Organized labor and the congressional democrats: Reconsidering the 1980s

Political Science Quarterly

Volumn 111, Issue 1, 1996, Pages 83-103

  Dark, Taylor E ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0030097082     PISSN: 00323195     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2307/2151929     Document Type: Article

References (75)

1. 1 Thomas Byrne Edsall, The New Politics of Inequality (New York: W.W. Norton, 1984), 174.
2. 2 David Vogel, Fluctuating Fortunes: The Political Power of Business in America (New York: Basic Books, 1989), 293.
3. 3 Mike Davis, Prisoners of the American Dream (London: Verso, 1986), 289, 292.
4. 4 William C. Berman, America's Right Turn: From Nixon to Bush (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994), 117.
5. 5 For the historical limits on union political power, see Christopher L. Tomlins, The State and the Unions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985); and Robert H. Zieger, American Workers, American Unions 1920-1985 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University, 1986).
6. 5 For the historical limits on union political power, see Christopher L. Tomlins, The State and the Unions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985); and Robert H. Zieger, American Workers, American Unions 1920-1985 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University, 1986).
7. 6 See David Plotke, "The Political Mobilization of Business" in Mark Petracca, ed., The Politics of Interests: Interest Groups Transformed (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1992), 175-198.
8. 7 Quoted in David Broder, "Renaissance of Labor's Power," Washington Post, 19 August 1988.
9. 8 Richard E. Cohen, "Labor Comes Alive," National Journal, 16 July 1988.
10. 9 Marick F. Masters, Robert S. Aktin, John Thomas Delaney, "Unions, Political Action, and Public Policies: A Review of the Past Decade," Policy Studies Journal 18 (Winter 1989-90): 479.
11. 10 For further discussion, see David W. Rohde, Parties and Leaders in the Postreform House (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981), 105-119.
12. 11 Quoted in John M. Barry, The Ambition and the Power (New York: Viking, 1989), 656.
13. 12 Quoted in Janet Hook, "Speaker Jim Wright Takes Charge in the House," Congressional Quarterly, 11 July 1987.
14. 13 Richard E. Cohen, "Labor Comes Alive," National Journal, 16 July 1988. For earlier ties, see Barbara Sinclair, Majority Leadership in the U.S. House (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983), 122-126.
15. 13 Richard E. Cohen, "Labor Comes Alive," National Journal, 16 July 1988. For earlier ties, see Barbara Sinclair, Majority Leadership in the U.S. House (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983), 122-126.
16. 14 Cohen, "Labor Comes Alive."
17. 15 Interview by author with Tom Nides, House Speaker's leadership staff, 17 May 1990.
18. 16 The information that follows is based on interviews by the author with Peggy Taylor, associate director of the AFL-CIO Department of Legislation, 30 November 1989; Robert McGlotten, director of the AFL-CIO Department of Legislation, 19 January 1990; and Geri Palast, director of Politics and Legislation, Service Employees International Union, 21 March 1990.
19. 17 See Andrew Battista, "Political Divisions in Organized Labor, 1968-1988." Polity 14 (Winter 1991).
20. 18 John Barnard, Walter Reuther and the Rise of the Auto Workers (Boston: Little, Brown, 1983), 195-198.
21. 19 Barry, The Ambition and the Power.
22. 20 Quoted in Cohen, "Labor Comes Alive."
23. 21 Quoted in Barry, The Ambition and the Power, 409.
24. 22 This section is based on interviews with Tom Nides, House Speaker's leadership staff, 17 May 1990, and Jon Weintraub, administrative assistant to Representative Pat Williams, 30 January 1990.
25. 23 Barry, The Ambition and the Power, 273.
