Who are the key players? List them, identifying which organizations represent workers and which represent owners/manufacturers/bosses.
There are many key plates in this case. Hamilton’s Cigar Makers International Union wanted to control the workplace. They hired many workers to sustain the work process and produce high-quality cigars for the customer. However, it has been revealed that the workers, who were hired against the strikers, were not able to produce high-quality products. Thus, in this case, the major player is Hamilton’s Cigar Makers International Union, which represented workers. On the other hand, the Cigar Manufacturers Association represented the owners or manufacturers. Unfortunately, these key players contained the conflict and recorded it to the board of arbitration made up of two Knights and one liberal manufacturer (Kealey & Palmer, 1948).
What is the main issue being disputed in this case? Explain it in 4 or 5 sentences. If you think there are more than one issues being disputed, name and explain them too.
The main issue, in this case, is the conflict between the Knights and craft Unionists. It is a fact that the cigar makers or manufacturers were forced employees or workers to break the strike and agree to work at a low wage rate. It was the deadlock between the manufacturers and Cigar Maker’s International Union. However, many private cigar makers were still hiring union workers and producing cigars. Interestingly, these people were working under CMIU rules. Thus, the lower wage rate was the main issue (Montgomery, 2008).
What side of the issue won? Who lost (or what was lost)?
The Knights lost. At the meeting, conducted by the president of the Cigar maker international union, he revealed that these are scab organizations and illegally hiring workers to produce poor quality. The side of the cigar maker’s international union won. Knights lost many members. Despite having the voting and elected leaders in the district assembly, they failed to find any trade union to gain support. Interestingly, the number of workers declared them as the die-hard labor of knights and supported the while label of knights. However, they were decimated in 1887. It is a fact that they lost most of their members, and it seemed tough for them to regain growth. Thus, the labor rights side won prominently. The Cigar maker international union wanted all workers back with the fine against the broken strike (Morton, 1998).
Explain in 4 or 5 sentences what events, actions, votes and leadership decisions led to the outcome of the case.
There are several events that occurred in this case. For Instance, Iron Molders and the Palladium of Labor took action against the district assembly. It causes resistance from the members. Also, the federal election (86/87) was held. In this election, knight members were defeated due to illegally or unethically forcing people to work and produce cigars. Moreover, the big event was the meeting, conducted by CLU. The president chaired the meeting and explained the purpose of strikes and labor rights. The endorsement of the international union blue label was the biggest action that opened ways to streamline the efforts of the international union. In a dramatic move, CLU was looking to boycott the white label cigars, as these were unethically and illegally made by the knights (Weir, 1996).
Why did the unionists, in this case, make the decisions that they did?
Different unionists made different decisions in this case. It seems interesting to find those decisions which were based on the pertinent rationale. For Instance, the cigar maker international union decided to boycott all cigar labels, which were against the blue label. The decision to go on strike was good because they knew that new arrivals in Hamilton were not able to make the difference through the quality of products and pertinent working conditions. The international union wanted to take advantage of strikebreakers, and later, it worked. Another key decision was to reject the fines of cigar manufacture and strikebreakers. This decision looked controversial, as all workers joined the Progressive Union of America (CPUA). However, the cigar maker international union had been already on strike, and it did not create issues, surprisingly. Interestingly, these unionists took these decisions to take the business benefits and create a monopoly in the market. The decisions were based on the intentions of workers and regulations of district assembly 61. Cigar maker international union and Progressive Union of America wanted to win their sides, which caused a dramatic outcome at the end (Kealey & Palmer, 1948).
What could have been done differently to change the outcome? What would you have done differently, or advised others to do differently?
The outcome might be different if the strike of the cigar maker international union could close the strike. For Instance, mergers or strategic alliance with some new arrivals in the Hamilton could produce different outcomes. I would hold meetings with other unions and cigar makers to rebuild the structure of the business. Everyone was trying to gain business benefits. Maybe both unionists could combine their efforts to beat all new cigar makers. The knights and cigar make international union contained much loss. Conversely, new cigar makers must try to collaborate with the blue label owners. They both could agree on making a new label (Morton, 1998).
What were the long-term consequences of these events?
There were many long-term consequences of all these events. For Instance, it seemed tough for knights to rebuild the while label cigar. Interestingly, cigar maker international union rationalized its strike. It created some barriers for new arrivals at the end. Hamilton Knights list most of its members, and ultimately, it had to rethink its strategy. The dominance of the unions is also an interesting factor. For Instance, unionists created an impact in the cigar industry. It seems the game of benefits for all key players in the case. The Progressive Union (CPUA) withdrew from the Hamilton Knights due to lack of support and business benefits. Before the strike, there was a chance for trade unions and knights to contain the reconciliation. Now some major players are isolated, and others are going to take benefits (Kealey & Palmer, 1948).
References
Kealey, G., & Palmer, B. (1948). Dreaming Of What Might Be: The Knights Of Labor In Ontario, 1880-1900. Cambridge University Press.
Montgomery, D. (2008, June 2). Labor in the Industrial Era. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/chapter3.htm
Morton, D. (1998). Working People, An Illustrated History of the Canadian Labour Movement. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.
Weir, R. E. (1996). Beyond Labor’s Veil: The Culture of the Knights of Labor Paperback. Penn State Press.
+447462439809