Labor Unions SP10

The Purpose of Unions

conflicts

Labor Unions in the United States are the means in which the working class can fight against the conflicts of the capitalist system. It must be established that capitalism is a system of conflicts; in fact, conflict is one of the driving forces in Capitalism. One of conflict of focus is between the working class and the owning class. These two groups are set against each other because they are striving for opposing goals [1]. The owning or capitalist class is looking to secure more profit in order to grow. Therefore, they always attempt to pay the lowest wage for the highest amount of labor time. Yet, the working class is striving to work the least amount of hours while obtain the highest possible wages, in an effort to advance their position in society [2]. However, historically this struggle has not been an even one. Since Capitalists’ are the owners of the means of production, they have an intrinsic advantage because they have control over the workers’ wages, hours, and benefits and usually are able to overpower any individual worker.

How Unions Work

When a union is able to form between those in the working class, their ability to change their position as subordinates to the owning class becomes possible. A union is a group of workers who unite in order to advance their situation in the work place. As Karl Marx stated in 1875, “It is altogether self-evident that, to be able to fight at all, the working class must organize itself as a class…” [3] What Karl Marx is trying to explain is the power of the owning class is overwhelming because they own the property, the facilities and the product being produced. However if the working class can unite in an effort to secure certain goals they can become quite powerful. Since they are the ones doing the physical work in the factory the workers keep the businesses going and therefore, as a group, have the ability to stop working and cause the capitalist to lose profits. This can be devastating to any capitalist endeavor and ideally will cause him to negotiate with the workers for a better wage and better hours. Yet, it is not that simple because when the workers stop working, they are not being paid and the working class cannot survive long with out their wages. This means that in order for workers to gain anything through forming a union and striking, they must also make great sacrifices and risk their livelihood.[4]

Rise of Unions in the United States

The Labor movement first began in 1872 in Philadelphia with the founding of what is called the Knights of St. Crispin. This was a group of radical laborers whose “membership mounted to 40,000 or 50,000, whereas the next largest unions of the time claimed only 10,000 to 12,000.”[5] Such movements were motivated by the complete lack of regulation of the capitalist system as well as no laws that prohibited social discrimination or exploitation. [6] This meant that the working class at the time was living in such horrible conditions that they were became radicalized. This is a very important aspect in the rise of labor unions because until conditions became horrible for the working class, no one thought to create a union. [7] The United States did however, have the advantage of looking at other countries industrial revolutions and realizing that capitalism is very exploitative and therefore, unions are a necessity for the working class to establish, before conditions become unbearable. Through out the 1900s the labor unions slowly gained power, mostly due to an influx in immigration during the time. [8] These immigrants were heavily exploited and impoverished. Yet, because the idea of unions had already been established in other countries, Americans were able to form unions like the Knights of St. Crispin, the National Labor Union and the Knights of Labor. [9]

Prominent Unions throughout History

AFL

The AFL or American Labor Federation was formed out of a dispute with the Knights of Labor. The founders of the ALF claimed that the Knights of Labor’s anti-strike policies were detrimental to certain workers and that capitalist firms were taking advantage of the fact that those workers part of the Knights of Labor were not going to strike. Once the AFL became an official union, which was willing to strike, they established support through out the country. Eventually, under the leadership of Samuel Gompers, the AFL became one of the most popular unions in the country. As the AFL became better known, they also solidified their stance as very anti-communist, which angered some labor unionist and others on the left who were working for the working class. [10]

CIO

The CIO or Congress of Industrial Organizations was formed out of a dispute with the AFL in 1936. Their dispute was over inclusion of different types of laborers who many felt were under represented. While under the leadership of John L. Lewis, the CIO became a union whose focus was on inclusion of anyone who wished to advance the cause of the working class. One example of this was when the CIO’s inclusive policies was when it organized strikes with the help of several well known communist groups throughout America. During World War Two the CIO was the peak of its power and established factions all over the country among many different craftsmen. However, as the war ended the CIO became increasing more anti-communist, as that was national attitude at the time. However, once this began it became clear that the CIO would need to rejoin the AFL, which it did in 1956.[11]

Knights of Labor

The Knights of Labor began as a secrete society in the late 1860s. They were inspired to declare themselves a union from the actions of the National Labor Union, although their organization actually began slightly before the National Labor Union. The Knights of Labor was revolutionary in the fact that they were not discriminatory against African American workers. The mission of the Knights of Labor is as follows:

“We believe that the Knights of Labor [KoL] were on the right path of organizing Labor and in the justice of their economic and social demands. Three factors, uniquely distinguish the KoL from other labor unions. First, the Knights of Labor called for the creation of a single labor union for skilled and un-skilled workers alike to strengthen the Union against all opposition. Second, the Knights strongly opposed to the use of the strike. Strikes lead to misery and hardship for workers, and as history proves -- ultimate defeat. Thirdly, the Knights' goal was to establish co-operative businesses owned and operated by members of the union.” [12]

The practices and the goals the Knights of Labor established were not just influential to every union thereafter. However, there were aspects of the knights of Labor that were quite controversial and are rejected today. The main example of this is the Knights of Labor’s anti-strike ideas. They believe that strikes hurt the worker, yet they do not establish any type of forceful method in which a union asserts its opinions. [13]

National Labor Union

The National Labor Union formed in 1866 and dissolved in 1873. Although this Union was short lived, it was the first official union of the industrial revolution in America. The National Labor Union was critical in establishing what could be achieved when workers form a union. With out the creation of the National Union in the 1860 is many other unions would not have been able to form. The reason for the dissolving of this union was its overly complex system of selecting leaders as well as a very volatile economic climate in the 1870s. [14]