26. 24 Marick F. Masters and Asghar Zardkoohi, "Labor Unions and the U.S. Congress: PAC Allocations and Legislative Voting," Advances in Industrial and Labor Relations 4 (1987): 80-83.
27. 25 See Paul Starobin, "Unions Turn to Grass Roots To Rebuild Hill Clout," Congressional Quarterly, 2 September 1989.
28. 26 Quoted in Bill Keller, "Once a Washington Power, Labor Now Plays Catch-Up in Lobbying and Politics," Congressional Quarterly, 4 September 1982.
29. 27 Ibid.
30. 28 Interview by author with Mike Gildea, AFL-CIO Department of Legislation, 28 September 1989.
31. 29 Lane Kirkland, Repoert on Congress 1987 (Washington, DC: AFL-CIO Department of Legislation, 1988).
32. 30 William Form, Segmented Labor, Fractured Politics: Labor Politics in American Life (New York: Plenum Press, 1995), 303.
33. 31 J. David Greenstone, Labor in American Politics (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1977), 357.
34. 32 Andrew J. Biemiller, "Reflections on the People's Lobby," AFL-CIO American Federationist, January 1979, 17.
35. 33 The following figures are drawn from Marick F. Masters, Robert S. Atkin, and John Thomas Delaney, "Unions, Political Action, and Public Policies: A Review of the Past Decade," Policy Studies Journal 18 (Winter 1989-90).
36. 34 David J. Sousa, "Union Politics in an Era of Decline" (Ph.D. diss., University of Minnesota, 1991), 107.
37. 35 Ibid., 108.
38. 36 For a detailed quantitative analysis that shows this, see Gregory M. Saltzman, "Congressional Voting on Labor Issues: The Role of PACs," Industrial and Labor Relations Review 40 (January 1987).
39. 37 This conclusion is based on numerous interviews with union lobbyists, members of Congress, and congressional staffers in Fall 1990.
40. 38 John T. Delaney and Marick F. Masters, "Unions and Political Action" in George Strauss, Daniel G. Gallagher, and Jack Fiorito, eds., The State of the Unions (Madison, WI: Industrial Relations Research Association, 1991).
41. 39 Sousa, "Union Politics in an Era of Decline," 97.
42. 40 See Charles R. Babcock, "Pumping Up PACs With Payroll Deductions," Washington Post, 7 November 1989.
43. 41 See Chuck Alston, "Republicans Seek To Reduce Labor's Clout at the Polls," Congressional Quarterly, 31 March 1990; James T. Bennett, "Private Sector Unions: The Myth of Decline," Journal of Labor Research 12 (Winter 1991); and Larry Sabato, PAC Power: Inside the World of Political Action Committees (New York: W.W. Norton, 1985), 14-15.
44. 41 See Chuck Alston, "Republicans Seek To Reduce Labor's Clout at the Polls," Congressional Quarterly, 31 March 1990; James T. Bennett, "Private Sector Unions: The Myth of Decline," Journal of Labor Research 12 (Winter 1991); and Larry Sabato, PAC Power: Inside the World of Political Action Committees (New York: W.W. Norton, 1985), 14-15.
45. 41 See Chuck Alston, "Republicans Seek To Reduce Labor's Clout at the Polls," Congressional Quarterly, 31 March 1990; James T. Bennett, "Private Sector Unions: The Myth of Decline," Journal of Labor Research 12 (Winter 1991); and Larry Sabato, PAC Power: Inside the World of Political Action Committees (New York: W.W. Norton, 1985), 14-15.
46. 42 Saltzman, "Congressional Voting on Labor Issues," 175.
47. 43 Masters, Atkin, and Delaney, "Unions, Political Action, and Public Policies: A Review of the Past Decade."
48. 44 M. Margaret Conway, "PACs in the Political Process" in Allan Cigler and Burdett Loomis, eds., Interest Group Politics (Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, 1991).
49. 45 David B. Magleby and Candice J. Nelson, The Money Chase: Congressional Campaign Finance Reform (Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 1990), 85.
50. 46 Brooks Jackson, Honest Graft (Washington, DC: Farragut, 1990), 156-159.
