eased wages even for some non-union industrial workers. Early success was, however, built on an unsustainable foundation. Consistent with the structure of the AFL, workers were divided up amongst different craft unions in accordance with their function on the job. Many workers found themselves under-represented by this scheme. Many of these were narrow business unions whose primary concern was the wages of their own members. Just as fast as workers joined these locals they left. So by 1934-35 the upsurge of working people into the trade union movement seemed to halt. In recent years there has been a steady decline in the percentage of workers who belong to labor unions. In the early 1980s they enrolled in their ranks only one of five members of the labor force, down from one of four in the 1950s and 1960s. These workers had a somewhat greater say in their work lives and in the halls of Congress and state legislatures. They sometimes followed the political calls of their leaders and sometimes did not. In 1988, less than 20 percent of the labor force were unionized. There are several reasons for this, such as the decline of heavy industry (once a stronghold of unionism) and the increase of advanced-technology industries. Automation and other technological advances have displaced many blue-collar workers. Foreign competition has depressed some United States industries and increased unemployment. Ever increasing numbers of workers are employed in service-providing businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and retail stores. ...
