objective: analyze truman’s labor policy for america
TRANSCRIPT
ALL DAY LONG, THE PRESIDENT’S GOT ME WORKIN’
Objective: Analyze Truman’s labor policy for America
Background 1945 WWII ended 12 million soldiers
returned from war Pair share – what effect
would a large number of people have on the economy (good and bad) of the US
Look for jobs, homes, financial security (money to live)
Americans were tired of suffering through rations
Background African Americans
served in war next white soldiers Gained respect on
battle field
Came home to segregation Wanted equality like
in battle
Pair share – How can race relations change the economy?
Truman Policy Called for 21 major
changes to labor force Sept 6, 1945 - Vision
for Postwar America Minimum wage Guaranteed
employment Medical insurance Housing aid Improved benefits for
war veterans Wage and price controls
Truman Policy - Fair Deal Continued to push New
Deal programs – Taft Hartley Act Support unions as long
as they don’t harm working nation (steel, railroads, coal)
Draft workers as soldiers and force them to work
Created the Fair deal Pro-labor Economic controls Social security Medical provisions
Fair Deal changes
Federal agencies to provide minor medical and dental services to employees (1945)
Social Security Act was amended (1950) to provide a new category of state aid to the totally and permanently disabled.
Child labor was finally prohibited through an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act(1949).
National School Lunch and Milk Act (1946)
Funds were provided for slum clearance and urban renewal
Truman Policy - Opposition Republicans & some
democrats saw it as unnecessary giveaways
Pair share – How could these “giveaways” effect Business owners Workers?
Workers – want pay increase
Business owners – want profits
Truman Policy - Opposition 1946 – 5,000 strikes Ran out of basic
goods Meat, bread Washing machines,
cars
Some went to African Americans store
Others went with out
Truman Policy - Complaints Taft-Hartley Act –
Government monitors the activity of labor unions Labor unions walked off
the job Military had to force
them back on the job Pair share – What effect
would labor unions have on America? Should the President step
into force labor back to work
African Americans Knew that African-Am
represented large voting block & constitution gave equal rights to all
Ordered investigation into race relations
Desegregate the military in ’47
Split his party States Rights’ Democratic
Party Pair share - What is the
goal and where are these democrats located?
African Americans – Truman Speech to NAACP
“Every man should have the right to a decent home, the right to an education, the right to adequate medical care, the right to a worthwhile job, the right to an equal share in the making of public decisions through the ballot, and the right to a fair trial in a fair court.”
Went against his party to end racial segregation
Another War 1950 Korean War Wanted to rally
Americans behind new War
Didn’t take control of economy like WWII
People weren’t willing to sacrifice Congress ended
Truman’s war taxes
Strikes continued
Result People continued to
strike 1952 Steel strike
Truman tried to take control of company
Court said he couldn’t take control of businesses Had to justify by Taft
Hartley Act to delay strike
Refused to use it cause he didn’t like it
Truman lost control of Economy