The “New Unionism”I. OverviewII. Radical Unions

A. IWWB. Garment Workers

III. Industrial Strikes, 1909-1916A. SteelB. TextileC. Garment

IV. Explaining outcomesA. Union organizationB. Public opinionC. EmployersD. Institutionalism

Overview

• Workers– Immigrants,

blacks, & women

• Jobs– Semi-skilled

factory labor

• Units– Industrial

unions

Striking laundry workers, Chicago, 1903

IWW

• Western Federation of Miners

• IWW founded 1905 as response to AFL

• SyndicalismWFM leaders, Pettibone, Haywood, and Moyer, on trial, 1907

Garment Workers• Workers

– Immigrants• Eastern European

Jews• Lithuanians• Italians

– Women

• Unions– International

Ladies Garment Workers

– United Garment Workers

Steel Members of PA constabulary, 1909

“Bloody corner”McKee Rocks, PA, 1909

↓

Textile

• Lawrence

• Lowell

• Patterson

Clothing• 1909

– 20K shirtwaist workers

• 1910– 60K NYC

cloak-makers

– 40K in Chicago

• 1911– 150K

workersRochester, 1913

OrganizationGarment

workers:

• Avoid factionalism– Amalgamat

ed

• Retain ties to AFL establishment

Chicago garment workers in Labor Day parade, 1915

Public Opinion

• Machismo v. Maternalism

• Radical Chic v. Middle-class Morality

• Triangle Fire, 1911

Employers• Garment

manufacturers and retailers were often German Jews

• Heavily involved in reform movements

• Connection to workers creates sense of responsibility

Edward A. Filene

Institutionalism

• IWW Syndicalism

versus

• ACWA Brandeis-ism

ACWA members thank leader Sidney Hillman, 1915