The Infiltration of Labor Unions

The Infiltration of Labor Unions

            If one studies violence in society pertaining to revolutions or anarchy, one will notice that the working class is commonly involved. In particular, labor unions are easily corrupted and used to gain advantage in society. For example, the American Mafia has been known to control labor unions in order to monopolize a business for political advantage or for monetary gain. In addition, Propaganda of the Deed, political actions by anarchists to encourage revolution, used the labor movement to promote anarchist ideals. From these points, one can concur that societal violence, revolution, and even terrorism is born from oppression. The middle class, the labor movement, and labor unions have a history of oppression, therefor, they serve as perfect platforms for terrorism or violence against society. The middle class serves as a wedge into society for people’s self-interested goals.

During the Haymarket Bombing on May 4, 1886, “militant laborers” were peacefully protesting in Chicago when an unidentified assailant, believed to be an anarchist, threw a bomb into the crowd of policemen who were trying to break up the protest (Jensen 132-133). Policemen began firing into the crowd of protesters causing a bloody catastrophe. In this instance, a person with the intent to harm policemen for political gain, also harmed innocent labor-movement protesters. A person took advantage of a protest for an eight-hour work day and caused mass hysteria that suspended workers’ rights. The police force and the government associated this violence with the laborers. The suspected anarchist used man’s oppression for selfish goals. The Haymarket Bombing is an example of Propaganda of the Deed where anarchists sought out opportunities to promote their beliefs.

A less traditional form of anarchism is anarcho-syndicalism; it is the idea that workers should form their own confederations and abandon capitalism. These confederations would take control of the economy and use that control to influence society (Williams 340). Anarchists who believe in this theory like to join labor unions. This seems awfully contradictory since anarchists are known for disliking any type of conformity, societal restrictions, or government. Labor unions are closely tied to an organization or corporation and anarchists find this to be a way to advance their agendas. It’s a contradictory tactic.

However contradictory it may seem, one can understand why anarchists would join or make labor unions. Anarchists are against the hierarchy and labor unions are not of that social class. In addition,  laborers turn to anarchism when the system continuously fails them. Corporations have exploited their workers for years and it has been a long battle for workers’ rights. Anarchism wants to throw the whole system of cruelty and abuse and give people their rights that were granted to them by the universe. An example of anarchists in unions happened during The Spanish Civil War in the 1930s when an anarchist union named “Confederación Nacional del Trabajo” was formed that had a membership of millions of Spanish workers (Williams 343). Presently, anarchists have kept their distance with labor unions because unions are so closely tied to governments and corporations, the very bane of most anarchist’s existence.

Labor unions have been very beneficial for workers across the country and the globe. Unions have granted so many middle-class citizens with better hours, better wages, and better treatment. These organizations, however, have also been beneficial to anarchists to endorse their beliefs. The reason that laborers have been susceptible to such abuse is because they are victims of oppression, causing them to be vulnerable to outside forces. Abused workers are more likely to turn to radical ideals such as anarcho-syndicalism. These days, the chances of laborers falling victim to Propaganda of the Deed is highly unlikely but it is possible if oppression is present.

Works Cited

Jensen, Richard Bach. “Daggers, Rifles, and Dynamite: Anarchist Terrorism in Nineteenth

Century Europe.” Terrorism and Political Violence, vol. 16, no. 1, 2004, pp.   132–133.

Williams, Dana M. “Anarchists and Labor Unions: An Analysis Using New Social Movement

Theories.” WorkingUSA: The Journal of Labor and Society, vol. 12, 2009, pp. 340–343.