The United Automobile Workers ( Uaw )

Organized labor first entered Oklahoma with railroad work and mining, in the Indian Territory. During the late 1800’s strikes were sponsored by groups such as the Knights of Labor. The UMWA strike lasted from 1898 until 1903, and was helped lead by Peter Hanraty. The result of this strike was the 1903 agreement with mine operators that guaranteed most of the strikers’ demands, including recognition of the union, eight-hour days, and payment of wages twice a month. After this, higher wages and shorter hours remained a constant tradition here in Oklahoma.

The coal miners’ strike of 1902, was a big impactful move that ended because a federal takeover was threatened by President Roosevelt. The women's trade union league was middle and upper class women and immigrants founded to bring women workers into unions, this was established in 1903 and reiterates the main ideal of the era by fighting for all workers’ equality. In 1907 there were 10,000 black and white dock workers that initiated a strike and showed remarkable unbiased solidarity, this occurred in the town of New Orleans, Louisiana. In the 1909 uprising of the 20,000 garment workers, an unprecedented victory was accomplished for the international ladies’ garment workers’ union.

The labor union I decided to compare to the early guilds in Europe is United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). The similarities between the union and the guild are that they both provide financial security, and intends to protect the rights of the miners in which they represent. They also will protest unfair labor laws, being underpaid, and unfair treatment. These together will help their people through deaf or any other crisis that they are dealing with. In the middle ages heir guilds goals were to protect their members as well as the consumers. Even now f you have the ability to learn a skill or trait and are accepted into the union it allows you to rise out of poverty. These are just a few similar characteristics that modern labor unions

Sugrue describes the power which many of Detroit’s laborers had, saying, “The workers who toiled in Detroit’s factories forged some of the nation’s most powerful trade unions… In the late 1930s,, the united Automobile Workers battled the major automobile manufacturers in a series of sit down strikes, pickets, and protests.” Detroit’s workers had control over their own destinies. Even if for many workers, especially the African American ones, there were other obstructions in the fairness of the workplace, the people of Detroit had a sort of leverage that only a city could have. The close-knit, blue-collar communities which spread out for miles within the city of Detroit allowed for local ties to bring people together for the common good of themselves and their fellow workers Companies could not take advantage of their employees if their was a sense of democracy and community fostered amongst groups of workers.

Eventually the workers began to protest. They went on strikes, formed unions, and even used violence against the employers. One of the unions called the Knights of Labor, founded in the 1869, fought for eight-hour workdays and wage equality among male, female, black, and white workers. They participated in many strikes, boycotts, and other activities protesting for workplace freedom. Another labor union was the American Federation of Labor founded in 1881 consisting of mostly skilled workers. Formed in 1903, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union and Women’s Trade Union League also played a role in aiding workers, specifically female laborers, to gain work rights. These labor movements played significant roles in history because they influenced or forced employers to make changes in the workplace.

This federation was named the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The creation of the American Federation of Labor was caused by the weakness of a labor union at the time called the Knights of Labor. Because the Knights of Labor had internal conflicts such as competition among the labor unions. Members of the AFL were required to pay 6 cents per year as a due for being within the union and under the protection of the union. The president of the union was paid $1000 per year for a full-time job of guiding the union. The American Federation of Labor spread rumours about the Knights of Labor, causing them to collapse. Despite this, the labor union’s growth was not fast, even though they had taken out their biggest rival. It wasn’t until 1892 that they hit the 250,000 member mark. A possible reason for the slow growth of the union were their beliefs against immigration. During that point in time, there were still many immigrants coming to America mainly from the European countries and some Asian countries. The American Federation of Labor were against the immigrants because they took away jobs from the already citizens of the United States, a situation much like the present day. One thing the American Federation of Labor did do was play a big role in the creation of labor laws in the United States. With the creation of worker’s rights, the workplace became safer and they were able to have influence over laws concerning immigration. During World War 1, the United States government encouraged industries and companies to compromise with the labor unions rather than face strike, otherwise it would stunt the production of supplies needed for the war in Europe. The American Federation of Labor signed an agreement to help with the war and to eliminate socialist and communist labor unions in the United States. They did this because it was in both

