Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

History

Committee Chair

Elizabeth Fones-Wolf

Committee Co-Chair

Kenneth Fones-Wolf

Committee Member

James Siekmeier

Abstract

This thesis explores the phenomenon of wildcat strikes during World War II in the United States, the raging public opinion about these wartime strikes, and the passage of the War Labor Disputes Act (popularly known as the Smith-Connally Act) of 1943. Broadly, this thesis examines the wellsprings of working-class anger and frustration which underscored the spontaneous wildcat strikes, the No-Strike Pledge, and the various factions within the public’s perception of these strikes. This thesis furthermore analyzes the congressional debate surrounding the SmithConnally Act and the American public’s reaction to the passage of this restrictive legislation. Finally, this thesis posits that the public opinion polls, which spurred the perception of a unified populace against labor unions, were skewed by clear anti-labor biases in the news media and loaded questions in these public opinion polls

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