Deck 3: Historical Development

Question 1

The AFL, IWW, and CIO were all created out of frustration with the existing dominant form of unionism at the time. Explain. Also, what does this imply about the future of U.S. unionism?

Answer 1

American Federation of Labor was a uniform federation, not a labor union per se. The AFL was a support organization for the independent unions. The AFL sometimes coordinated bargaining and strikes when multiple unions were involved, and it provided financial assistance to striking unions. Industrial Workers of the World in 1905 out of the frustration with the discrimination and conservatism of the AFL, the IWW was inclusive and radical. Its goal was to form 'one big union' that embraced all workers- skilled and unskilled, young and old, native born and immigrant, white and non-white, male and female- across all industries. The Congress of Industrial Organization industrial unions rivaled the AFL federation of craft unions. The CIO organized the unskilled workers into industrial unions and broken through the narrow lines of craft unionism fostered by the AFL.
The future of U.S. unionism is a collective outcome of American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) as a national trade union center and the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of fifty-six national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million active and retired workers. Historical record provides a rich foundation for understanding the development of the U.S. labor relation system and options for its future. The details may differ for the workers to accept the unionism, but the fundamental reasons are remain universal: to seek greater equity and increased voice in the workplace through collective action with co-workers.

Question 2

How are the lyrics of "Solidarity Forever" (p. 81) consistent with the IWW's beliefs? How is it ironic that today's mainstream unions have adopted this song as their own? What parts of the lyrics would today's mainstream unions agree with?

Answer 2

Solidarity forever is the song written by Ralph Chaplin in the year 1915. It is said to be the prominent union anthem. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "John Brown's Body" is the themes on which this song is sung. Though it was penned down as a composition for the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World), but AFL-CIO and other union movements have used this composition as well.
The composition, 'Solidarity forever' is widely embraced today by many mainstream unions and is often sung at rallies, demonstration, and picket line because this song portray the efforts and hard work of workers towards building an organization and motivates them to stand for one another.
"They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn,
But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn.
We can break their haughty power; gain our freedom when we learn
That the union makes us strong"
This part of the lyrics would today's mainstream unions agree with as it portrays how workers are the back bone of an organization and it is not possible to achieve the organizational objectives without their efforts and dedication. These are the most appealing lines for the union workers to stand for mutual benefits.

Question 3

Look at the reasons listed by employers for being nonunion in the open shop handout in Figure 3.3. How would an AFL leader have responded to these reasons? Is the open shop movement consistent with today's human resource management approach?

Answer 3

The open shop moment portrayed an ideology of individual freedom. Union was depicted as violating individual liberties by denying workers the ability to choose where to work and what term. AFL leader would have spoken about the benefit of having union and would have worked to have one as AFL's philosophy was to pursue labor relations functions of bargaining with employers, leading strikes, and resolving grievance.
Open shop movement is not consistent with today's human resources movement. It was characterized by open warfare. Professional strikebreaking companies provided a complete array of strikebreaking services: trained workers, armed guards, food and medical supplies. In other cases police and the National Guard repressed strikes- sometimes violently and illegally.

Question 4

Describe how the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor, and the Industrial Workers of the World differed in their views of efficiency, equity, and voice. How about employers? What were their views of efficiency, equity, and voice during the open shop movement? Did these views change during the period of welfare capitalism?

Question 5

Violence-by companies and their agents, by unions and their workers, by governments and their soldiers-is a recurring theme in U.S. labor history. To Mother Jones this violence "means that the workers would rather die fighting to protect their women and children than to die in death-trap mines producing more wealth for the Rockefellers to use in crushing their children." Do you agree? Develop other explanations or interpretations. Try to construct alternatives in which unions or workers are responsible, companies are responsible, and the government or the system is responsible.

Question 6

It's been written, "The attempt of persons to understand the forces remaking their world and, by organization, to control them, constitutes, indeed, the major motif of the social history of the late nineteenth century." Describe how this statement applies to workers and their unions in different periods of labor history. How were employers more successful than employees in controlling these forces through creating and shaping their organizations?