The 1970s and 1980s Lecture 1

Administrative Reading for next time – all remaining reading on this topic

Review In 1960 unionism strong in blue collar and goods producing occupations and industries and weak in white collar and service producing occupations and industries Development of collective bargaining by farm workers and teachers

Today I.Political and Economic Background II.New Pattern of Strikes and Government Anti-unionism III.New Patterns of Bargaining

I. Political and Economic Background Only four years of Democratic Presidency over this period Continued decline of goods producing sectors and rise of services Decade of the 1970s was one of economic instability –Issues related to petroleum –Stagflation

II. New Patterns of Strikes and Government Anti-unionism The PATCO Strike (1981) –Background –Issues –Outcome The Phelps Dodge Dispute (1983) –Background –Issues –Outcome

Strikes PATCO dispute indicated hostility of government to unions PATCO and Phelps Dodge signaled employers that they could replace strikers with impunity and with the approval of government Operating during strike become normal Threats to close or to replace strikers became the norm

Striker Replacement McKay Radio Doctrine (1937) Threats frequently carried out Employers often prepared for strikes by arranging replacements in advance

III. New Patterns of Bargaining New patterns of strikes left unions with little recourse Concession bargaining –Wage freezes and wage and benefit cuts –lump-sum payments –Two-tiered bargaining

Next Time New Economy of 1980s and beyond Responses of the union movement Women in the labor force in the 1970s and 1980s

The 1970s and 1980s Lecture 2

Administrative Reading for next time – Ross, “Sweated Labor in Cyberspace,” in Boris and Lichtenstein

Review Anti-labor political environment of 1970s and 1980s and unstable economic environment of 1970s New patterns of strikes and government anti-unionism Concession bargaining

Today I.Post-industrial Society II.Women at work and family life in the 1970s and 1980s III.White male workers in the 1970s and 1980s IV.Trade unions

I. Post-Industrial Society What is post-industrial society? What is the nature of work like in that society? What are consumption patterns like in that society?

II. Women at work and family life What happened to women’s work patterns in the 1970s and 1980s? What happened to patterns of family life? Related to decline in fringe benefits, especially health care

“Women’s” Issues at Work Interest in childcare/daycare Ability to pay for childcare with pre-tax dollars Flexible schedules Work from home Cafeteria benefit plans

III. White Male Workers Resentment of programs for women and minorities Bakke Case Weber Case Johnson Case Impact of Viet Nam War

IV. Trade Unions AFL-CIO –All major unions affiliated –Membership of affiliates continued to decline –Continued to take strong anti-Communist international position New approaches to union organizing –“organizing unionism” –Corporate Campaigns

Next Time Begin discussion of the period since 1990