US Labor System

During this course, the students have examined how labor has evolved throughout the history of the United States. From the humble beginnings of the domestic work system to the globalized conglomerates that control the expansive service industry, the labor system of the U.S. has grown and shows no signs of slowing down. The three distinct labor systems in question during the course are: craft unionism, industrial unionism, and lean manufacturing. By examining each of their histories, and the political, economic, and social trends that influenced them, the students have seen how each system came about through its predecessor and how it paved the way for future systems. Craft unionism can be defined as a union organized by the the skill set, …show more content…
The rise of industrial unionism came after the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was founded in 1938 as a shift from the craft unionism that the AFL represented. Although there were industry-based unions in the AFL, the CIO came about after there was a conflict in a 1935 AFL convention that saw the AFL expel industry-based unions from its ranks because of the unauthorized formation of Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC). John Lewis, head of the CIO, suggested reorganization of the AFL from craft to industry unionization and when the AFL refused he founded the CIO, which would organize by industry. Now, the CIO was not as conservative on its political agenda and there came about a larger amount of strikes from its union member. Part of this was due to the social trend of a peak union density during the New Deal era that saw the growing union member’s actions take many forms. Strikes reached their peak in 1945-1946, which could be a consequence of the no strike pledges set forth by the government and union leaders being called off. This was paired with the economic trend that sprouted from the end of WWII. During the WWII period, African-American workers used the demand for labor to push for greater workplace equality and WWII gave them opportunities to demand greater civil rights, while women also formed an important, but temporary, part of the skilled industrial workforce After the war, there is an increase in labor supply, due to returning veterans, but lower demand for the workers, so hours are going to get cut, and there is less of a need for employing people on overtime which led to the higher angst and more strikes. In 1947 the Taft-Hartley Act came into effect, bringing about “right to work” laws, which aimed to end the possibility for radical labor activism. Shortly after, organized labor as a whole, the CIO included, abandons radical