US Labor History

1950-1959

 
1950
United States enters Korean War
CIO expels nine unions for alleged Communist domination
United Auto Workers and General Motors sign a contract that provides for pensions, automatic
cost-of-living wage adjustments, and guaranteed increases over the life of the contract
"Salt of the Earth" Strike of New Mexico Miners begin
 
1951
UAW president Walter Reuther elected president of CIO
 
1952
President Truman seizes the steel industry when the steel companies reject the Wage
Stabilization Board recommendations. Supreme Court rules the action unconstitutional
George Meany becomes president of the AFL
Walter Reuther becomes president of the CIO
President Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected
Steel Strike
 
1953
AFL and CIO agree to a "no raiding" pact. AFL expels the International Longshoremen's
Association for corruption
Louisiana Sugar Cane Workers' Strike
 
1954
Kohler Strike begins
 
1955
United Auto Workers win supplementary unemployment benefits in bargaining with Ford
AFL and CIO merge with George Meany as first president, UMWA remains independent
Southern Telephone Strike
 
1956
President Dwight D. Eisenhower is reelected
East Coast Longshoremen's Strike
Steel Strike
Canadian Labour Congress founded
 
1957
AFL-CIO expels Teamsters, Bakery Workers, and Laundry Workers for corruption
 
1959
Congress passes the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum-Griffin),
which regulates the internal affairs of unions
Steel Strike
 
 1800  1950
 1900  1960
 1910  1970
 1920  1980
 1930  1990
 1940  

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