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The Impact of Three Key Strikes on Individuals and Society: A Comparative Study
Today, labor strikes are a common strategy for workers to improve their condition. Indeed, labor strikes have played a significant role in shaping the history of the United States, both on a personal level and within American society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant literature to determine the effects of three major strikes: the 1959 Steel Strike, the Railroad Strike of 1886, and the 1934 Textile Strike to identify their respective impact on individuals and American society. Following this review, the paper presents a summary of the research and significant findings concerning these three key strikes on modern American individual and society in the conclusion.
1959 Steel Strike
While many Americans at present are unaware of this key labor strike, the 1959 steel strike was one of the largest cessations of work in the history of the country. For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The 1959 steel strike, which idled 519,000 workers for 116 days before an in- junction terminated the strike, raised the year's total strike' idleness to 69 million man-days, second only to 1946 in the postwar period (Analysis of Work Stoppages 1959, 2023, p. 3). This was an astounding work stoppage that had profound individual and societal implications for Americans then and today as discussed further below.
Personal impact: The bloody sacrifices of World War II and Korea were still fresh in the nations consciousness and it is readily understandable that tens of millions of American workers were adamant about wanting a better life for themselves and their families, and labor strikes were one of the last resorts available to them. In this regard, Smemo et al. (2017) report that, The strike crystallized the limits of postwar collective bargaining and policy making to manage postwar economic growth. Those limitations allowed steelworkers to lay claim to the New Deal's promise of industrial citizenship and defend the moral economy of their home life (2017, p. 39). Moreover, despite a series of New Deal reforms, the steel industry was highly profitably during this period in American history and workers wanted their fair share in return for their hard work. As Smemo et al. (2017) point out, The strike reveals the close relationship between workplace struggle and larger questions of economic policy, in particular those regarding inflation (p. 39).
It is also important to note that African American steelworkers were more adversely affected by the strike compared with white steelworkers, an outcome that was exacerbated for many by their second-class citizenship status in the workplace as well as larger American society. As Wagner makes clear, Even though black workers enjoyed the benefits of the unions promise to deliver wage and pension security, as well as better workplace conditions, the union failed to address the most pressing matter for black workersequity in the workplace (2017, p. 53). Consequently, the 1959 steel strike had a number of concomitant societal effects as discussed below.
Societal implications: The historical record shows that labor strikes are...…Deal, 2000, para. 3), the 1934 textile strike was also among the largest labor protests in nations history which had severe personal and societal effects as noted below.
Personal impact: Like the majority of strikes that have occurred in the southern textile industry, this labor strike ended in defeat for the union, with corresponding painful outcomes for those who had participated (Testing the New Deal, 2000). Like the other two discussed above, this failed strike also had widespread societal impact as discussed below.
Societal impact: The election of Franklin Roosevelt and the recognition of workers' rights pursuant to the New Deal resulted in increased membership for the United Textile Workers (UTW); however, textile employers resisted labor cost increases and hampered investigations into worker complaints under the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) (Testing the New Deal, 2000). Further, the strike did not receive support in company-owned towns, and the strike ended after 3 weeks with a significant decline in union membership thereafter (Testing the New Deal, 2000).
Conclusion
The research showed that three significant labor strikes in American history: the 1959 steel strike, the railroad strike of 1886, and the 1934 textile strike had profound effects on both individuals and American society as a whole. These strikes shed light on the challenges that were faced by American workers as they fought for improved wages, working conditions, and workplace equality. These labor strikes also reveal the limitations of postwar collective bargaining and policy-making, as well as the complex dynamics between labor and management that characterized labor relations at the time. Finally, these three strikes underscore…
References
Analysis of Work Stoppages 1959. (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/wsp/publications/annual-summaries/pdf/work-stoppages-1959.pdf.
Fink, L. (2000). Pages from an Organizer’s Life: Don McKee Confronts Southern Millworkers - and Himself. Labor History, 41(4), 453–464
Koppekin, S. (2023). A Brief History of the Great Southwest Railroad Strike of 1886. Koppekin Consulting. Retrieved from https://stephenkoppekin.net/a-brief-history-of-the-great-southwest-railroad-strike-of-1886/.
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