Blue-collar Blues
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Transcript of Blue-collar Blues
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Blue-collar BluesI. Changing Conditions
A. EconomicB. CulturalC. Political
II. DeindustrializationA. Importing goodsB. Exporting manufacturing
III. Unions and WorkersA. Union BustingB. Worker RightsC. Rich and Poor
IV. Calls for reform
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Economic
Year Ave
1979 11.35
1978 7.59
1977 6.5
1976 5.76
1975 9.13
1974 11.04
1973 6.22
1972 3.21
1971 4.381970 5.72
• Inflation– Yom Kippur War, 1973
– OPEC Cartel
– Iranian Revolution, 1979
• Profits fall– 10% in 1965– 4.5% in 1974
• Dow closes lower in 1979 than in 1965
• Unemployment rises as high as ten percent2001 Rate = 3.59%
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Cultural • Long Hot Summers
• Watergate
• Vietnam– US: 58,000 deaths
– SVN: 200,000
– NVN: 900,000
– Civilians: 1M
• Iran Hostage crisis
• Anger– July 12, 1979– 5,000 riot at
Comiskey
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Political
• Nixon landslide, 1972
• Reagan revolution, 1980
• Both depend on working-class votes
Screen Actors Guild president Ronald Reagan testifying
before HUAC, 1947
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De-regulation
• Airlines
– Civil Aeronautics Board dissolved in 1984
– Lower fares, but wave of bankruptcies
• Trucking
– Motor Carrier Reform Act of 1980 gives trucking companies more power to set rates
– Lower rates, but teamsters suffer
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Importing Goods
• Share of world production falls from 76% to 21%
• Between 1969 and 1990, import share of GNP jumps from 5.7% to 14%
1970 Datsun 240Z
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De-industrializati
on
• 30% of plants close between 1969-1976• Manufacturers invest in South, West, & abroad
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Union Busting
• PATCO– Air traffic controllers strike
• NFL Players’ Association
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Worker Rights • Civil Rights Act,
1964– Title VII– EEOC
• Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1970
• Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990
• Family and Medical Leave Act, 1993
George H.W. Bush signs ADA, 1990
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Rich and Poor
• Income gap rises
• Top tax brackets fall
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A Paralyzed Movement• Reformers improve
labor’s reputation– United Mine Workers– Teamsters for a
Democratic Union– SEIU
• But infighting continues
• AFL-CIO still shrinking
• But ties to other groups are growing stronger
NOW’s Kim Gandy and AFL-CIO president John
Sweeney