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From: arndt@lymph.DEC
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Are Unions made in Heaven?
Message-ID: <509@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Feb-85 10:00:13 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.509
Posted: Sat Feb  9 10:00:13 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Feb-85 04:04:54 EST
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A while ago I did a research paper on American Unionism.

For what it is worth here is the outline as best as I remember.

Start with a definition of what a union is.  It is an organization of
workers who group together to present the united power of their numbers
to management in order to get the fairest possible exchange for their labor.

Small craft trade unions were the start of unionism in Colonial America.
These were small, LOCAL groups of craftsmen who joined together in order to
ensure a certain price for the product of their labor (ie. shoes, etc.).
If their price was not met they did not work.  They also controled who entered
or practiced their craft locally.

With the rise of more extensive communication (canals, railroads, etc.)
the local labor organizations had to become regional and national organizations.
They had to do this in order to maintain control over the labor pool.

The Civil War also brought vast changes with its masses of semi-skilled 
factory workers.  There was a big clash as these semi-skilled workers came
to realize their need for repersentation to management.  The skilled craft
organizations did not want to let anyone below them in.  So the factory
workers united under their own banners.

Both types of organizatons later united in the AFL/CIO, I believe it was, in
the face of mounting pressure from employers.

WWI and WWII, and laws passed by Congress that took the side of both labor and
management had an impact on American unionism.

The important point to understand is that the American experience with labor
organizations and management relations nearly always moved toward COMPROMISE.
In the European experience the relationship between labor and management was
nearly always one of trying to BREAK the other side (along the lines of class
warfare).

American Unionism has had a history of being able to CHANGE and ADAPT to meet
the new environment and move on.  

The position that I took in the paper was that based upon this ability of 
American unionism to change and adapt they would find their way into the
future despite current events like declining membership and 'give-backs',etc.

There will always be a need for labor to organize and so face management with
the power of a united front.  The exact form this will take is not certain
nor does it need to be.


Well, that's my 2 cents.

Keep chargin'

Ken Arndt