Lessons from the History of “Open Shop” Laws

OWLS Meeting
Tuesday, February 23, 6:30pm

In honor of Black History Month, OWLS looks at the rise of anti-worker laws in the 1940s in response to the successful, anti-racist organizing of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). These laws first emerged in the U.S. South, as unions experienced rapid growth and Black workers played a leading role. Anti-worker forces countered the CIO with deceitfully-named “Right-to-Work” legislation, backed by wealthy industrialists who also opposed women’s suffrage, integration and child labor laws. Labor scholar Don Larson looks at this history and draws lessons for today’s battles against ultra-right groups like the Freedom Foundation.
Join the meeting via zoom by going to bit.ly/Register4OWLSMeeting