Business unionism
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Academic disciplines
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A business union is a description of a particular type of trade union, or of a trade union with particular characteristics. The meaning of business unionism has changed over a period of time. The term is believed to be of American derivation, and has been applied in particular to phenomena characteristic of American unions.[1] Hyman (1973) attributed the term "business unionism" to Hoxie, but Michael Goldfield (1987) notes that the term was in common usage before Hoxie published in 1915.[2]
According to Goldfield, Hoxie used the term to describe trade-consciousness, rather than class-consciousness; in other words, according to Hoxie, business unionists were advocates of "pure and simple" trade unionism, as opposed to class or revolutionary unionism.[3] This sort of business unionism is what Eugene Debs often referred to as the "old unionism".[4]
After industrial unions (as opposed to craft unions) were being successfully organized, "business unionism" began to take on a new meaning, which is, the literal running of the union as if it was a business.[5]
[edit] History
[edit] Minneapolis business alliance
One of the earliest uses of the term business union may have been the name adopted by an alliance of businesses in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the purpose of attracting manufacturing to the city.[6] This usage relating to a "union" of businesses appears to be unrelated to the use of the term to describe characteristics of certain labor unions.
[edit] See also
- ^ Michael Goldfield, The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States, University of Chicago Press, 1987/1989, page 49
- ^ Michael Goldfield, The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States, University of Chicago Press, 1987/1989, page 49
- ^ Michael Goldfield, The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States, University of Chicago Press, 1987/1989, page 49
- ^ Michael Goldfield, The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States, University of Chicago Press, 1987/1989, page 49
- ^ Michael Goldfield, The Decline of Organized Labor in the United States, University of Chicago Press, 1987/1989, page 49
- ^ Lorillard Spenser, President, The Illustrated American Publishing Company, The Illustrated American, Volume 10, Issue 118, May 21, 1892, page 19
