Question

3. Analyze the history of organized labor between 1870 and 1940, especially the AFL, IWW, and the CIO. (Address any significant strikes in your answer.) How have unions affected America?

Answer 1

Labor unions have existed in different phases of history of the United States since the birth of the country. They were put in place so that they could protect the working population from abuses such as sweatshops and unsafe working conditions. On the other hand, there have been apprehensions and allegations of these Unions being responsible of destroying industrial gorwth and relating organized crime over the decades. But in one way or another, labor unions have got their way into the political, economic and cultural fabric of America, and their influence has played a colorful role in its development.

The time line of the Unions in America starts with, The National Labor Union which was created in 1866 to convince Congress to limit the workday for federal employees to eight hours. The difficult nut to crack was the private sector. The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions was formed in 1881, and the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded five years later. Congress became more sympathetic toward the labor force as time passed, which led to the creation of the Department of Labor.

During the World Wars the strikes of these Unions were susupended. This led to slow start of the decline of the Unions in America. There were also many Union Leaders who came in the picture of corrupt population in the country if said so. In 1905, the IWW was formed in Chicago. While the ALF would see to the higher paid and skilled labor interest. The IWW was more concetrated for the less skilled labor. Similarily, CIO was formed in Canada and USA in 1935.

While the affect on USA of the Unions is significant through the fight of Civil war and the civil rights that were demanded, USA soon saw the decline of these unions as well. When Obama came to power there was some hope to streamline the system which fell compeletely cold after his reign as President.