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A Business Basis for Unionism: The growth of paid officers and staff inside the American Federation of Labor, 1881-1912

Cartwright, Robin J.
http://organizing.work/2021/09/a-business-basis-for-unionism-the-growth-of-paid-officers-and-staff-inside-the-american-federation-of-labor-1881-1912/

Publisher:  Organizing Work
Date Written:  20/09/2021
Year Published:  2021  
Resource Type:  Article

This is part three of a series examining the origin of paid staff and paid union officers, by labor historian Robin J. Cartwright (the name is a pseudonym). In this segment, he shows how early AFL unions came to rely increasingly on paid, professional staff as contracts and union insurance plans proliferated, and union finances stabilized.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Like other unions, the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders initially had no staff or paid officials. The growth of paid officials and staff initially occurred on a local level because contracts were negotiated by local unions. As late as 1904, the international had no full-time paid officials or staff. Officers were paid several hundred dollars per year, but still worked in the trade in addition to performing union duties. That year, the international secretary claimed he had to take a total of 100 days’ worth of leaves of absences from his regular job to take care of all union-related work his position required of him.

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