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The '''Labor Congress of Liberia''' (abbreviated '''LCL''') was a [[trade union]] centre in [[Liberia]].
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The '''Labor Congress of Liberia''' (abbreviated '''LCL''') was a [[trade union]] centre in [[Liberia]]. LCL was founded in February 1954.<ref name=c>{{cite book|title=World Trade Information Service|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GWofAQAAMAAJ|year=1956|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=xlviii}}</ref><ref name="Iskenderov1964">{{cite book|author=Akhmed Akhmedovich Iskenderov|title=The Workers Movement of the Countries of Asia and Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q2RBAAAAIAAJ|year=1964|publisher=CCM Information Corporation|page=120}}</ref><ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967">{{cite book|author1=Jean Meynaud|author2=Anisse Salah-Bey|title=Trade unionism in Africa: a study of its growth and orientation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mYm3AAAAIAAJ|year=1967|publisher=Methuen|page=171}}</ref> As of mid-1955 LCL had five affiliates: the General Workers' Union, the Dock Workers' Union, the Mine Workers' Union, the Railroad Workers' Union, and the Rubber Workers' Union.<ref name=c/>


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LCL was founded as the first trade union centre in the country in 1951, but the organization soon became defunct.<ref name="Mielke2013">{{cite book|author=Siegfried Mielke|title=Internationales Gewerkschaftshandbuch|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KuXRBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA738|date=27 November 2013|publisher=Springer-Verlag|isbn=978-3-322-95471-8|page=738}}</ref> LCL was founded in February 1954.<ref name=c>{{cite book|title=World Trade Information Service|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GWofAQAAMAAJ|year=1956|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=xlviii}}</ref><ref name="Iskenderov1964">{{cite book|author=Akhmed Akhmedovich Iskenderov|title=The Workers Movement of the Countries of Asia and Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q2RBAAAAIAAJ|year=1964|publisher=CCM Information Corporation|page=120}}</ref><ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967">{{cite book|author1=Jean Meynaud|author2=Anisse Salah-Bey|title=Trade unionism in Africa: a study of its growth and orientation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mYm3AAAAIAAJ|year=1967|publisher=Methuen|page=171}}</ref> Leroy Francis, a West Indian, played a leading role in the refoundation of LCL.<ref name=d>{{cite book|title=Yearbook of the inte|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KAIIAQAAIAAJ|year=1962|page=507}}</ref> As of mid-1955 LCL had five affiliates: the General Workers' Union, the Dock Workers' Union, the Mine Workers' Union, the Railroad Workers' Union, and the Rubber Workers' Union.<ref name=c/> LCL claimed to have 50,000 members, although more conservative estimates put the number of due-paying members at around 1,000.<ref name=c/> Outside of Monrovia LCL established branches at [[Greenville]], [[Sinoe County]] and [[Bomi Hills]].<ref name=c/>
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Like the previous [[Labor Union of Liberia]], LCL was backed up by the Liberian government.<ref>{{cite book|title=Labor in Liberia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_c6AAAAIAAJ|year=1960|publisher=U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics|page=16}}</ref> LCL was led by [[William V.S. Tubman, Jr.]], the son of the Liberian president [[William Tubman]].<ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967"/> Union fees of LCL went directly to the governming [[True Whig Party]].<ref name="Schechter2012"/> LCL was affiliated to [[ICFTU]].<ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967"/>


