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What is the purpose of a labor union?

What is the purpose of a labor union?. Labor Union. an organization of workers formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions Merriam-Webster Dictionary. How a union works?. Most gain power through collective bargaining

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What is the purpose of a labor union?

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  1. What is the purpose of a labor union?

  2. Labor Union • an organization of workers formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions • Merriam-Webster Dictionary

  3. How a union works? • Most gain power through collective bargaining • Unions negotiating with employers on behalf of all employees • try to gain better pay, conditions, et cetera for the whole group • The unions power lies in its numbers, unity & ability to take action (strike…?) • BUT the employer can always hire scabs or make employees sign yellow dog contracts

  4. Unions in America • As early as revolutionary period unions existed in America, mostly temporary & based on individual crafts • Became more widespread, more diverse and more permanent during the 19th century

  5. Organized Labor • NLU, 1866, William Sylus, no women or African Americans, working conditions & politics • Knights of Labor, 1869, Uriah Stephens, everyone, working conditions & politics • AFL, 1886, Samuel Gompers, skilled only, working conditions • IWW, 1905, Bob Haywood, unskilled base, anyone could be part, get rid of capitalism NOT A UNION – Socialist Party of America, 1895, Eugene Debs, anyone

  6. IWW KNIGHTS NLU AFL-CIO Socialism

  7. Most Conservative • American Federation of Labor • Craftsmen only (skilled) • Work conditions and rates of pay ONLY

  8. Middle of the Road • NLU • Incorporated more people • Political agenda (prison labor, land reform, currency reform) • Knights of Labor • All • 8 hour day - Political agenda (government ownership railroads, telegraphs, telephones)

  9. Most Radical • IWW • workers unite to do away with capitalism • SPLIT – stay with Socialists? • "Capitalists of America, we will fight against you, not for you! There is not a power in the world that can make the working class fight if they refuse."

  10. The few own the many because they possess the means of livelihood of all ... The country is governed for the richest, for the corporations, the bankers, the land speculators, and for the exploiters of labor. The majority of mankind are working people. So long as their fair demands - the ownership and control of their livelihoods - are set at naught, we can have neither men's rights nor women's rights. The majority of mankind is ground down by industrial oppression in order that the small remnant may live in ease." • — Helen Keller, IWW member, 1911

  11. What happened to the unions of the progressive era?

  12. What happens to them? • NLU – divided • Knights – Haymarket • AFL – Survived • IWW – Pretty dead after WWI • What determined which were successful?

  13. Major Strikes & Their Impacts on Unions Haymarket Riot 1886 -May 3 - 2 workers killed & others wounded by police - McCormick Reaper Works workers rally for an 8 hour day -May 4, 1886 rally organized by radicals – bomb thrown & police fire-8 charged & convicted, 7 sentenced to death Pullman Strike 1894 • http://video.ezinemark.com/impact-of-the-pullman-strike-430e4f3d150.html • http://www.democracynow.org/2005/12/21/mayor_bloomberg_condemns_new_york_city\ • Transit strike

  14. Unions Victories • ½ strikes lead to demands being met • Victorious: Anthracite Coal Strike 1902 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxO24cTGCeI • Politically fight for: • Child labor legislation • Work days/hours • Muller v. Oregon (1908) – women only – 10 hour • Bunting v. Oregon (1917) – men too – 10 hour • Workmen’s compensation • What is missing?

  15. What hindered unions the most?

  16. Labor Unions in Action • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5arsHVN5CTo&feature=related

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