Y106 OCR A LEVEL HISTORY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.Buy Quality Materials!
How did Congress advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- NWLB re-established in WW2 out of necessity.
- Congress made union leaders (post WW2) take an oath to declare they weren't
communist - unions weakened (i.e. CIO) as communist leaders forced out.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- Taft Hartley Act 1948 - passed over President Trumans Veto - severely restricted the
right of unions to engage in collective bargaining and strike action and reversed a lot of
the progress made during the New Deal.
- Unions couldn't contribute to political campaigns.
Economic:
N/A
How did The Supreme Court advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-
1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- N/A
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- Coppage v Kansas 1915 - Rules Yellow Dog contracts are constitutional, meaning
employers can sign contracts with employees that prevent them from joining unions and
striking.
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Adkins v Children's hospital 1923 rules that minimum wage legislation is
unconstitutional under the due process clause (freedom of contract) of the 5th
Amendment, as it limited negotiations between employee and employer over pay. -
Later overturned in West Coast v Parrish.
- Lochner v New York 1905 - rules that New York state can't set maximum working
hours for bakers as it violates their freedom of contract under the 14th Amendment.
How did Presidents advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Unions recognised for the first time during WW1 under President Wilson, however this
was largely due to necessity.
- FDR - Wagner Act 1935, grants the right to employees to organise into Trade Unions
and engage in collective bargaining and strikes. - First real legal recognition and not
completely overturned by subsequent legislation.
- Regan - determined to undermine the power of unions through legislation. Broke up
the PACTO union and had all 13,000 members fired after they refused to end a strike
over pensions in 1981.
, Social (Collective bargaining and strike action)
- President Cleveland uses 2,000 federal troops to break up the 1894 Pullman strike -
shows opposition to strike action. (4 protesters dead)t.
- President Wilson through the Clayton Anti-trust Act 1914, limited injunctions against
striking workers and allowed for picketing.
- FDR - Wagner act protects right to strike under the Wagner Act
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- FDR - NIRA 1933 regulates fair wages in industry and Fair Labour Standards Act 1938
created a minimum wage and set a 40 hour work week.
- JFK - 'New Frontier' 1963 Equal Pay Act makes wage discrimination on the basis of
gender illegal.
- Nixon - 1970 Occupational Health and Safety Act improves working conditions and
regulates the hazard level in workplaces.
How did the Knights of Labour advance union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Established 1869 - United blue collar workers from across manufacturing industries to
represent their needs.
- 700,000 members by 1886
- However it collapsed after the Haymarket Affair had it branded as violent. Set back the
wider union movement in terms of gaining legal recognition. However, gave the first
representation to Blue-collar workers.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
N/A
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Little achieved and the union excluded craft industry workers and ethnic minorities
How did the American Federation of Labour advance union rights in the USA
(1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Aimed to unite smaller unions and end the historic divisions of the past.
- Supported Craft workers - however as the craft industry declined it meant the unions
had decreasing relevance.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- N/A
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Little achieved. Still excluded African Americans and Women. - Lack of unity impacting
rights seen in Pullman strike.
How did the Congress of Industrial Organisations advance union rights in the
USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Formed in 1937 in response to lack of protection for Blue-collar workers which helped
ANSWERS.Buy Quality Materials!
How did Congress advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- NWLB re-established in WW2 out of necessity.
- Congress made union leaders (post WW2) take an oath to declare they weren't
communist - unions weakened (i.e. CIO) as communist leaders forced out.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- Taft Hartley Act 1948 - passed over President Trumans Veto - severely restricted the
right of unions to engage in collective bargaining and strike action and reversed a lot of
the progress made during the New Deal.
- Unions couldn't contribute to political campaigns.
Economic:
N/A
How did The Supreme Court advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-
1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- N/A
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- Coppage v Kansas 1915 - Rules Yellow Dog contracts are constitutional, meaning
employers can sign contracts with employees that prevent them from joining unions and
striking.
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Adkins v Children's hospital 1923 rules that minimum wage legislation is
unconstitutional under the due process clause (freedom of contract) of the 5th
Amendment, as it limited negotiations between employee and employer over pay. -
Later overturned in West Coast v Parrish.
- Lochner v New York 1905 - rules that New York state can't set maximum working
hours for bakers as it violates their freedom of contract under the 14th Amendment.
How did Presidents advance or restrict union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Unions recognised for the first time during WW1 under President Wilson, however this
was largely due to necessity.
- FDR - Wagner Act 1935, grants the right to employees to organise into Trade Unions
and engage in collective bargaining and strikes. - First real legal recognition and not
completely overturned by subsequent legislation.
- Regan - determined to undermine the power of unions through legislation. Broke up
the PACTO union and had all 13,000 members fired after they refused to end a strike
over pensions in 1981.
, Social (Collective bargaining and strike action)
- President Cleveland uses 2,000 federal troops to break up the 1894 Pullman strike -
shows opposition to strike action. (4 protesters dead)t.
- President Wilson through the Clayton Anti-trust Act 1914, limited injunctions against
striking workers and allowed for picketing.
- FDR - Wagner act protects right to strike under the Wagner Act
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- FDR - NIRA 1933 regulates fair wages in industry and Fair Labour Standards Act 1938
created a minimum wage and set a 40 hour work week.
- JFK - 'New Frontier' 1963 Equal Pay Act makes wage discrimination on the basis of
gender illegal.
- Nixon - 1970 Occupational Health and Safety Act improves working conditions and
regulates the hazard level in workplaces.
How did the Knights of Labour advance union rights in the USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Established 1869 - United blue collar workers from across manufacturing industries to
represent their needs.
- 700,000 members by 1886
- However it collapsed after the Haymarket Affair had it branded as violent. Set back the
wider union movement in terms of gaining legal recognition. However, gave the first
representation to Blue-collar workers.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
N/A
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Little achieved and the union excluded craft industry workers and ethnic minorities
How did the American Federation of Labour advance union rights in the USA
(1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Aimed to unite smaller unions and end the historic divisions of the past.
- Supported Craft workers - however as the craft industry declined it meant the unions
had decreasing relevance.
Social (Collective bargaining and strike action):
- N/A
Economic (Working conditions and Pay):
- Little achieved. Still excluded African Americans and Women. - Lack of unity impacting
rights seen in Pullman strike.
How did the Congress of Industrial Organisations advance union rights in the
USA (1865-1992)?
Political (Legal recognition):
- Formed in 1937 in response to lack of protection for Blue-collar workers which helped
