Key Economic Factors Causing the Labor Movement's Decline (1920s)

Economic Factors that Caused Labor Movement’s Decline in the 1920s
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Economic Factors that Caused Labor Movement’s Decline in the 1920s
One of the primary economic factors that caused the labor movement’s decline in the 1920s is a concerted business campaign to get rid of labor unions. The government joined hands with employers to weaken unions’ bargaining power and political influence. Some new laws were enacted barring immigrants who were ineligible for citizenship (Chapter 7, n.d., p. 342). Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Indians were judged based on their past judicial rulings. In addition, businesses used the 1920s economic downturn as an opportunity to eradicate labor unions. For instance, employers reversed labor unions’ laws by increasing working hours and reducing wages (Chapter 7, n.d., p. 349). Due to less political influence, labor unions were rendered powerless. Specifically, 600,000 United Mine Workers of America’s (UMWA) members ...