The American Federation of Labor I.Conditions A.The Problem of Legitimacy B.The Craft Economy...
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Transcript of The American Federation of Labor I.Conditions A.The Problem of Legitimacy B.The Craft Economy...
The American Federation of Labor
I. ConditionsA. The Problem of LegitimacyB. The Craft Economy
II. Understanding the AFLA. Origins, Leaders, & MembersB. Class identityC. Organizational consciousnessD. Craft governanceE. Political action
III. ProblemsA. FactionalismB. TemptationC. ExclusivityD. Cynicism
The Problem of
Legitimacy• How do you maintain
an organization that has no legal existence?
• How do you enforce a contract when you have no legal standing?
Bartenders’ union, shop cards
The Craft Economy
• Bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, flat janitors, stationary engineers, and realtors, shopkeepers, butchers and bakers, barbers, tailors, launderers, teamsters, teaming contractors, longshoremen, and sailors
South Water Street Market, Chicago, 1908
Origins, Leaders, & Members
• Founded 1881
• Grows to 1.7M by 1904
• Roots– European craft
radicalism– Irish nationalism– American labor
republicanism Samuel Gompers, AFL president
William Pomeroy
P.J. Maguire
Class relations
• With employers– From explosive to
contractual
• With other workers– Sympathy
• Chicago Teamsters’ strike of 1905
Pennsylvania militia, waiting for Homestead strikers
Organization
• Legitimacy– Employer recognition– Charter– Union cards, labels,
buttons
• Jurisdiction
• Perfection
• Homogeneity– Apprenticeship– Patrimony
Teamsters displaying their banner, c. 1900
Craft governance
• Goal– Market control
• Enforcement– Walking
delegates– Arbitration
boards
• Punishments– Strikes– Fines– Boycotts– Expulsion
Chicago bill posters picketing worksite
Political action
• AFL declines to endorse an independent labor party
• But local unions are intensely involved in local politics.
Labor day float, Chicago, 1904
Factionalism
• Craft lines lead to jurisdictional battles– United Assn.
of Plumbers battles Intl. Assn. of Steamfitters for over ten years
Widow of slain labor union officer, c. 1912
Temptation
• Craft governance creates ample opportunities for graft.
Chicago building trades unionists, Michael “Umbrella Mike” Boyle and
Martin “Skinny” Madden
Exclusivity• Some unions
were egalitarian
• Others had segregated locals
• Desire for market control prompts leaders to institutionalize their prejudices about blacks, Asians, and women
Delegates to the 2nd annual convention, Hotel and Restaurant Employees, 1893