ALL DAY LONG, THE PRESIDENT’S GOT ME WORKIN’

Objective: Analyze Truman’s labor policy for America

Background 1945 WWII ended 12 million soldiers

returned from war Pair share – what effect

would a large number of people have on the economy (good and bad) of the US

Look for jobs, homes, financial security (money to live)

Americans were tired of suffering through rations

Background African Americans

served in war next white soldiers Gained respect on

battle field Came home to

segregation Wanted equality like

in battle Pair share – How

can race relations change the economy?

Truman Policy Called for 21 major

changes to labor force Sept 6, 1945 - Vision

for Postwar America Minimum wage Guaranteed

employment Medical insurance Housing aid Improved benefits for

war veterans Wage and price controls

Truman Policy - Fair Deal Continued to push New

Deal programs – Taft Hartley Act Support unions as long as

they don’t harm working nation (steel, railroads, coal)

Draft workers as soldiers and force them to work

Created the Fair deal Pro-labor Economic controls Social security Medical provisions

Fair Deal changes

Federal agencies to provide minor medical and dental services to employees (1945)

Social Security Act was amended (1950) to provide a new category of state aid to the totally and permanently disabled.

Child labor was finally prohibited through an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act(1949).

National School Lunch and Milk Act (1946)

Funds were provided for slum clearance and urban renewal

Truman Policy - Opposition Republicans & some

democrats saw it as unnecessary giveaways

Pair share – How could these “giveaways” effect Business owners Workers?

Workers – want pay increase

Business owners – want profits

Truman Policy - Opposition 1946 – 5,000 strikes Ran out of basic

goods Meat, bread Washing machines,

cars Some went to African

Americans store Others went with out

Truman Policy - Complaints Taft-Hartley Act –

Government monitors the activity of labor unions Labor unions walked off

the job Military had to force

them back on the job Pair share – What effect

would labor unions have on America? Should the President

step into force labor back to work

African Americans Knew that African-Am

represented large voting block & constitution gave equal rights to all

Ordered investigation into race relations

Desegregate the military in ’47

Split his party States Rights’ Democratic

Party Pair share - What is the

goal and where are these democrats located?

African Americans – Truman Speech to NAACP

“Every man should have the right to a decent home, the right to an education, the right to adequate medical care, the right to a worthwhile job, the right to an equal share in the making of public decisions through the ballot, and the right to a fair trial in a fair court.”

Went against his party to end racial segregation

Another War 1950 Korean War Wanted to rally

Americans behind new War

Didn’t take control of economy like WWII

People weren’t willing to sacrifice Congress ended

Truman’s war taxes Strikes continued

Result People continued to

strike 1952 Steel strike

Truman tried to take control of company

Court said he couldn’t take control of businesses Had to justify by Taft

Hartley Act to delay strike

Refused to use it cause he didn’t like it

Truman lost control of Economy