Unions were formed to protect and improve the rights of workers. Their first order of business was to establish the eight-hour workday and in 1866, the national labor union was formed. Labor movements were around before 1866, but few organized up until this point. Unions created an environment for workers with difficult tasks, creating better pay, safer work conditions, and sanitary work conditions. Unions made life better for many Americans in the private sector. Collective bargaining became the way in which employers and a group of employees reached agreements, coming to a common consensus. From 1866 to the early 1900’s Unions continued to make headways increasing membership and power. The real gains started in 1933 after several pieces of legislature, which saved banks, plantations, and farmers. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) proposed an important, and controversial, amendment to the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933. It insisted that language from the pro-labor Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 be added to the simple declaration of the right to collective bargaining. The setbacks the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) suffered in Little Steel and textiles in the latter half of 1937, and in Congress from 1938 to 1940, despite the gains made by the AFL, by 1940 the amendment had stalled. WWII created a rapid buildup within the industrial complex, creating more work for women and African Americans, overshadowing the union’s inability to project their power

In labor as in all things there is strength in numbers it is this strength that American labor unions provide. Labor unions provide a collective voice for those who had not previously been heard. As the professor in the “Frustrated Labor Historian” Dr. Horace P. Karastan is left with the dilemma what are the three most important events in American labor union history it would be difficult to choose with so many important moments. There are however several events that stand out as being turning points in giving employees unquestionable protections. The Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 allowing employees the right to organize. Further the Wagner Act protecting employees from reprisal from employers for organizing spurring the growth of unionization. The Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959 building on the Wagner Act as well as the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 which granted protections from the unions. It is these Acts that have changed the landscape of American labor union history and leave us with the unions that we have today.

The Teamsters Union derived from a group of people who fought for the freedoms most Americans do not appreciate today. They stood together to develop the American Dream to start union and labor movement. This advancement helped the working and living standards for the people of America, gaining privileges and rights within their communities and families. Teamsters has the most strength and diverse labor union in North America. The group began by connecting two leading team driver associations in 1903. Team Driver’s International was the original name, then becoming the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and years later going by The Teamsters Union. They were the sturdiness of economic growth in America, but needed to come together to seize their participation with corporations tending to be more self-concerned. The Teamsters Union still has the same goals and tactics today. They are striving for change on global labor and trade, state and living wages, the United States Labor alone, and social justice.

The American Federation of Labor was an association of trade unions starting 1886, rising out of an earlier Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions founded in 1881. The AFL's president, Samuel Gompers, was convinced that unions open to workers of all types of skills within a given industry,called industrial unions,were too undisciplined to withstand the tactics that both government and management had used to break American unions in the past. The answer, was craft unions, each limited to the skilled workers in a single trade. According to Gompers's "pure and simple unionism," labor should not waste its energies fighting capitalism; I ts sole task was to hammer

The labor relations movement has been one of the most successful driving forces behind such efforts as: providing aid to workers who were injured or retired, better health benefits and to stop the practice of child labor in the workforce. Ostensibly, unions in the United States arose out of the need to better protect the “common interests” of laborers. Today, many of the social movements and alliances forged are created under the guise to better protect the employer from a plethora of interests made against the organization, rather than, increasing wages, improving reasonable employment hours and/or enhancing work conditions.

It is seen that frequent disagreements between the workers and their employers usually results in strikes and protests. During World War II, it was no different, as there were many strikes and protests that took place during that time in war production factories. As the War started, the government needed more weapons, machineries, tanks and other military equipment’s in order to fight and win the war. In order to meet the increased demands of war, new war production factories had to be built, along with existing car manufacturing industries being transformed for war production as well. It was seen that during this time period war production changed the relationship between the Congress of Industrial organizations (CIO) and American Federation of Labor (AFL), with their employers and the national government. As organized labor

Between 1865 to 1900, certain factors and movements came about that affected the American industrial worker. Technological changes impacted workers because different innovations and techniques helped make their work more efficient. Immigration increased employment in the urban population. Also, the labor unions came about because of poor living conditions, earnings, and long working hours.

Initially, the intent of labor unions was for employed workers to meet together and collectively agree on fundamental workplace objectives and goals. The rise of the union came about after the Civil War, in the United States- responding to the industrial economy boom. Following the war, labor unions finally reached public popularity within the 1930-1950’s, and then again began to slowly decrease, through the 1960’s and on to today’s times. Although, the popularity of labor unions has decreased, its importance remains to be evident with politics, journalism, auto, and the public education industries.

This brief history of more than 100 years of the modern trade union movement in the United States can only touch the high spots of activity and identify the principal trends of a "century of achievement." In such a condensation of history, episodes of importance and of great human drama must necessarily be discussed far too briefly, or in some cases relegated to a mere mention.