The Last Great Strike : Little Steel, the CIO, and the Struggle for Labor Rights in New Deal America

"In May 1937, seventy thousand workers walked off their jobs at four large steel companies known collectively as "Little Steel." The strikers sought to make the companies retreat from decades of antiunion repression, abide by the newly enacted federal labor law, and recognize their union. For two months a grinding struggle ensued, punctuated by bloody clashes in which police, company agents, and National Guardsmen ruthlessly beat and shot unionists. At least sixteen died and hundreds more were injured before the strike ended in failure. The violence and brutality of the Little Steel Strike became legendary. It was in many ways the last great strike in modern America. Traditionally the Little Steel Strike has been understood as a modest setback at most for steelworkers, one that actually confirmed the potency of New Deal reforms and did little to impede the progress of the labor movement. However, The Last Great Strike tells a different story about the conflict and its significance for unions and labor rights. More than any other strike, it laid bare the contradictions of the industrial labor movement, the resilience of corporate power, and the limits of New Deal liberalism at a crucial time in American history"--Provided by publisher.;Labor, Little Steel, and the New Deal -- Like a penitentiary : steel and the origins of the open shop -- They should honor us : work and conflict in the open shop era -- Sure, we have guns : the open shop in the Depression era -- I never gave that guy nothin' : the New Deal and the changing landscape of labor relations -- To banish fear : the campaign to organize steel -- The spirit of unrest : from stalemate to walkout -- In the name of the people : the incident on Memorial Day -- What had to be done : the struggle at the mill gates -- A change of heart : corporate power and New Deal strikebreaking -- Let's bust them up : last struggles and defeat -- A steel strike is not a picnic : the anatomy of failure -- Kind of a victory : New Deal labor law on trial -- Unreconciled : war, victory, and the legacies of defeat -- These things that mean so much to us. In May 1937, seventy thousand workers walked off their jobs at four large steel companies known collectively as “Little Steel.” The strikers sought to make the companies retreat from decades of antiunion repression, abide by the newly enacted federal labor law, and recognize their union. For two months a grinding struggle unfolded, punctuated by bloody clashes in which police, company agents, and National Guardsmen ruthlessly beat and shot unionists. At least sixteen died and hundreds more were injured before the strike ended in failure. The violence and brutality of the Little Steel Strike became legendary. In many ways it was the last great strike in modern America.
 
Traditionally the Little Steel Strike has been understood as a modest setback for steel workers, one that actually confirmed the potency of New Deal reforms and did little to impede the progress of the labor movement. However, The Last Great Strike tells a different story about the conflict and its significance for unions and labor rights. More than any other strike, it laid bare the contradictions of the industrial labor movement, the resilience of corporate power, and the limits of New Deal liberalism at a crucial time in American history. La 4e de couverture indique : "In May 1937, seventy thousand workers walked off their jobs at four large steel companies known collectively as "Little Steel." The strikers sought to make the companies retreat from decades of antiunion repression, abide by the newly enacted federal labor law, and recognize their union. For two months a grinding struggle ensued, punctuated by bloody clashes in which police, company agents, and National Guardsmen ruthlessly beat and shot unionists. At least sixteen died and hundreds more were injured before the strike ended in failure. The violence and brutality of the Little Steel Strike became legendary. It was in many ways the last great strike in modern America. Traditionally the Little Steel Strike has been understood as a modest setback at most for steelworkers, one that actually confirmed the potency of New Deal reforms and did little to impede the progress of the labor movement. However, The Last Great Strike tells a different story about the conflict and its significance for unions and labor rights. More than any other strike, it laid bare the contradictions of the industrial labor movement, the resilience of corporate power, and the limits of New Deal liberalism at a crucial time in American history." "In May 1937, seventy thousand workers walked off their jobs at four large steel companies known collectively as "Little Steel." The strikers sought to make the companies retreat from decades of antiunion repression, abide by the newly enacted federal labor law, and recognize their union. For two months a grinding struggle ensued, punctuated by bloody clashes in which police, company agents, and National Guardsmen ruthlessly beat and shot unionists. At least sixteen died and hundreds more were injured before the strike ended in failure. The violence and brutality of the Little Steel Strike became legendary. It was in many ways the last great strike in modern America. Traditionally the Little Steel Strike has been understood as a modest setback at most for steelworkers, one that actually confirmed the potency of New Deal reforms and did little to impede the progress of the labor movement. However, The Last Great Strike tells a different story about the conflict and its significance for unions and labor rights. More than any other strike, it laid bare the contradictions of the industrial labor movement, the resilience of corporate power, and the limits of New Deal liberalism at a crucial time in American history"-- Résumé de l'éditeur In May 1937, seventy thousand workers walked off their jobs at four large steel companies known collectively as “Little Steel.” The strikers sought to make the companies retreat from decades of antiunion repression, abide by the newly enacted federal labor law, and recognize their union. For two months a grinding struggle unfolded, punctuated by bloody clashes in which police, company agents, and National Guardsmen ruthlessly beat and shot unionists. At least sixteen died and hundreds more were injured before the strike ended in failure. The violence and brutality of the Little Steel Strike became legendary. In many ways it was the last great strike in modern America. Traditionally the Little Steel Strike has been understood as a modest setback for steel workers, one that actually confirmed the potency of New Deal reforms and did little to impede the progress of the labor movement. However, The Last Great Strike tells a different story about the conflict and its significance for unions and labor rights. More than any other strike, it laid bare the contradictions of the industrial labor movement, the resilience of corporate power, and the limits of New Deal liberalism at a crucial time in American history. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Introduction: LABOR, LITTLE STEEL , AND THE NEW DEAL PART I. The Open Shop 1. Like a Penitentiary: STEEL AND THE ORIGINS OF THE OPEN SHOP 2. They Should Honor Us: WORK AND CONFLICT IN THE OPEN SHOP ERA 3. Sure, We Have Guns: THE OPEN SHOP IN THE DEPRESSION ERA 4. I Never Gave That Guy Nothin’: THE NEW DEAL AND THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF LABOR RELATIONS 5. To Banish Fear: THE CAMPAIGN TO ORGANIZE STEEL PART II. The Strike 6. The Spirit of Unrest: FROM STALEMATE TO WALKOUT 7. In the Name of the People: THE INCIDENT ON MEMORIAL DAY 8. What Had to Be Done: THE STRUGGLE AT THE MILL GATES 9. A Change of Heart: CORPORATE POWER AND NEW DEAL STRIKEBREAKING 10. Let’s Bust Them Up: LAST STRUGGLES AND DEFEAT PART III. The Aftermath 11. A Steel Strike Is Not a Picnic. THE ANATOMY OF FAILURE 12. Kind of a Victory: NEW DEAL LABOR LAW ON TRIAL 13. Unreconciled: WAR, VICTORY, AND THE LEGACIES OF DEFEAT Conclusion: THESE THINGS THAT MEAN SO MUCH TO US Appendix ABBREVIATIONS NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE INDEX