Is There a Crisis in the American Trade-Union Movement? Yes

In the context of the major changes of the eighties, the author examines how institutional economists and unions can be of great assistance one to the another.

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The Santiago Iglesias Case, 1901–1902: Origins of American Trade Union Involvement in Puerto Rico

The Americas A Quarterly Review of Latin American History ◽

10.2307/980224 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 378-393 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

William George Whittaker

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Trade Union ◽

Skilled Workers ◽

American Federation Of Labor ◽

Trade Union Movement ◽

American Federation ◽

American Occupation ◽

Union Movement ◽

Union Leadership ◽

American Trade

In November of 1898, Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, lashed out at the expansionists and denied most emphatically that there was “justification for our enforced conquest and annexation ”of the “semi-nude people ”of Puerto Rico, living in a state of “peonage.” At large, the American trade union movement appears to have been caught up in the movement for Cuban independence—both political and economic. Puerto Rico, however, was a different matter. The trade union leadership had shown no special awareness of the island or of conditions prevailing there and, following the American occupation, adopted a strongly anti-imperialist stand. Yet, in February of 1901, the American Federationist (edited by Gompers) warmly applauded the Louisville conventions decision “. . .to organize the 15,000 skilled workers of the island of Puerto Rico on the unshakable basis of the trade union.” By the summer of 1902, trade union opinion had largely reversed itself and fraternal ties between the American Federation of Labor and the Federación Libre of Puerto Rico had been irrevocably forged.

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An Exploratory Study of Trade Union Pluralism in Ghana

African Journal of Employee Relations (Formerly South African Journal of Labour Relations) ◽

10.25159/2520-3223/4312 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Author(s):

Kenneth E. Parku ◽

Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey

Keyword(s):

Trade Union ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Freedom Of Association ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Trade Union Movement ◽

Union Movement ◽

Legal Provisions ◽

Enterprise Level ◽

The Government ◽

Cross Sectional Design

The practice of trade union pluralism at an enterprise level is seen as problematic for both the management of enterprises and the trade union movement. The problems arise from inter-union rivalries, competition and disputes over demarcations of privileges and rights. This article explores the practice of trade union pluralism at the enterprise level in Ghana with the aim of creating awareness of the effect of the practice on the general trade union movement. This qualitative study employed a cross-sectional design and used purposive and snowball sampling methods in selecting the participants. The data was analysed thematically. The findings from the study show that union pluralism is stimulating the decline in general union membership, the breakaway of local unions from the federations, and employersâ€™ classification of workers based on their qualifications once they are employed by organisations, and their assignment to specific unions (automatic membership at enterprise level). It is suggested that employment laws encourage union breakaways, which weakens the unions especially at the enterprise level. It is recommended that the state, labour officials and policy-makers should enforce labour laws, especially regarding freedom of association, and consider revisiting or amending some labour laws to curb their abuse. The government and labour institutions need to work together to operationalise the implementation of legal provisions on freedom of association or consider amending the provisions to curb the existing abuse.

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