Module 06: "Which Side Are You On?" The Flint Sit-Down Strike, 1936-37

Evidence 26: Participation in Work Stoppages (Strikes and Lockouts), 1900-1970

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Introduction

The graph below depicts the number of American workers involved in work stoppages between 1900 and 1970. Most of the workers went out on strike against their employers. During some labor conflicts, however, owners and managers locked workers out of factories, and those figures are included here as well. Note that data from the years 1906 to 1926 is unavailable.

Questions to Consider

  • What general trends in work stoppages does the graph reveal?

  • What was the first year in which the number of workers affected by stoppages exceeded 1 million?

  • Which year witnessed the most workers involved in work stoppages?

  • During what period did the number of workers involved in work stoppages begin to increase significantly? What happened to union membership during this period? How would you characterize the relationship between the two?

Document

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Source:
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O., 1975): 179.

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