Labour Goes to War by Wendy Cuthbertson - Book Report/Review Example

 Labour Goes to War by Wendy Cuthbertson This is a book by Wendy Cuthbertson that clearly shows the various developments concerning labour in Canada that were brought about by World War II. The book specifically shows how congress labour organizations grew from having just a few members to having thousands of members. The period in question and the growth of congress labour organization had a huge impact of the political history of Canada. The book also shows how much the World War II affected the thinking of labourers. This papers aims at discussing the political and historical implications of these developments as implied by Wendy Cuthbertson in the book: Labour Goes to War. According to Wendy Cuthbertson, these developments were brought about by both cultural and economic forces. Before 1935, most labourers in Canada did not belong to any union representation. The only exemptions were the labourers who belonged to Trades and Labour Congress (TLC). However, the disadvantage of this union was that it was craft oriented thus could not accommodate labourers from these other fields. Initially the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was part of the American Federation of Labour (AFL). Eventually the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) broke away from the larger group several years after 1935. It was after this breakaway that the CIO was able to experience a rapid growth. The growth was so rapid that it soon became able to accommodate industrial workers from all the fields and gave them a voice in their respective work places (Cuthbertson, 2012). The author chooses to ignore the hardships that labourers had to go through during the World War II period but instead focusses on how much the war contributed to the growth of workers’ rights all over Canada. For instance, she does not mention things like the frustration that labourers under went in the hands of their employers during this period in the hands of their brutal employers. This might have been specifically intentional because she might have wanted to focus on the positives of the period during the war. However, these occurrences would have been crucial in pointing out the sacrifices that labourers during this period had to go through despite there being allot of success that was realized during this period. When the war started there were challenges that faced the development of industrial unionism of labourers in Canada. This is majorly because of the loyalty that labourers in Canada had to comrades who were involved in the World War II. This might have been further contributed to by patriotism and nationalism. As a result of all this it was noticed that many labourer opted not to involve themselves in labour radicalism during the early stages of World War II. This is the reason why labour radicalism was not particularly embraced during the early stages of the war. The World War II had a negative effect on the availability of labours. This was the main important contributor to the growth of labour radicalism in Canada. As a result of the shortage the labour unions took advantage of this to make sure that labourers in Canada were accorded the right deserved. Working as a unit, they were able to force the employers to give into their demands. Given the decrease in the availability of labourers, employees had no option but to give into their demands for the sake of their enterprises. At this particular moment employees were aware of the fact that the labourers had options and because of patriotism they could simply opt to participate in the war instead of availing their services. The timing was so perfect that the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) grew very fast to an extent that employers could not ignore it. The author goes ahead and demonstrates how proper strategizing and coordination led to the development and growth of the CIO. Some people would have imagined that the existence of the war and the fact that there was a shortage was enough to guarantee this growth and development in labour radicalism. This is particularly a very wrong assumption. Through reading the book, someone will be able to realize that the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and their members did not just seat back and let the shortage of labourers earn them their rights. Instead they constantly came up with strategies and plans that were aimed at making sure that they eventually got what they deserved from their employers. With reference to the success that was realized during this period and its nature, it will be impossible to downplay the role that the strategizing and planning had on the whole process and its outcome. The author gives detailed evidence of strategies used by workers’ unions such as the Steel Workers of America (USWA), Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), United Auto Workers (UAW), the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE), and the United Steel Workers of America (USWA) (Cuthbertson, 2012). This materials helps readers have a clear understanding of exactly what individual labour unions did that contributed to the general success of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). She also goes ahead and shows how these separate strategies worked for the good of all labourers in Canada. According to Wendy Cuthbertson, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) had a strong cultural base. The cultural aspect is also one of the attributes to the success of the development of labour radicalism in Canada. They used things like songs, picnics, rallies and newspapers to communicate their grievances. This made it so attractive to all workers most of the being immigrants. This is something that lacked previously in labour radicalism. This culture gave workers all over the country a single voice. Having workers all over Canada speaking in a single voice, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was able to accumulate more and more strength. With most of workers registered under the labour unions, they were able to convince employees nationwide to give in to their demands. This is basically because failure of employees to grant them their demands would have crippled commercial activities