America s Changing Workforce During Peace and War (1914 1945)
Workforce for WWI President Woodrow Wilson and Congress agreed that the government should not control the Wartime Economy Instead, they wanted to establish a cooperative relationship between businesses and the government
Workforce for WWI The War Industries Board was formed in 1917 to coordinate production of War Materials Wall Street Businessman Bernard Baruch was selected to be the Chairman The War Industries Board: Regulated what manufacturers produced for the war Controlled the flow of raw materials for war production Ordered construction of new factories as needed
Workforce for WWI The National War Labor Board was formed in 1918 to reduce and prevent labor disputes William Howard Taft supervised the board The National War Labor Board: Coordinated wage increases and an 8 hour workday Recognized the rights of unions & collective bargaining Obtained promises to avoid disruption of war production
Workforce for WWI The enlistment of 2.8 billion men into the Army and Navy left a shortage in America s workforce
Workforce for WWI The labor shortage would provide great opportunities for both Women and Minorities to gain employment in the war s various industries
Workforce for WWI Approximately 8 Million Women filled a variety of wartime jobs in both industry & support jobs during World War One
Workforce for WWI Recruiting YWCA Red Cross
Workforce for WWI About 200 Thousand Mexican laborers crossed the border to work on farms, ranches, and industrial jobs in the Southwest
Workforce for WWI The slow but steady movement of African-Americans from the Agricultural South to the Industrial North became known as: The Great Migration
Workforce for WWI
Workforce for WWI What were the key influences on the Great Migration? Hopes for a new start on life Get away from the South s Jim Crow Laws Greater opportunities for a better education Increased need for laborers to support the war effort
Workforce for WWI Why did the Great Migration occur? Hopes for a new start on life Many African-Americans in the south were poor sharecroppers or tenant farmers Most struggled just to provide their families with the basic necessities of life
Workforce for WWI Why did the Great Migration occur? Get away from Jim Crow Laws Economic Oppression through Debt Peonage Social Oppression through Racial Segregation Political Oppression through Voting Restrictions (Disenfrachised) Personal Oppression by Southern Whites (KKK, Lynchings, Violence)
Workforce for WWI Why did the Great Migration occur? Greater Opportunities for Education Southern segregation laws forbid Blacks from attending White schools Historical Black Colleges in the South had limited finances and facilities Integrated Colleges in the North offered better educational opportunities for some Blacks
Workforce for WWI Why did the Great Migration occur? Increased need for Industrial Labor Economic prosperity increased in the north starting in the early 1900 s Decline in immigrant labor occurred due to the rise of Nativism Northern companies could not find enough men to fill open positions because of the war
Workforce for WWI Advertisement in the Chicago Defender (1917)
America s Changing Workforce during the Post-War Depression How did the Post-War period change employment for Women and Minorities? Women returned to domestic duties at home African-Americans experienced prejudice Mexicans were subjected to repatriation
America s Changing Workforce Economic stress and Racial Prejudice caused problems in the North Soldier returning home from the war resented African-American workers who took over their civilian jobs Many White families opposed Black families living in the same community Rising tensions in many cities often resulted in violence
St. Louis Race Riot (1917) Dispute over White Pay vs African-American Scabs
St. Louis Race Riot (1917) Dispute over Pay Differences and Inter-Racial Communities
Red Summer of 1919 Approximately 25 Race Riots broke out across the U.S. Chicago Omaha Tulsa Knoxville
America s Changing Workforce Economic Depression resulted in the Repatriation of about 1 Million Mexicans What key influences motivated the Mexican Repatriation? High unemployment of White Americans Cost of relief & welfare for Mexicans Racial prejudice over the Mexican Problem Support from the Mexican Government
America s Changing Workforce Economic Depression resulted in the Repatriation of about 1 Million Mexicans Cheap Mexican laborers exacerbated America s unemployment Too many Mexicans on welfare strained the already weak economy Repatriation was more cost effective
America s Changing Workforce Economic Depression resulted in the Repatriation of about 1 Million Mexicans Deportation of Mexicans provided a cost-savings Cost of welfare relief during the Depression cost $347,468 One Trainload from Los Angeles cost the U.S. only $77,249 Estimate savings = $270,000
America s Changing Workforce Economic Depression resulted in the Repatriation of about 1 Million Mexicans Deportation of Mexicans was supported by rising prejudice in America Fueled by suspicion of Mexicans prior to WWI Increased by suspicion of Mexicans during WWI Blamed by Pres. Hoover for failing U.S. Economy
America s Changing Workforce Economic Depression resulted in the Repatriation of about 1 Million Mexicans Deportation of Mexicans from the U.S. was supported by Mexico Guaranteed transportation from border to home state Offered land and other benefits to Repatriates Arranged settlement colonies in Southern Mexico
Workforce for WWII Executive Order #9347 created the Office of War Mobilization Created to coordinate the various agencies responsible for wartime production Smith-Connally Act (1943) Passed to prevent Strikes in major industries that could hinder Wartime Production
