John L. Lewis
What where John L. Lewis greatest achievements as a labor leader? It is said that one of his greatest realization was in the securing of medical care for the coal miners. It was under his leadership, that an agreement was made between the government and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) which resulted in the building of eight hospitals and various clinics around the coal mining regions. These facilities help give the much needed medical attention to the coal miners who often times suffered from black-lung disease due to their line of work. Lewis was a huge lobbyist on the behalf of workers’ compensation and mine safety legislation. Like so many other labor leaders fighting for recognition and better working conditions Lewis now led the largest and most influential union in the country. His tactics and measures like using the nation’s dependence on coal to maintain union membership proved to be effective in his efforts to achieve rights for miners. He also successfully organized a five-month strike to preserve the wage gains they had won during the war. However, something I found truly fascinating was how quickly he changed his political affiliation in attempts to gain support for his ideas. Lewis was raised Republican and even allied himself with the GOP during the 1920s however, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 Lewis sought support from the Democratic party. In fact it proved to be the right move for him because the Democrats seem to be more receptive than the Republicans have been towards his ideas. And as a result of his efforts in 1933 he was able to the Congress pass the National Industrial Recovery Act. This act would ensure stable employment and guarantee workers right to organize and bargain collectively.
Here are a few links for more information on labor movements and where they originated from. This link provides some brief history on the United Mine Workers of America http://www.umwa.org/?q=content/brief-history-umwa
For more information on how John L. Lewis help shape the history of the united states visit : http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1625.html
Also for more information on other labor leaders and their history whether from the past or in the present and how they contribute or have contributed to the equality and justice in the working conditions visit http://history.osu.edu/publications/labor-leaders-america