in very many ways nationwide. Fortunately, it did not get to this level in the case of Canada. The cultural aspect would also have definitely contributed to the unity of labourers all over the country. Taking mass civic actions without unity would definitely had led to their failure. Therefore, by the use of things likes songs and picnics the CIO was able to make sure that their members were united. Participation in these activities made workers to come together nationally regardless of their various differences (Cuthbertson, 2012). The result of this was stronger labour unions whose voices were strong enough to demand the audience of employees nationally. The book also shows how much opinions and expectation of Canadian labourers were changed as a result of the World War II. The people slowly learnt the importance of their effort being appreciated by their employees. As many of them left for the war, the remaining labourers knew that they had an option and thus offering their services was not the only way to earn a living. This kind of situation enabled them to demand for what they thought they would get from a situation of such a nature. Before the war, employees took advantage of labourers who desperately needed means to survive thus giving them unfair compensation for their service. This way mainly used by employers in Canada to help the keep much of the income to themselves. When people who were previously labourers went for war, they obviously interacted with other former labourer who came from different countries. Some of these former labourers must have had better treatment from their former employees. This led to these people realizing that they needed to push for better working terms. With the people having this knowledge and possible interaction between them with people who had been members of labour unions from other countries, they must have wanted the same for their countries. The knowledge of such possibilities and the labour situation in Canada at that particular period would definitely have help allot in motivating labourers to seek for better treatment from their employers. The effort shown by the union organizers is also another important success factor. The organizers took the responsibility of spreading the information about the unions to labourers from every part of Canada. This was particularly very important because it encouraged the involvement of all labourers from all parts of the country. The unions also reached out to labourers from different fields. This resulted to all labourers feeling welcomed irrespective of the geographical origin and the fields in which they worked. The result of this inclusion was a more authoritative voice of labourers nationally. This gave the union organizers to push for more improvements in labourers’ conditions in the country. Activities by the union organizers led to the conveyance of relevant information to workers all over the country. Labourers were able to know the details about being a member of a labour union. With this information they were able to know the advantages of being a member of a labour union. With knowledge of the advantages involved, it was impossible for them to ignore the temptation to join the labour unions. Knowing all the benefit that would accompany being a member of a labour union, most of the labourers in Canada were more than willing to join the labour unions. Their willingness to join contributed allot to the growth of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The notion about women rights was also a common factor during this age of labour union development. Initially women labourers were treated differently from their male counterparts. Most employers would prefer to pay the male labourers more as compared to what they paid the female ones. As a result of the war women started feeling that this was not really fair to them. When the idea started spreading all over the country, employers were in trouble since women were more than willing to join the labour unions to make sure that they were accorded equal rights as their male counterparts. Though gradual things slowly turned their way and eventually both male and female labourers were accorded the same treatment bay their employers. This would not have happened that soon were it not for the influence that labour unions had as a result of the world war II. The notion of women rights was also magnified by the World War II. As most male labourers opted to go for the war, very few of them were left behind. This led to a shortage of male labourers. As a result female labourers were more available and more reliable at this particular period. Being that they were more available, women labour seized this chance to demand for equal rights as their male counterparts. This struggle was made easier by the existence of trade unions which made sure that they spoke in a single voice. Employers had to grant them these demands because they were very much aware that failure to might lead to the collapse of their own enterprises. Though it was gradual the fact that labourers took optimistic advantage of the situation at hand really helped in the growth and development of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Though the World War II contributed to the growth and development of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), it would be important to note that in its initial stage it seemed like a negative factor the unionisation of Canadian labourers. For instance, the government initially were hesitant on collaborating with the labour unions. The government were determined to keep war production going on at all cost. This made it very hard for the labour unions to advance. The unions’ organizers also realized that labours from rural areas and those from the middle calls were reluctant on joining the labour unions. However, the labour unions were able to slowly overcome these obstacles and their simple success led to more complex ones. The membership gradually grew and they eventually were able to bring the government to their side. The result was a more powerful and unified Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). References Cuthbertson, W. (2012). Labour goes to war: The CIO and the construction of a new social order, 1939-45. Vancouver: UBC Press. Read More