Workforce for WWII Creating A Production Miracle! Americans converted their various pre-war industries into a war industry The nation s factories began to produce tanks, planes, boats, trucks, weapons, and bombs
Workforce for WWII Creating A Production Miracle! 1942: All Civilian Car and aircraft production stopped due to nation s military needs of World War Two During the next 3 years every automobile and aircraft company converted its factories to build war machines The introduction of mass production by Henry Ford and his former competitors increased the production of planes and tanks from 1 per day to 1 per hour
Many other industries also converted to war-related supplies M26 Pershing GMC Plant M4 Sherman Chrysler Plant M3 Grant/Lee Chrysler Plant American tank production, 1937 1944 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 150 99 18 365 4,021 26,608 37,198 20,357
Many other industries also converted to war-related supplies B-24 Liberator Built for Army Air Corps by Ford Corporation SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber Built for the Navy & Marine at the Douglas Plant in California
Type of Army Air Navy & Great Soviet Other Total Other U.S. airplane Corps Marines Britain Union nations Grand total 295,959 158,880 73,711 3,714 38,811 14,717 6,126 Combat aircraft 200,443 99,487 56,695 8 27,152 13,929 3,172 Very heavy 3,740 3,740 - - - - - bombers Heavy bombers 31,685 27,867 1,683-2,135 - - Medium bombers 21,461 11,835 4,693 8 3,247 1,010 638 Light bombers 39,986 7,779 20,703-8,003 3,021 480 Fighters 99,465 47,050 27,163-13,417 9,868 1,967 Reconnais sance 4,106 1,216 2,453-350 30 57 Support aircraft 95,516 59,939 17,016 3,706 11,659 788 2,954 Transports 23,900 15,769 2,702 267 3,789 703 670 Trainers 58,085 34,469 13,859 3 7,640 85 2,029 Communic 13,531 ations 9,155 455 3,436 230-255
Workforce for WWII FDR s Arsenal for Defense The Nation expects our defense industries to continue operation without interruption by strikes or lock-outs. It expects and insists that management and workers will reconcile their differences by voluntary or legal means, to continue to produce the supplies that are so sorely needed. We must be the great arsenal of democracy. For us this is an emergency as serious as war itself.
Workforce for WWII Once again the labor shortage would provide great opportunities for both Women and Minorities to gain employment in the war s various industries
Workforce for WWII By 1940, Only 15.5% of all married women were working, so the Office of War Information launched a recruiting campaign
Workforce for WWII The number of working women rose to 35% of the civilian workforce with over 19.4 Million women by 1944
Workforce for WWII An American homemaker with strength and ability to run a house and raise a family..... has the strength and ability to take her place in a vital War Industry.
Workforce for WWII Rosie the Riveter All the day long, Whether rain or shine, She's a part of the assembly line. She's making history, Working for victory, Rosie the Riveter. "Do the Job He Left Behind" was a campaign slogan that emphasized women s patriotism for the war effort. Norman Rockwell portrayed Rosie as a monumental figure clad in overalls and a work-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal her powerful, muscular arms
Workforce for WWII Many women were eager to prove their usefulness to the War Many found the work interesting, challenging, and profitable Although many employers were pleased to have female workers, most women earned far less than the male workers
Workforce for WWII Wartime production didn t only impact the nation s industries What was the focus of the Bracero Program? A program designed to address the wartime labor shortages in U.S. agricultural production It promoted the recruitment of skilled Mexican Nationals to work farms and ranches in America
Workforce for WWII Initially the Bracero Program provided for employment on farms and ranches in Texas Contracts ranged from a few weeks to 18 months Makeshift camps ranged in size from just a few braceros to a thousand Over time, braceros were sent to CA, OR, WA, & AR
Workforce for WWII Braceros were required to be processed through inspection stations along the border Braceros who were accepted were issued special ID cards The Bracero Program provided both economic opportunities for workers and unexpected hardships for Mexican families
Workforce for WWII However, for many, life as a bracero was better than life back home in Mexico The U.S. extended the program until 1964 More than 200,000 braceros came into the U.S. to help the war effort during WWII Many suffered terrible work conditions and low wages
"When the U.S. needed it most, we came to serve the United States. When the U.S. needed it most, I was here - José Ramírez Delgado, ex-bracero "Well, the term bracero... it is a word of distinction, for me it is a word of great pride. I would like that word to go down in history." - Juan Loza, ex-bracero "There was a lot of poverty in Mexico...I was money-poor, foodpoor, but rich in health. - Ignacio Gomez, ex-bracero "Over here your life changed because you earned more money, you could buy more things that you wanted, buy clothes, eat better. For me it was a positive experience. Maybe some would say not. - Audómaro G. Zepeda, ex-bracero "Well, on the one hand it was beneficial, and on the other hand, the family suffered just as much as you did. - Pedro del Real Pérez, ex-bracero "I thought we were going to see a different world. Well, sometimes it was even worse than my farm. - Santurnino González Díaz, ex-bracero "Yeah, in the fields they would sing.... Thirty, forty, or fifty.... No, life was hard, very hard, and beautiful." -Ismael Díaz de León, ex-bracero