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Labor History can be understood from the perspectives of both trade union history and the social, cultural, and political life of workers. To gain insights into labor’s past, it is useful to explore not only union organizing, collective bargaining, and labor legislation, but also what workers think, how they work and live, and the impact of workers on the larger society. This course will use both of these approaches in order to examine the major themes in American labor history from the 19th century to the present day.
Key Topics
- Understanding Labor History
- Race, Gender and Ethnicity: The Constantly Changing Work Force of America
- Class conflict during the industrial revolution (the progressive era as it stands)
- Rise of industrial unions
- Rise of public sector unions
- The corporate counterattack
- Unions in the era of globalization
Approach and Features
This course will cover the history of American Workers and their unions from the early days European colonization to the present. The course places special emphasis on changes in the American working class as a result of migration from overseas and within the United States and the role of women and minorities in the work force.