- the merger brought together 85% of union members and gave unions far more power and influence
when was the PACTO strike?
1981
when and what was Lochner v New York?
1905- ruled that limiting the working day to 10 hours was unconstitutional
when and what was Coppage v Kansas?
1915- allowed yellow-dog contracts
how did Reagan limit union power?
he did not support strike action and threatened to fire those on the PACTO strike if they did not return to work
