Major Events and Developments That Enabled Unions to Grow in the 1930s
History of Labor
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, workers began to rebuild the labor movement. What were some of the major developments and events that created the possibilities for unions to grow in the 1930s? In what ways was union power still limited? How did the growth of the labor movement affect workers and their employers? Were all workers able to share equally in the growth of the labor movement?
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United States Workers and Unions in the 1930s
Introduction
Largely due to the great depression that rocked the United States in the early 1930s, the labor movement weakened significantly. One factor that fundamentally impacted the influence of labor unions at that time was massive unemployment, as opposed to the roaring twenties when the country experienced full employment. Unions appeared helpless since they could seldom afford to protect workers from losing their jobs or receiving low wages. However, things took a new dimension with the hint of economic recovery, and unions began to thrive considerably. The union membership began to grow exponentially, which offered them more leverage in fighting for the welfare of workers. The unions faced a myriad of challenges, but they fought on doggedly. Despite experiencing a raft of challenges and limits, labor unions continued to grow remarkably due to particular developments and events, and their growth affected workers and employers in diverse ways. The developments included the ascendancy of Franklin Roosevelt to the presidency and sit-ins, and despite facing challenges, such as the use of underhand tactics by employers and reluctance from employees to join up, the unions grew and benefited employers exponentially even though it excluded some employees, including people of color.
Background
As indicated above, labor unions were going through a rough patch in the early 1930s since the country was still smarting from the ravages of the great depression. For instance, dealers lamented over a chronic weakness in consumer demand resulting from low wages. In addition, the inequitable distribution of income and a stagnant capitalist system worsened an already terrible situation (Clark et al., Chapter 9, 446). However, the circumstances began to change for the better in the second half of the 1930s, spurred extensively by the Roosevelt administration, which saw the nation gravitate toward a more democratic political and economic order. As such, labor unions garnered massive support from the government, which emboldened and strengthened workers throughout the industrial front. They could now find government-paid jobs, as well as retire in a dignified way. The resurgence of labor unions happened due to particular developments and events, and they had vast implications on workers and employers.
The Major Events and Developments that Enabled Unions to Grow in the 1930s
In the second half of the 1930s, President Roosevelt’s administration instituted several changes that cultivated a friendly environment for labor unions to thrive. Unlike his predecessor, Roosevelt presented himself as an opportunist and experimentalist (Clark et al., Chapter 8, 417). As such, he surrounded himself with experts who would help him turn around America’s ailing economy. One objective that featured prominently in his agenda was democratizing industrial labor. In this regard, he pushed for the legislation of several Labor Acts, including the Wagner Act, which paved the way for the growth of trade unions. This was of the essence since the legislation would solve the social turmoil and under consumption resulting from wage stagnation.
The other factor that enabled unions to grow involved sit-ins and strikes to pressure employers to give in to workers’ demands, and the mid-1930s saw an upsurge of such across the country. Workers figured out that if they sat down, they could not only paralyze operations but also prevent strikebreakers from replacing them (Genora 345). The Flint auto factories sit-in marks one of the most significant sit-downs. Workers staged the sit-in for weeks, which constrained General Motors to recognize their union, the United Auto Workers (UAW). The victory set precedence for many other sit-ins.
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