Final answer:
Management attitudes towards labor during industrial relations talks reference their approach to workers' rights, wages, and working conditions. Historical conflicts such as the 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike showcase how these attitudes often resulted in resistance to change, the use of company unions, and government intervention.
Step-by-step explanation:
Industrial Relations Talks and Management Attitudes
During the era of industrialization and postwar America, tension between labor and management was a significant issue. Industrial relations talks were often at the heart of negotiations between the two parties. A delegate raising the issue of management attitudes at such talks is referencing the perspective and behaviors of management towards workers, including their approach to wages, working conditions, and negotiations with unions. Management attitudes have historically been shaped by a variety of factors such as the need for increased production, labor shortages, and the fear of strikes similar to those that occurred in 1919, one of the most strike-prone years in American history, when workers demanded better working conditions and wages.
During times of industrial conflict, including the notable 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike, the federal government occasionally stepped in to mediate and propose reforms. However, management often resisted significant changes and used tactics like the creation of company unions to undermine the power of independent labor unions. These company-controlled groups typically had limited power and were used to provide modest reforms or one-time bonuses to workers, often to make it look like they were more effective than the actual labor unions.
The controversial topic of management attitudes is paramount to understanding the dynamics of industrial relations, reflecting a history where conflicting views often led to violent clashes and necessitated government intervention. The legacy of these relations has lasting implications on how worker advocacy and union representation functions in the present.