Question

How did labor unions react to economic conditions after World War I?

Answer 1

The labor unions did have some problems. One of which was the factionalism of many different groups who could not cooperate in order to present a truly united front against employers. Immigrants also posed a considerable problem. They were often used as scabs because they would not only work for lower wages but were less likely to join unions and were in an ever increasing supply. As a result, both the Knights of Labor and the AFL attempted to achieve immigration restrictions.
The success of labor unions was rather limited during the nineteenth century. During WWI, however, labor gained fixed wages and government regulation of conditions because war production became essential. The unions lost clout during the 1920s and the Depression when jobs of any sort were in great demand. Under the New Deal, the workers did finally gain a minimum wage and later an eight hour work day. During WWII, they also gained safety controls. After WWII, these benefits remained, but the overall power of labor unions has decreased somewhat recently. Now, politicians have started to realize the value of the unions in their coalitions. Other changes such as the closed shop and government arbitration of strikes have given the unions much more power within their respective industries. But, developments in robotics, now replacing many laborers, and the overall shift from industrial production to commercial services have diminished the demand for labor and thus the power of th