Umwa's Migration Case Study

Years after the strike at Hormel meat packing plant had divided the town of Austin, some parts of the community are still angry (Galbally, 2004). The fact that union members was left to largely defend for themselves after the UFCW removed the Local P-9 leaders, demonstrated that a local can`t strike against a company by itself (Warren,

While other authors focus their attention in regards to Reconstruction in the Southern states after the American Civil War on political matters and the meaning of Reconstruction itself, John Rodrigue ventures into the world of Sugar and the relationships between planters and freedmen to illustrate the creation of a labor system within the world of sugar cane plantations in Louisiana. By concentrating on this specific business and region, the author is able to illustrate the factors that shaped labor during and after the Civil War, while showing how Reconstruction altered life in terms of labor for both whites and African Americans. Rodrigue argues that by focusing on this specific region reveals how blacks were able to gain negotiating power with planters in an effort to support free labor. By utilizing primary and secondary sources, the author frames the narrative and provide the reader with a personal perspective into the free labor system.

In January of 1920, John L. Lewis, the president of the UMWA announced a campaign to unionize the Appalachian coalfields. In southern West Virginia,

In Black Freedom Fighters in Steel five men are profiled explaining the struggles around working in Steel and within the union. In the beginning we hear about George Kimbley, who signed up for Steelworker's Organizing Committee as the first African-American. In order for African-Americans to face their struggles of poor working conditions, poor pay, and lack of job opportunities, they had to connect with the majority. George Kimbley knew that in order to be in the union and make somewhat of a difference, you would have to get people to trust you. What Kimbley means is that white men within the union have to become use to you and learn that their misconceptions are wrong. Many African Americans felt they did not belong within the union because they would be harassed and discriminated against just like they would on the mill floor. Kimbley was one the many that went out and persuaded black steelworkers to join the union, SWOC. He knew that in order to seek change they must become a part of something bigger. A separate committee for Blacks seemed unreasonable at the specific time. Kimbley felt that in order to meet the goals long term we must first integrate with others so they feel less threatened when requesting solutions.

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 Arizona towns of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona have a rich history with conflict and conflict transformation. The conflict between the Phelps Dodge Corporation (PDC) and United Steelworkers (USW) took place from 1983 to 1985 and had drastic implications on United States labor relations. This conflict analysis will focus on the conflict’s background, its evolution, and the parties and their issues. In addition, a reflection on important conflict resolution principles will be provided.

Before this conflict was caused, The wobbles had planned a public demonstration in everett that afternoon, to be held on the corner of hewitt and witmor, a spot usually used by street speakers the wobblies hoping to form one big union. The wobblies, traveled from seattle to everett aboard the stemsters verona and calista to support a strike by local shingle-weavers.”A group of citizens deputies under the authority of snohomish county sheriff Donald Mcrae, refused to let them land. A shot was fired followed by several minutes of gunfire that killed 5 wobblies and two deputies. 74 workers of the world returned to seattle here they were put in snohomish county jail.”

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.

During 1877, railroad workers in West Virginia went on strike. The railroad industry had grew following the Civil War, and wage cuts during the Panic 1873 established anger among workers. Later B & O Railroad stated a second wage cut later in the year. On the other hand employers believed business owners were terrible for business. Business owners wanted to keep costs down, which would cut jobs and wages. “Business owners fought against unions and able to keep their factories and mines operating, they hired strikebreakers, often employed immigrant workers from other areas who were hungry for jobs and had no stake in the union struggle.” (Schultz, p. 305, 2009) However, family and small factories were united as one and controlled by large

To understand the nature of the West Virginia labor movement, one must understand the unique sociopolitical and economic conditions in which it was born. Regardless of race or creed, all West Virginian miners had the same basic common experience at the turn of the 19th century: they worked in company owned mines, used company owned tools and equipment, wore and ate clothing bought from the company store, worshiped in company churches, and lived in company owned housing located in company built towns. The cost of their rent and all purchased items, whose prices were wildly inflated as the company store exercised a complete monopoly on all consumer goods, were deducted from their pay. Miners were rendered further economically dependent on

The United Automobile Workers (UAW) is a labor union that represents workers in North America. It has the employer’s welfare in mind in the manner of a health insurance plan, improved working conditions, better working hours, and higher wages. The UAW has received a great deal of criticism over the years for being responsible for the “death of the auto industry” in America. With its influential history and the issues members have faced over the course of the years, an analysis can be made of the way the group performs and the media attention that the group has generated. The UAW believes in social justice for its workers and providing quality automobile products to the public while creating success for its members, company investors and clients.

Before unionizing with the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (AAISW), the American motherland’s most influential union, the Carnegie’s steelworkers were treated horribly in many ways by management. Management did not respect or value the

When America was in the industrial age there were labor unions to protect the workers and then there were the giant Corporations. The strongest of the union was the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers. On the month of July 1892 there was a confrontation between the Carnegie Steel Company and the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers, the confrontation was mainly about protecting the union worker's jobs from the less skilled workers and in the end of the confrontation the union suffered a huge blow.

At present, manual labor in the United States is not without problems by a long shot. However, manual labor no longer has many of the countless problems that burdened workers during the 1800s. The problems in industry during this period consisted of intensely long working hours without breaks, low wages, and (especially in the steel industry) immensely physically demanding conditions1. It was only a matter of time before these conditions would require a serious facelift. Progress toward more ethical labor conditions has not always been forward, but many improvements have been made to labor laws, largely thanks to the tireless efforts of labor unions. However, these improvements were not easily obtained. At the dawn July 6th, 1892, an outbreak of rebellion in Pennsylvania at one of Andrew Carnegie’s steel mills began in what is now known as the Battle of Homestead. This began when the tugboat known as Little Bill brought nearly 300 Pinkerton Detectives hired by Carnegie and his colleagues to the union workers of the Homestead Carnegie steel mill. This resulted in the workers storming the docks and attacking the incoming Pinkertons as they approached the mill2. In the case of union involvement at Homestead Steel Works of the Carnegie Steel Company, potentially more harm may have been done than good during the 1892 battle of Homestead.

The union is another thing discussed in the movie. Moore starts out telling the story of his Uncle Laverne in the Great Flint Sit Down Strike. Laverne and thousands of other workers took over the Flint factories and refused to move for 44 days. The National Guard needed to be called and the whole world was aware of the situation. Then on the Union of Automotive Workers (UAW) was born. This is an industrial union because its membership is open to all workers in the automotive industry; disregarding what specific job they work at. This was a huge step in the rights of the autoworkers. A man at the Flint parade mentions unions as well. He says that the problem with the unions now is that they are getting weaker. "Too many people in unions friends