Strikes, unions, warring factions between Labor and Management, it’s an issue that’s been part of American life since the late 1800’s when the idea of labor unions came into being as a way of providing workers with fair living wages in decent working conditions.
Before that, before unions came on to the American labor scene, the idea of a group of workers banning together to fight for better wages was largely unheard of and when attempts were made to press those issues, they were usually met with violent crackdowns on the part of management, and often met with bloody repercussions on the part of workers.
Labor Unions made for even playing fields and fair treatment of workers.
Over the first years of the 20th century the notion of collective bargaining was not often met with positive reactions on the parts of management, but it was rapidly becoming the law of the land and in doing so, paved the way for a better standard of living for the entire labor force.
But some thought obtaining better wages through strikes and lockouts via strong unions wasn’t the best way to go. Some suggested Labor disputes be settled through special courts set up to handle these issues, and in doing so would eliminate lengthy walkouts and potential violence in picket lines.
Ironically, a little over a year later a piece of legislation known as the Taft-Hartley law was enacted and introduced several sweeping changes to labor issues in the late 1940s and 1950s.
This program – an episode of the radio series Northerwesten Reviewing Stand, first broadcast by Mutual on June 2, 1946 discusses and debates these issues and they give you some idea of the kind hot-button topic Labor was at the time. The post-World War 2 years were fascinating in the sheer level of changes taking place within the framework of American society – not just scientific and technological advances, but evolution in the workplace.
For a sample of what we were up to in 1946, here is that episode of Northwestern Reviewing Stand from the Mutual Radio Network.
