Analysis Of Out Of This Furnace
In Out of this Furnace, unionism at the outset of the depression was referred to as "merciless repression." This was evident through the mere 6 percent labor force that belonged to the Unions. But with the new climate inspiring men like Dobie from Out of This Furnace and aid from the federal government in the form of the Wagner Act, during the 1930's unions were able to establish themselves, demonstrated by 1/3 workers carrying union card by 1940.
NRA: National Industrial Recovery Act
To begin, the government provided a spark that fuel unions although it was the men who fought for rights that ultimately drove them to mass success. For example, in Out of This Furnace Dobie, the third generation Slovak, mentions how in accordance with the …show more content…
Dobie and other men from Braddock requested 500 cards from the AFL, got signatures for each one and were able to establish the AFL in Braddock, a monumental achievement when compared to unions success in the past. Dobie gave up evenings, calling on men he knew and "visiting them at their homes with leaflets and application cards" (Bell 292). This achievement can also be contributed in part to the government. Although it can be said that the government did nothing, that fact that it didn't intervene against these unions efforts and later strikes was much better that the hostility of earlier presidents before Franklin Roosevelt. Although the AFL focused on skill laborers and also did little for the working man, there were other movements such as the CIO that created more unskilled workers unions and paved the way for some significant …show more content…
An example of this is the SWOC, Steel Workers Organizing Committee. With efforts focused on the unskilled laborer, campaigns of the CIO were able to lead to significant and industry changing strikes. For example, inspired by the recently passed Wagner Act, which protected labor's right to bargains and supervised election of unions, rubber workers in Akron, Ohio sat down on the job in 1936. This lead to the laying off of 70 workers which then resulted in 1400 rubber workers forming a strike on their own until Goodyear Tire recognized the union and accepted its demands on wages and hours. Another example is the series of strikes at General Motors' plants. Finally, a massive strike in Flint, Michigan broke that required the National Guard to intervene, but now in favor of the strikers! In less than a year, all automobile manufacturers except Ford had come to negotiation terms, with GM giving a 5 cent
NRA: National Industrial Recovery Act
To begin, the government provided a spark that fuel unions although it was the men who fought for rights that ultimately drove them to mass success. For example, in Out of This Furnace Dobie, the third generation Slovak, mentions how in accordance with the …show more content…
Dobie and other men from Braddock requested 500 cards from the AFL, got signatures for each one and were able to establish the AFL in Braddock, a monumental achievement when compared to unions success in the past. Dobie gave up evenings, calling on men he knew and "visiting them at their homes with leaflets and application cards" (Bell 292). This achievement can also be contributed in part to the government. Although it can be said that the government did nothing, that fact that it didn't intervene against these unions efforts and later strikes was much better that the hostility of earlier presidents before Franklin Roosevelt. Although the AFL focused on skill laborers and also did little for the working man, there were other movements such as the CIO that created more unskilled workers unions and paved the way for some significant …show more content…
An example of this is the SWOC, Steel Workers Organizing Committee. With efforts focused on the unskilled laborer, campaigns of the CIO were able to lead to significant and industry changing strikes. For example, inspired by the recently passed Wagner Act, which protected labor's right to bargains and supervised election of unions, rubber workers in Akron, Ohio sat down on the job in 1936. This lead to the laying off of 70 workers which then resulted in 1400 rubber workers forming a strike on their own until Goodyear Tire recognized the union and accepted its demands on wages and hours. Another example is the series of strikes at General Motors' plants. Finally, a massive strike in Flint, Michigan broke that required the National Guard to intervene, but now in favor of the strikers! In less than a year, all automobile manufacturers except Ford had come to negotiation terms, with GM giving a 5 cent