In 1955 the LCL-affiliated GWU organized a strike of road construction workers, demanding increase in wages.<ref name=c/> Negotiations lasted for 8 weeks.<ref name=c/> The Liberian government took part in facilitating negotiations with the road construction company.<ref name=c/> Another 1955 strike, a strike at the Bomi Hills Mining Company, was put down by military police and the union leaders were jailed and LCL went defunct.<ref name="Iskenderov1964"/><ref name=d/>
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In 1959 LCL underwent a split, and the break-away [[Congress of Industrial Organizations of Liberia|Congress of Industrial Organizations]] was formed.<ref name="Lowenkopf1976">{{cite book|author=Martin Lowenkopf|title=Politics in Liberia: the conservative road to development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s_2RAAAAIAAJ|year=1976|publisher=Hoover Institution Press|isbn=978-0-8179-6511-2|page=100}}</ref> The split begun when the independent-minded Monrovia mechanics union broke with the pro-government LCL.<ref name="Schechter2012">{{cite book|author=P. Schechter|title=Exploring the Decolonial Imaginary: Four Transnational Lives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rc7FAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA159|date=2 January 2012|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-137-01284-5|pages=159-160}}</ref> LCL became largely defunct after the split.<ref name="Lowenkopf1976"/> CIO overtook the membership in ICFTU.<ref name=b/><ref name="AffairsStatistics1966"/> As of 1964 LCL was estimated to have around 1,000 members.<ref name="AffairsStatistics1966">{{cite book|author1=United States. Bureau of International Labor Affairs|author2=United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics|title=Directory of labor organizations: Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k29BAAAAIAAJ|year=1966|publisher=For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|pages=19–5}}</ref><ref name=b>{{cite book|title=Labor Digests on Countries in Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BnJBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR63|year=1966|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=4}}</ref> As of the mid-1960s LCL reportedly had only one affiliated union, maintaining a presence amongst dock workers.<ref name="AffairsStatistics1966"/><ref name="Rawls1966">{{cite book|author=Nancy V. Rawls|title=Establishing a Business in Liberia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QdQFd0QkEMC|year=1966|publisher=Department of Commerce, Bureau of International Commerce|page=9}}</ref>

⚫
LCL was once again re-founded in 1958 by T. Dupigny-Leigh (Social Secretary in the Liberian government).<ref name="Mielke2013"/><ref name="Iskenderov1964"/><ref name=d/> Like the previous [[Labor Union of Liberia]], LCL was backed up by the Liberian government.<ref>{{cite book|title=Labor in Liberia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_c6AAAAIAAJ|year=1960|publisher=U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics|page=16}}</ref> LCL was led by [[William V.S. Tubman, Jr.]], the son of the Liberian president [[William Tubman]].<ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967"/> Union fees of LCL went directly to the governming [[True Whig Party]].<ref name="Schechter2012"/> LCL was affiliated to [[ICFTU]].<ref name="MeynaudSalah-Bey1967"/>

⚫
In 1959 LCL underwent a split, and the break-away [[Congress of Industrial Organizations of Liberia|Congress of Industrial Organizations]] was formed by T. Dupigny-Leigh.<ref name=d/><ref name="Lowenkopf1976">{{cite book|author=Martin Lowenkopf|title=Politics in Liberia: the conservative road to development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s_2RAAAAIAAJ|year=1976|publisher=Hoover Institution Press|isbn=978-0-8179-6511-2|page=100}}</ref> The split begun when the independent-minded Monrovia mechanics union broke with the pro-government LCL.<ref name="Schechter2012">{{cite book|author=P. Schechter|title=Exploring the Decolonial Imaginary: Four Transnational Lives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rc7FAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA159|date=2 January 2012|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-137-01284-5|pages=159-160}}</ref> LCL became largely defunct after the split.<ref name="Lowenkopf1976"/> CIO overtook the membership in ICFTU.<ref name=b/><ref name="AffairsStatistics1966"/> As of 1964 LCL was estimated to have around 1,000 members.<ref name="AffairsStatistics1966">{{cite book|author1=United States. Bureau of International Labor Affairs|author2=United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics|title=Directory of labor organizations: Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k29BAAAAIAAJ|year=1966|publisher=For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|pages=19–5}}</ref><ref name=b>{{cite book|title=Labor Digests on Countries in Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BnJBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR63|year=1966|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=4}}</ref> As of the mid-1960s LCL reportedly had only one affiliated union, maintaining a presence amongst dock workers.<ref name="AffairsStatistics1966"/><ref name="Rawls1966">{{cite book|author=Nancy V. Rawls|title=Establishing a Business in Liberia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QdQFd0QkEMC|year=1966|publisher=Department of Commerce, Bureau of International Commerce|page=9}}</ref>


In 1980, under the [[People's Redemption Council]] regime LCL and CIO re-united, forming the [[Liberian Federation of Trade Unions]].<ref name="NelsonStudies1985">{{cite book|author1=Harold D. Nelson|author2=American University (Washington, D.C.). Foreign Area Studies|author3=United States. Dept. of the Army|title=Liberia, a country study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b37UU5l2_CoC|date=October 1985|publisher=Headquarters, Dept. of the Army|page=232}}</ref>
In 1980, under the [[People's Redemption Council]] regime LCL and CIO re-united, forming the [[Liberian Federation of Trade Unions]].<ref name="NelsonStudies1985">{{cite book|author1=Harold D. Nelson|author2=American University (Washington, D.C.). Foreign Area Studies|author3=United States. Dept. of the Army|title=Liberia, a country study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b37UU5l2_CoC|date=October 1985|publisher=Headquarters, Dept. of the Army|page=232}}</ref>

Revision as of 14:37, 13 August 2017

The Labor Congress of Liberia (abbreviated LCL) was a trade union centre in Liberia.

