Question

There is a long history of conflicts between management and unions. find an example of where the conflict lead to a lockout or a strike. summarize the following in your own words:

1) who was the conflict between (ie. name of company and union);
2) approximately when did it occur (year);
3) approximate number of workers involved or affected;
4) what was the primary issue(s) or conflict; 5) did a strike or lockout occur and if so how long did it last; and
6) what was the outcome.

Answer 1

The 1959 Steel Strike involved half a million workers from the United Steelworkers of America and U.S. steel companies, lasting four months over issues of technology and workforce reduction. The unions won but faced negative public perception and a decline in the domestic steel industry.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 1959 Steel Strike stands as a significant example of conflict between management and unions, specifically between the United States steel companies and the United Steelworkers of America. The core issue of the conflict revolved around negotiations on the use of new technology and workforce reduction.

This clash happened during a time when automation was seen as a threat to job security. The strike involved half a million steelworkers and it became a nationwide event garnering substantial public attention.

The strike began in 1959 and lasted approximately four months, significantly impacting the U.S. steel industry. The primary issue at hand was the steel companies' drive to introduce automation which would reduce labor costs but also result in fewer jobs, a change opposed by the union.

The union demanded that worker numbers stipulated in contracts be respected, which management felt hindered technological advancement and efficiency.

Ultimately, the union emerged victorious from the strike, having managed to negotiate better terms that maintained the number of workers. However, this victory was somewhat pyrrhic as it painted the unions in a negative light to much of the American public and resulted in steel companies sourcing materials from overseas, which weakened the domestic steel industry in the long run.