The Roaring 20s (1 jan 1920 ano – 31 dez 1929 ano)

Descrição:

Boom period which worked in the favour of workers. Welfare capitalism was introduced and used by employers as a tactic as there was increased demand for workers but low unemployment, giving workers a good wage, better working conditions and maybe offer healthcare or a pension. (Pullman's picturesque village is an example of previous welfare capitalism during the Gilded Age which featured a theatre, library etc. - encouraged loyalty and controlled alcohol use). Henry Ford introduced the five dollar day - significantly more than they could earn elsewhere but in return he banned unions from his factories.This however, can be argued to have limited the rights of workers and reduced the power of the unions (a step backwards in that sense for workers) as the employer could cut pay again and the workers wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Coppage v. Kansas in WWII had legalised yellow-dog contracts which further weakened the unions.

Adkins v. Children's Hospital was also a step back for workers as employers could now pay their workers as little as they wanted.

The 1920s was generally a period where unions didn't progress and there was an overall fall in union membership.