Marx on UnionsMarx on Unions

But with the development of industry the proletariat not only increases innumber; it becomes concentrated in greater masses, its strength grows,and it feels that strength more...Collisions between individual workmenand individual bourgeois take more and more the character of collisionsbetween two classes. Thereupon the workers begin to formcombinations (trade unions) against the bourgeois; they club together inorder to keep up the rate of wages. They found permanent associationsto order to make provision before hand for these occasional revolts....

Here and there the workers are victorious, but only for a time.The real fruit of their battles lies not in the result but in the everexpanding union of the workers.

Knights of LaborKnights of Labor

Knights of LaborKnights of Labor Formed as a semi-secret society in 1869. Did not Formed as a semi-secret society in 1869. Did not

admit “unproductive” bankers, lawyers, doctors, admit “unproductive” bankers, lawyers, doctors, stockholders, gamblers, liquor dealersstockholders, gamblers, liquor dealers

Became a public organization in 1879, more directly Became a public organization in 1879, more directly involved in union activitiesinvolved in union activities

Admitted women (Mother Jones), blacks and Admitted women (Mother Jones), blacks and unskilled laborunskilled labor

Over 1 million members by 1886, wins several Over 1 million members by 1886, wins several successful railroad strikessuccessful railroad strikes

Decline: Haymarket Riot, Failed strikes after Decline: Haymarket Riot, Failed strikes after Pinkerton and militia repression, AFL woos away Pinkerton and militia repression, AFL woos away skilled workersskilled workers

International Workers of International Workers of the Worldthe World

IWW (Wobblies)IWW (Wobblies) Founded in 1905, organized textile workers, migrant farmworkers, Founded in 1905, organized textile workers, migrant farmworkers,

lumber workers, lumber workers, Industrial unionism, faith in the rank and file rather than Industrial unionism, faith in the rank and file rather than

leadershipleadership Free speech campaignsFree speech campaigns The general StrikeThe general Strike Crippling Repression, especially after their opposition to WWI and Crippling Repression, especially after their opposition to WWI and

during during the red scare that followedthe red scare that followed

From the IWW CharterFrom the IWW Charter The working class and the employing class have nothing in The working class and the employing class have nothing in

common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life. make up the employing class, have all the good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the Earth. ... Instead of the conservative motto, 'A fair day's wage for a Earth. ... Instead of the conservative motto, 'A fair day's wage for a fair day's work', we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary fair day's work', we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword, 'Abolition of the wage system.' It is the historic watchword, 'Abolition of the wage system.' It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism.mission of the working class to do away with capitalism.[4][4]

American Federation of American Federation of LaborLabor(AFL)(AFL)

Founded in 1886 Founded in 1886 Samuel Gompers 1886-94, 1895-1924Samuel Gompers 1886-94, 1895-1924 Craft Unionism, skilled workersCraft Unionism, skilled workers Conservative “unionism plain and simple”Conservative “unionism plain and simple” Works for the best deal for workers within Works for the best deal for workers within

the systemthe system No support for a labor (or other) partiesNo support for a labor (or other) parties Instead..Instead.. "reward your friends and punish your "reward your friends and punish your

enemies" enemies"

American ExceptionalismAmerican Exceptionalism

1. Working Class Divisions: 1. Working Class Divisions: Immigration, RaceImmigration, Race

2. “Liberal” Culture2. “Liberal” Culture 3. 3. Early Extension of Voting RightsEarly Extension of Voting Rights 4.4. No FeudalismNo Feudalism 5. Employer/State Resistance5. Employer/State Resistance **Radicals crushed: Knights of Labor **Radicals crushed: Knights of Labor

/IWW/IWW

U.S Union Membership as % of the U.S Union Membership as % of the WorkforceWorkforce

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0

%union

Union Membership (in Union Membership (in millions)millions)

02468

101214161820

1930 1945 1960 1975 1990 2005

Members

Congress of Industrial Congress of Industrial

OrganizationsOrganizations (CIO) 1935-1955(CIO) 1935-1955

Industrial vs. Craft UnionismIndustrial vs. Craft Unionism Significantly more militant than the Significantly more militant than the

CIO, with a large left (including CIO, with a large left (including communist) presencecommunist) presence

Sit Down strikesSit Down strikes Major victories: auto, steel, rubber, Major victories: auto, steel, rubber,

longshoremenlongshoremen

The Wagner Act (1935)The Wagner Act (1935)

1. Explicitly guaranteed the right to join a union1. Explicitly guaranteed the right to join a union

2. Required employers to bargain with 2. Required employers to bargain with recognized unionsrecognized unions

3. Allowed a majority vote of employees to 3. Allowed a majority vote of employees to empower a union to negotiate for all employeesempower a union to negotiate for all employees

4. Created the National Labor Relations Board to 4. Created the National Labor Relations Board to enforce these rules and to supervise elections.enforce these rules and to supervise elections.

The Taft-Hartley Act The Taft-Hartley Act (1948)(1948)

1. Allows the president to order a 60 day cooling off 1. Allows the president to order a 60 day cooling off period before a strike.period before a strike.

2. Allows right to work laws 2. Allows right to work laws 3. Bans the Closed Shop (Only union members hired)3. Bans the Closed Shop (Only union members hired) 4. Bans secondary strikes and sympathy boycotts..4. Bans secondary strikes and sympathy boycotts.. 5. Allows for court injunctions against mass picketing5. Allows for court injunctions against mass picketing 6. Holds national unions liable for the actions of their 6. Holds national unions liable for the actions of their

members members (such as wildcat strikes breaking a contract)(such as wildcat strikes breaking a contract) 7. McCarthyism-hits union radicals hard (many of 7. McCarthyism-hits union radicals hard (many of

whom are, in fact, communists.) Particularly aimed at whom are, in fact, communists.) Particularly aimed at radicals in the CIO.radicals in the CIO.

