Union Growth and Power Between 1930 and 1935 in the US
The 1930s was a pivotal decade for workers and their unions in the United States. At the height of the economy of the “Roaring Twenties,” the possibilities for unions and working-class political activism seemed to be at an all-time low. However, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, unions and workers brought the labor movement to historic heights. What were some of the major developments and events that created the possibilities for union growth and union power in the 1930s? What were some of the achievements of the labor movement in the 1930s?
In what ways were union growth and union power still limited, notwithstanding the gains of the 1930s? In what ways were some of these gains shared unequally among workers?
Passage focus strongly on TEXTBOOK "Who Built America" and read the pages I highlight.
For the first subquestion, you should focus more on the causes of union growth and union power between 1930 and 1935. For the second subquestion, you should describe the achievements of the labor movement during the New Deal period that were solidified between 1935 and 1939. Achievements might be identified in particular industries or regions, or they might be national in nature. Put together, your answers to the first and second subquestions should comprise a kind of timeline, or sequence of events, or narrative, that describes both the causes and effects of union growth and union power. In the third and fourth subquestions, you are being asked to pivot, and to speak to some of the areas in which the achievements of the labor movement, by the end of the 1930s, were incomplete. There is some overlap to the third and fourth questions. You are advised to focus, in the third subquestion, on how any limitations effected union growth and union power. In the fourth subquestion, you are advised to fcous on how any limitations effected workers, or particular groups of workers. Finally, take care to clarify for yourself the use of the terms "labor movement," "union growth," and "union power." These terms are themselves interrelated, to be sure, but they each have a slightly different meaning.
UNION GROWTH AND POWER IN THE 1930S IN THE AMERICAN HISTORY
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Introduction
The American nation faced depression, resulting in the worst history of unemployment in the country in early 1930. The rapidly decreasing unemployment affected all labourers, particularly women and people of color. In this decade, unionization began to get more vital than ever before. The paper shows how they initially lost their members; they got opportunities to grow and gain power through many tactics. It also unveils the benefits the New Deal and the Second New Deal provided to them, making the decade an essential era of union growth and development. Soon, more and more workers joined unions despite the employers’ unwillingness to stand for their rights. The steel and coal mine workers also joined the unions, strengthening them even more. However, it became a challenge for the labour movement to withstand all the merits they gained due to the hindrances to their progress, like violence and the massacre of union members. The “Memorable Day Massacre” incident was a crucial push to stop the labor movement from developing. However, the unions did not stop and continued to fight for unemployment and better working conditions. The limitations also existed within the blue-collar unions. For example, they could not share the gains equally and did not remove racial, ethnic, and gender bias within their organization of unions. The later leaders like Randolph stood for the end of segregation, affecting and inspiring the labour movement after the end of the 1930s. The era from 1930-1940 is known for labour union growth and power.
Growth and Empowerment of Labour Movement
America went through Great Depression, leaving the labour force anticipating a bleak future in the beginning years of 1930. However, this was the time when the labour union grew and developed. In previous years, the labour union could not gather the strength of its members for many production industries like automobiles, mining, and textile. In 1933, it succeeded in gathering its members from these production businesses that were the main growth trades before Great Depression. Although it was a good sign for gaining union power, it did not determine their future fortune. Nevertheless, soon, they got the power they were aiming it.
One of the most notable developments providing labour unions immense advantages was the Roosevelt administration, which strengthened the blue-collar workers and their campaigns. Besides, the laws passed by Congress during the early New Deal were another plus for the unions’ growth. Another event that proved fortunate for the labour movement was The National Industrial Recovery act enacted in 1933. Also, passing The National Labor Relations Act in 1935 motivated the labour movement because it granted labourer unions support for bargaining. During this time of good fortune, another significant development supported labour rights. The CIO separated from the American Federation of Labor and put effort into bringing union growth. It prepared and represented untrained workers, making them more skilled and powerful. This step of the CIO stemmed from the many strikes held by the labour unions. These strikes compelled CIO to control the situation by granting labour rights. As a result, labour unions grew and developed through favourable events and changed their fortune from a vulnerable group of unskilled workers to an aggressive class of skilled and valuable labourers.[ Christopher Clark et al., Who Built America?: Since 1877 (Bedford Books, 2000), 474.] [Lyle W. Cooper, "The American Labor Movement in Prosperity and Depression," 22, no. 4 (1932).] [ Christopher L. Tomlins, "AFL Unions in the 1930s: Their Performance in Historical Perspective," The Journal of American History 65, no. 4 (1979).] [ Clark, WBA , 485.] [ Richard B. Freeman, Spurts in Union Growth: Defining Moments and Social Processes (1997).] [Clark, WBA, 486.]
Challenges to Unions Growth
The labour movement anticipated a bleak future in 1930 with decreasing union strength and pressure of employers on skilled workers not to join the campaign. However, soon the circumstances changed, and workers from every industry became part of the unions. Steel industry workers seem unwilling to join the labour movement in this regard because they must please their employers.
Meanwhile, other skilled blue-collar workers, like coal mines and textile mills, joined the campaign to claim their labour rights. Although they were also not joining the strikes, fearing it may affect their employment, the worsening work conditions provoked them to provide union growth to the labour movement. Nevertheless, the steel industry controlled its labourers for most of the decade and did not let them stand for their rights. The opportunities to join heads and make unions were not accessible to them for the lawlessness of employers.
The Era of Upsurge
The 1930s was the era of an upsurge in the labour movement. In 1936, it also achieved its membership in the steel industry. After a long regulation of the small number of employers, the steelworkers realized the need to strike and rebel against the system. Hence, besides enacting various laws in favour of the labour movement from legal authorities, the rising strength was another prominent achievement of the unions.[Clark, WBA, 481.]
After joining steel workers, thousands of labourers became involved in strikes to pass labour rights. At the end of the decade, this membership number reached eight million. Consequently, unions grew in influence for legal authorities to anticipate the legal rights of working in better conditions.[Everett J. Burtt, "The Nature and Growth of Unions," Labour in the American Economy, 1979, xx, doi:10.1007/978-1-349-05198-4_6.]
Limitations on Unions Growth
Although the 1930s was the era of achievement for the labour movement, their progress for labour rights was not smooth. Many limitations impacted the pace of union growth, although the workers did not lose heart and continued their campaign in the face of hardships. At first, the unions’ effort to convince the world’s largest US steel industry was discouraged. The CIOs failed to develop the union “SWOC,” resulting in not organizing and recognizing the union. Secondly, the workers faced historical violence in their efforts to organiz...