LCL was founded as the first trade union centre in the country in 1951, but the organization soon became defunct.[1] LCL was founded in February 1954.[2][3][4] Leroy Francis, a West Indian, played a leading role in the refoundation of LCL.[5] As of mid-1955 LCL had five affiliates: the General Workers' Union, the Dock Workers' Union, the Mine Workers' Union, the Railroad Workers' Union, and the Rubber Workers' Union.[2] LCL claimed to have 50,000 members, although more conservative estimates put the number of due-paying members at around 1,000.[2] Outside of Monrovia LCL established branches at Greenville, Sinoe County and Bomi Hills.[2]

In 1955 the LCL-affiliated GWU organized a strike of road construction workers, demanding increase in wages.[2] Negotiations lasted for 8 weeks.[2] The Liberian government took part in facilitating negotiations with the road construction company.[2] Another 1955 strike, a strike at the Bomi Hills Mining Company, was put down by military police and the union leaders were jailed and LCL went defunct.[3][5]

LCL was once again re-founded in 1958 by T. Dupigny-Leigh (Social Secretary in the Liberian government).[1][3][5] Like the previous Labor Union of Liberia, LCL was backed up by the Liberian government.[6] LCL was led by William V.S. Tubman, Jr., the son of the Liberian president William Tubman.[4] Union fees of LCL went directly to the governming True Whig Party.[7] LCL was affiliated to ICFTU.[4]

In 1959 LCL underwent a split, and the break-away Congress of Industrial Organizations was formed by T. Dupigny-Leigh.[5][8] The split begun when the independent-minded Monrovia mechanics union broke with the pro-government LCL.[7] LCL became largely defunct after the split.[8] CIO overtook the membership in ICFTU.[9][10] As of 1964 LCL was estimated to have around 1,000 members.[10][9] As of the mid-1960s LCL reportedly had only one affiliated union, maintaining a presence amongst dock workers.[10][11]

In 1980, under the People's Redemption Council regime LCL and CIO re-united, forming the Liberian Federation of Trade Unions.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Siegfried Mielke (27 November 2013). Internationales Gewerkschaftshandbuch. Springer-Verlag. p. 738. ISBN 978-3-322-95471-8.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g World Trade Information Service. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1956. p. xlviii.
  3. ^ a b c Akhmed Akhmedovich Iskenderov (1964). The Workers Movement of the Countries of Asia and Africa. CCM Information Corporation. p. 120.
  4. ^ a b c Jean Meynaud; Anisse Salah-Bey (1967). Trade unionism in Africa: a study of its growth and orientation. Methuen. p. 171.
  5. ^ a b c d Yearbook of the inte. 1962. p. 507.
  6. ^ Labor in Liberia. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1960. p. 16.
  7. ^ a b P. Schechter (2 January 2012). Exploring the Decolonial Imaginary: Four Transnational Lives. Springer. pp. 159–160. ISBN 978-1-137-01284-5.
  8. ^ a b Martin Lowenkopf (1976). Politics in Liberia: the conservative road to development. Hoover Institution Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-8179-6511-2.
  9. ^ a b Labor Digests on Countries in Africa. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1966. p. 4.
  10. ^ a b c United States. Bureau of International Labor Affairs; United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics (1966). Directory of labor organizations: Africa. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 19–5.
  11. ^ Nancy V. Rawls (1966). Establishing a Business in Liberia. Department of Commerce, Bureau of International Commerce. p. 9.
  12. ^ Harold D. Nelson; American University (Washington, D.C.). Foreign Area Studies; United States. Dept. of the Army (October 1985). Liberia, a country study. Headquarters, Dept. of the Army. p. 232.
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