Voss and FantasiaVoss and Fantasia“Relational Analysis”“Relational Analysis”

Material Conditions:

The System of Rules Governing Unions

The Balance of Power between Workers and Employers

Type of Person:

Bureaucrat, Strongman, Militant

Symbolic:

The Place of Unions in the Public Imagination

“Special Interest” or “Social Justice”

Consumer or Worker

Business/Push Button Business/Push Button UnionismUnionism

Material Material Negotiation and Enforcement of Long-Term ContractsNegotiation and Enforcement of Long-Term Contracts Grievance resolution based on legalistic contract Grievance resolution based on legalistic contract

languagelanguage Focus on servicing existing union membershipFocus on servicing existing union membership-- Cooperative relationship with employers-- Cooperative relationship with employers-- Distance from the Rank and File-- Distance from the Rank and File-- Antiradicalism-- Antiradicalism

Type of Person:Type of Person: Bureaucrat or StrongmanBureaucrat or Strongman

SymbolicSymbolic Unions as “special interests”Unions as “special interests”

Labor and the Cold WarLabor and the Cold War Funded by USIA USAIDFunded by USIA USAID American Institute for Free labor Development in Latin American Institute for Free labor Development in Latin

America (AIFLD), Asia-American Free Labor InstituteAmerica (AIFLD), Asia-American Free Labor Institute African American Labor Center.African American Labor Center.

1983 National Endowment for Democracy1983 National Endowment for Democracy Labor, Business, Republican and Democratic PartiesLabor, Business, Republican and Democratic Parties

In the 1980s, roughly half of the AFL-In the 1980s, roughly half of the AFL-CIO’s budget came from the state CIO’s budget came from the state department.department.

InterventionIntervention Guatemala 1954Guatemala 1954 Chile 1973Chile 1973 Central America 1980sCentral America 1980s Kissinger-KirklandKissinger-Kirkland South Africa Buthelezi, South Africa Buthelezi,

Attempts to undercut anti apartheid Congress of Attempts to undercut anti apartheid Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the rest South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the rest of the liberation movement.of the liberation movement.

Solidarity PolandSolidarity Poland

Support for conservative, sometimes pro-business Support for conservative, sometimes pro-business unionsunions

Attempts to undercut their more leftist rivals Attempts to undercut their more leftist rivals

What happened?What happened?

Corporate Counter AttackCorporate Counter Attack Employee Based Welfare StateEmployee Based Welfare State GlobalizationGlobalization

Corporate CounterattackCorporate Counterattack Number of Decertification Elections Number of Decertification Elections 1969 2931969 293 1975 5161975 516 1983 9221983 922

Number of Labor ViolationsNumber of Labor Violations 1970 10,0001970 10,000 1975 16,0001975 16,000 1982 32,0001982 32,000

Number Fired for Union ActivityNumber Fired for Union Activity 1970 8,0001970 8,000 1975 11,0001975 11,000 1982 18,0001982 18,000

The unsustainability of the private The unsustainability of the private welfare state: welfare state:

Healthcare cost per vehicleHealthcare cost per vehicle

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

General Motors

Ford

Daimler/ Chrysler

Toyota Made inJapanToyota U.S. MadeCar

GlobalizationGlobalization

U.S.--from 1950-1990U.S.--from 1950-1990 international trade went from 9% to international trade went from 9% to

25% of U.S. GNP25% of U.S. GNP

Foreign Direct Investment from 5% Foreign Direct Investment from 5% of U.S. GDP in 1970 to 30% in 2000of U.S. GDP in 1970 to 30% in 2000

10,000 Pontiac LeMans 10,000 Pontiac LeMans Early 1990sEarly 1990s

3,000 to South Korea for labor and assembly3,000 to South Korea for labor and assembly 1,750 to Japan for advanced components1,750 to Japan for advanced components 750 to Germany for styling and design 750 to Germany for styling and design

engineeringengineering 400 to Taiwan for “small components”400 to Taiwan for “small components” 250 to Britain for advertising and marketing 250 to Britain for advertising and marketing

servicesservices 50 to Ireland and Barbados for data processing50 to Ireland and Barbados for data processing

Leaving about 3,800 to U.S inputsLeaving about 3,800 to U.S inputs

Impact of GlobalizationImpact of Globalization Exit and Threat of ExitExit and Threat of Exit

Maytag GalesburgMaytag Galesburg

Heightened competitionHeightened competition Investors finally got news from Maytag that Investors finally got news from Maytag that

they can cheer today: The home appliance maker they can cheer today: The home appliance maker said it was going to close a facility in Galesburg said it was going to close a facility in Galesburg Illinois and lay off 1,600 workers, or about 8% of Illinois and lay off 1,600 workers, or about 8% of its total staff. its total staff.

The announcement sent shares of Maytag soaring The announcement sent shares of Maytag soaring by more than 7%. What Wall Street liked is that by more than 7%. What Wall Street liked is that Maytag is finally moving its production to a low Maytag is finally moving its production to a low cost country.... cost country....

Social Movement Social Movement UnionismUnionism

1. Organize from the bottom up1. Organize from the bottom up 2. Rely on Corporate Campaigns2. Rely on Corporate Campaigns 3. Willing to look beyond routine NLRB path to 3. Willing to look beyond routine NLRB path to

recognitionrecognition 4. Strong Orientation to Social Justice4. Strong Orientation to Social Justice 5. Creative and Innovative in Style 5. Creative and Innovative in Style 6. “Self-Expanding” Sees actions as part of a long 6. “Self-Expanding” Sees actions as part of a long

term processterm process

What might this mean in practice? You are trying What might this mean in practice? You are trying to organize janitors…to organize janitors…