Operation Dixie

Panel Introduction

The labor movement in America began in its early industrial centers, cities like New York and Chicago. Because of a variety of factors, from relatively friendly politicians to the sheer density of industry, unions were able to carve out a reliable foothold in these places. In the South however, conditions were not so favorable. Unfriendly politics, white supremacy, and a less industrial economy all combined to make unionizing in the region difficult. This naturally resulted in far fewer labor unions in the South than in the North.

Southern workers obviously suffered from low unionization rates. In addition to this however, it also threatened unionized workers nationwide. This was because if industrialists wanted to avoid paying higher wages, they could move their factories to the South. This in turn put downward pressure on wages nationwide. In order to correct the geographical disparity of unions, members of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) launched a campaign to unionize textile workers in the South, dubbed Operation Dixie. This was not an uncommon strategy in the labor movement. In the early 1920s, the United Mine Workers made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt at unionizing West Virginia and other Appalachian mines because the low price of non-union coal undercut organized mines.

Although industrialists in the South had little experience working with unions, they, and their allies in local and state police departments, had plenty of practice crushing them. Because of this, the odds were stacked against Operation Dixie. Nevertheless, the importance of the South to the union project necessitated action.

Since the late 20th Century, uneven labor standards have become an international issue. Because of the effects of globalization, workers in the United States are forced to compete with workers from around the globe. Manufacturing jobs have gone to countries with few labor protections and more anti-union laws, a fact which underscores the international character of the labor movement. All workers deserve fair pay for safe jobs, and American unions must support this at an international level.

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