The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States PDF
Preview The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States
THE DECLINE 0F ORGANIZED LABOR IN THE UNITED STATES THE DECLINE 0F ORGANIZED LABOR IN THE UNITED STATES Michael Goldfield THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS Chicago and London The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637 The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London © 1987 by Michael Coldfield All rights reserved. Published 1987 Paperback edition 1989 Printed in the United States of America 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 5432 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Coldfield, Michael. The decline of organized labor in the United States. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Trade-unions—United States—History—20th century. I. Title. HD6508.C683 1987 331.88’0973 86-24890 ISBN 0-226-30102-8 (cloth) ISBN 0-226-30103-6 (pbk.) @ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Contents List of Tables vii List of Figures ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii Part 1. Organized Labor in the United States: Its General Weakness and Recent Decline 1. Introducing the Decline 3 2. National Political Influence 26 3. The Collective Bargaining System 39 Part 2. The Significance and Meaning of Union Decline 4. The Significance of the Trade Union Decline 57 5. The Components of Union Decline and the Importance of New Organizing 78 6. Possible Explanations for the Decline 94 Part 3. Reasons Behind the Trade Union Decline 7. The Interrogation of the First Suspect: Changes in the Economic Structure and Social Composition of the Work Force 115 8. A Preliminary Investigation into Cyclical Trends in New Union Organizing 153 9. The Continuing Search for the Real Culprits: The Relation of Class Forces 180 Part 4. Conclusion 10. Summary 221 11. Some Speculations 231 Appendixes A The Data 249 B The Cross-sectional Models 252 vi Contents C Pooling of Cross-section and Time-series Data Models 255 D The Yearly Aggregate Data 259 Bibliography 261 Index 287 List of Tables . National union membership, selected years, 1930—1978 10 . National union and employee association membership, 1968—1982 11 . Comparison of union membership in thirteen countries, 1955—1985 16 . Labor-management coverage, metropolitan areas, 1960—1984 18 . Labor-management coverage, manufacturing plants, 1960—1984 18 . Union and employee association density by state, 1970—1978 19 . AF L-CIO paid membership, 1955—1985 20 . Union membership based on CPS surveys, 1977—1984 21 . Public approval of labor unions, 1936—1985 35 10. Decertification election results, 1968—1984 52 11. NLRB election results, 1935—1984 90 12. Union density by states, 1980 1 18 13. Union organization by industrial sector, 1980 122 14. Employed union and association members by occupation, 1980 126 15. Distribution of employed workers by occupation, 1960—1981 128 16. Occupational distribution of nonwhites, 1959—1981 129 17. Female membership of unions and associations, 1954—1978 130 18. Female union members, 1973—1980 130 19. Percentage of women in labor force, 1947—1979 131 20. Number of large manufacturing establishments by year 132 21. Union density by state, 1970—1978 140 22. Union victories by state in the Southwest, 1972—1984 142 vii VIII Us! at Table: 23. Union victories by state in the South, 1972—1984 143 24. Average election unit size by state, 1972—1984 143 25. Union victories in NLRB elections in selected industries, 1972—1984 146 26. Union victories by occupational classification, 1972—1984 148 27. Union victories for industrial units by year, 1972—1984 149 28. Average election unit size by occupational classification, 1972—1984 149 29. Success rate by size of bargaining unit, 1972—1984 151 30. Econometric models of NLRB certification elections, 1935—1980 177 31. Econometric models of NLRB elections, 1948—1980 178 32. Employer opposition to unions, 1950—1980 196 33. Percentage of union victories per months’ delay 202 34. Election type by year, 1972—1984 203 35. Union victories by election type by year, 1972—1984 204 36. Victory rates in multi-union elections, 1972—1984 209 37. Union victories by year for IBT, 1972—1984 211 38. NLRB‘victories of major craft unions, 1972-1984 212 39. NLRB victories of white-collar unions, 1972—1984 213 40. NLRB victories of major industrial unions, 1972—1984 214 41. Victories of service, governmental, and clerical unions, 1972—1984 215 42. Comparison of victories of left and non-left unions, 1972—1984 216 B.1. Cross-section regression models 253 B.2. Cross-section regression models continued 254 C.1. Pooled cross-section and time-series models 257 List of Figures . Membership of U.S. national unions, 1930—1985 12 . Union membership as a percentage of total labor force 13 . Union membership as a percentage of employees in nonagricultural establishments by year 14 . Percentage of union victories in NLRB elections by year 23 . Percentage of union votes in NLRB elections by year 24 . Number of work stoppages in the USA. by year 41 . Decomposition of union growth 80 . Percentage of nonagricultural workers by region by year 120 . Percentage of nonagricultural workers by region confinued 121 10. Percentage of manufacturing workers by region by year 123 11. Percentage of manufacturing workers by region confinued 124 12. Percentage of workers by industrial sector by year 125 13. Percentage of nonproduction workers in manufacturing 127 14. Percentage of union votes in NLRB elections by year 174 15. Percentage of union victories in NLRB elections by year 176 3 0 1 \ O O
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