U.s. Steel Protection : Advancement Options

In the mid-nineteenth century, industrial America witnessed an evolving struggle between labor and big business. Although fiercely opposed by industrialists, rising labor movements in the steel and iron industries, which had become increasingly critical to the U.S.’ modernization and emergence as a world power, experienced initial success for decades up until the early 1890s. The strongest union in the industries, the Amalgamated of Iron and Steel Workers (AAIS) was able to garner support from an increasing membership and national recognition from other labor organizations as well as from the press, and in 1892, rose to meet the challenge of the powerful Carnegie Steel Company.

At first steel was only used to make knives, swords and armor. However, from 1875 to 1920 the manufacturing of steel rose from 380,000 tons to 60 million tons to build railroad tracks, bridges, office buildings and factories. This large production of steel created many jobs in America and changed the lives of many Americans. However, the demand of steel rose from a plant manager in Homestead, Pennsylvania which created tensions between the steel workers and the plant owner. This tension between the steel workers and the plant owner started the Homestead Strike of 1892. At first some steel workers were shut out of the factory, but by July 2 of that year all the steel workers were fired, but a select few. To keep a positive mood in the factory and get new people to work there the workers sang songs like the “Workers Anvil.” The strike lost interest and ended on November 20, 1892. In the end, the workers didn’t win with lower wages and longer

The driving forces that are at work in the steel industry are foreign steel producers, new opportunities for the uses of steel, and growth in worldwide demand for steel. Although, the U.S. steel industry experienced some relief from the dumping of foreign steel producers, the dumping was still remained a force that was problematic in the steel industry. As seen above, the steel market is primarily controlled by the foreign steel producers. The anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders and suspension agreement, covering imports of hot-rolled steel in, was extended for 5 years to alleviate some of the harm resulting from the influx of steel in the U.S. market. This extension was initiated to help keep the surplus of steel products in the U.S. at bay. This particular driving force can and has adversely affected the steel industry.

The mill workers felt that they simply did not have any other options and feared the punitive steps management would take if they unionized. Indeed, this appeared to be the case. When several employees expressed a tentative interest in the union, management reduced their work days, and, consequently, their pay. The mill’s management used many other scare tactics to try and persuade employees to reject the union.

“Chicago and the nation entered the Progressive era. …The 1901 steel strike ended in defeat for the union, and the once powerful Amalgamated slipped into irrelevancy. Chicago’s steel mills remained unorganized, yet U.S steel tried to sidestep Chicago radicalism by developing a whole new town just across the border in Indiana. Gary, Indiana became the center of the region’s steel industry. Not overtly planned in the tradition of Pullman but nonetheless a company town…”

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.

In 1919, many problems need to be deal with high goods, high employees and these labors; The United States is Judge Elbert Gary have these tensions with the steel to the strike. Thus, the United States Steel employers quit the job over 250,000.4 Furthermore, these meetings in the strike were breaking up, and the police were riding down in the towns. These issues had as much as complicated when in Farrell, Pa., it has one striker to be killed and also twenty people were injured. This violence was appeared and labors were death with many reasons at this

“a regulatory effort to incorporate benefits funds’ long-term investments”. The writer states how in many cases workers benefits have been “silent and unwitting”. This journal provides guidance to move towards a new benefit fund investment strategy for labor movements. The article mentions the pressure of short term returns drives companies to cut cost, which benefits the companies on the short run but not the employees because they get cut and reduced. This article emphasizes the history of American trade unionism. Also the industrial union development and the need of more workers caused by the war. It mentions the role of political parties influenced by “legislation passed by federal and state governments”. It many different point towards unions, the power in the market, technology and different laws that were made. Items that changes America as a whole. According to this article the speaker of the house John Boehner’s says that labor unions benefits the economy as a whole. It helps America’s economical growth. It states how people don’t like labor unions because they don’t want equality and assumptions that are made of labor unions. Evidence is stated on why certain statements are false. The article acknowledges that labor unions need adjustments and that it helps rebuild the middle class. This article will help me with my topic because it states why labor unions are

During the Civil War, many unions became synonymous with strikes, promoting workers to strike for better wages and a decent way of living. However, this act encouraged employers to unify against poor workers and to penalize those that tried to start strikes. By the time that the Civil War would end, the interactions between companies and laborers would leave negative connotations over the heads of union leaders as rebels that slowed production during a trying time in the history of the United States (Paludan, 196). While unions were able to have influence on the local level of politics, by the end of the Civil War, unions would not be able to reach a national audience. Instead, the war offered the groundwork to organize into a strong movement where workers and industrial manufactures would be able to civilly interact with each other while trying to reach common ground between the owners and the workers of a manufacturing

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, UBCJA, is a labor union that advocates for worker rights. Founded in 1881, Peter J. McGuire and Gustav created the union in response to the lack of worker right laws in place. Since then, the union has grown substantially in size but still, lobbies for workers’ rights. The union lobbies for issues on a regional and national level. They have endorsed and contributed finically to presidential candidates. They have also endorsed and contributed finically to congressional candidates across party lines who they believe will help fight for worker rights. The union also provides several services to its members such as training, a pension fund, and welfare. The UBCJA has long fought for workers

Throughout history many people, such as politicians, officials, and generals, have been noted to have molded the United States, neglecting the fact that workers have also played an important role in shaping this nation’s history. During the 1870s to the 1930s, laborers faced many hardships; they had trouble keeping their jobs, had their wages decreased, and were forced to work sixty-hour weeks without insurance. Over time, workers began to feel aggravated by their employers’ demands and began to voice their opinions. Only by forming into unions and standing up to what employers’ thought was “freedom” in the workplace were the laborers able to change working conditions more favorable for them.

While organized labor’s storied history demonstrates remarkable achievements, there has been a downside for the American economy. By way of example, the formerly dominant U.S. steel industry serves to remind of an time when poor management, global competition, and union excess were necessary causes of a dramatic and rapid industry decline.

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.

The first factor that I will appoint is a political/legal issue, according to PESTLE analysis, and consists in the fact of some of the steel companies were subsidised by their respective governments, which are not worried about making profits. Besides this, individual nations or groups of nations had set up trade barriers to