Labour Rights Flashcards
Who was William H Sylvis?
Set up the national labor union - 1866
What was the condition of labour rights at the beginning of the period?
Union and labour rights limited to what workers could negotiate.
Small, skilled, closed shop unions.
Employers under no legal obligation to recognise labour unions.
What was the extent of effect of the NLU?
The NLU began a failed strike in 1867 but was gone first union to experience larger membership
300,000 members-1868
1869 NLU died as Sylvis died.
What happened to the workforce of the USA in the early period?
The workforce saw the rise of the low skilled, low wage worker due to the rise of industrialisation.
The arrival of old immigrants from Europe, especially Irish Catholics.
How were employers able to exploit the changing work conditions?
Immigrants were kore willing to take on dirty and dangerous jobs and there were many new workers to fill the jobs of the old ones.
Employers used a contract system which allowed workers to be laid off whenever benefitted employers.
What was the main trade union which arose out of the changes in the nature of industry?
The Knights of Labor -1869
Gained momentum when Terence v. Powderly became its leader.
Powderly aimed to unite skilled and unskilled labour and benefitted from the fall of the NLU.
What were the main victories of the KOL?
Successful strike in 1885 which spurred on membership
1881 - 20,000 members
1886 - 700,000 members
Why did the KOL fail.
The 1886 haymarket affair ruined the reputation of the KOL.
After the KOL what new organisation was set up.
The American Federation of Labor - 1886
Who led the AFL?
Samuel Gompers
Argued that workers had to secure their rights through legislative means and the bargaining power of workers.
Had support of leading businessmen such as T. P Morgan.
Gompers did however support the use of strike action.
What Union is an example of a militant union?
The Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) - 1905
Stood for the rights of poor and illiterate workers
Fell in 1924 due to internal divisions
Regarded with general suspicion by employers.
What is an example of early violent protest? What were the effects if this?
The haymarket affair - 1886
Caused suspicion and animosity towards trade unions and new immigrants.
Exacerbated already existing tensions between white Protestant skilled workers and other workers.
What was the workforce divided between over the course of the period?
Gender Race Culture Language Nationality Skilled and unskilled (white v blue collar)
How did the workforce become more divided at the beginning of the period?
The arrival of old immigrants - willing to take on dirty and dangerous jobs as they needed the money. Fear if dismissal made low skilled workers afraid to attempt to unite against employers.
As more immigrants entered the United States skilled white workers began to see new low skilled immigrants as a threat to their bargaining power so refused entry to their unions. Admittance refusal was a serious barrier to solidarity and weakened the position of union leaders as they struggled to gain recognition of labour rights.
Suspicion that immigrants stirred violent culture amongst workers.
Confirmed by haymarket affair 1886, molly maguires 1873, homestead strike 1892.
How did Federal government impede the progression of labour rights in the early period.
The federal government had a policy called laissez faire capitalism.
Laissez faire capitalism allowed big business to form monopolies over certain industries and made employers very powerful.
The law at this time as also partial to the employers as shown to some extent by Lochner v. New York (1905) which declared a maximum 10 hour day unconstitutional.