51. 47 See John Thomas Delaney, Marick F. Masters, and Susan Schwochau, "Union Membership and Voting for COPE-Endorsed Candidates," Industrial and Labor Relations Review 43 (July 1990): 621-635; Michael H. LeRoy, "The 1988 Elections: Re-emergence of the Bloc Vote?" Labor Studies Journal 15 (Spring 1990): 5-32.
52. 47 See John Thomas Delaney, Marick F. Masters, and Susan Schwochau, "Union Membership and Voting for COPE-Endorsed Candidates," Industrial and Labor Relations Review 43 (July 1990): 621-635; Michael H. LeRoy, "The 1988 Elections: Re-emergence of the Bloc Vote?" Labor Studies Journal 15 (Spring 1990): 5-32.
53. 48 Sousa, "Union Politics in an Era of Decline," 283.
54. 49 Ibid., and David J. Sousa, "Organized Labor in the Electorate, 1960-1988," Political Research Quarterly 46 (December 1993): 744-745.
55. 50 Executive Council Report to the AFL-CIO Convention 1995 (Washington, DC: AFL-CIO, 1995), 47.
56. 51 Barry, The Ambition and the Power, 280. (Emphasis in original.)
57. 52 Macon Morehouse, "Conservative Coalition: Still Alive, but Barely," Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, 19 November 1988; and William J. Keefe, Parties, Politics, and Public Policy in America (Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, 1991), 258-263.
58. 52 Macon Morehouse, "Conservative Coalition: Still Alive, but Barely," Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, 19 November 1988; and William J. Keefe, Parties, Politics, and Public Policy in America (Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, 1991), 258-263.
59. 53 Quoted in Jonathan Rauch, "Plant Closing Law's Political Dynamics," National Journal, 15 August 1987.
60. 54 Peter A. Susser, "Election-Year Politics and the Enactment of Federal 'Plant-Closing' Legislation," Employee Relations Law Journal 14 (Winter 1988): 356.
61. 55 Barry, The Ambition and the Power, 190.
62. 56 Ibid., 190.
63. 57 Lane Kirkland, Report on Congress, 1988 (Washington, DC: AFL-CIO, 1988).
64. 58 Ethan A. Bronner, Battle for Justice: How the Bork Nomination Shook America (New York: W.W. Norton, 1989), 145-147, and 158.
65. 59 See Masters, Atkin, and Delaney, "Unions, Political Action, and Public Policies: A Review of the Past Decade," 478. The following figures were originally drawn from this source, but were reconfirmed by my own calculations based on AFL-CIO annual Reports on Congress (available from the AFL-CIO Department of Legislation).
66. 60 Quoted in Frank Swoboda, "Expecting Change of Fortune, Labor Recasts Agenda," Washington Post, 10 November 1987.
67. 61 For such claims, see David Brody, Workers in Industrial America: Essays on the Twentieth Century Struggles (New York: Oxford, 1980), 240; Edsall, New Politics of Inequality, 171; and Kim Moody, An Injury to All: The Decline of American Unionism (London: Verso, 1988), 161.
68. 61 For such claims, see David Brody, Workers in Industrial America: Essays on the Twentieth Century Struggles (New York: Oxford, 1980), 240; Edsall, New Politics of Inequality, 171; and Kim Moody, An Injury to All: The Decline of American Unionism (London: Verso, 1988), 161.
69. 61 For such claims, see David Brody, Workers in Industrial America: Essays on the Twentieth Century Struggles (New York: Oxford, 1980), 240; Edsall, New Politics of Inequality, 171; and Kim Moody, An Injury to All: The Decline of American Unionism (London: Verso, 1988), 161.
70. 62 For a discussion of the earlier battles over labor law reform, see Gilbert Gall, The Politics of Right-to-Work (New York: Greenwood Press, 1988).
71. 63 For further evidence, see Kenneth Shepsle, "The Changing Textbook Congress" in John Chubb and Paul Peterson, eds., Can the Government Govern? (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 1989).
72. 64 See Gall, The Politics of Right-to-Work; and Zieger, American Workers, American Unions, 108-136.
73. 64 See Gall, The Politics of Right-to-Work; and Zieger, American Workers, American Unions, 108-136.
74. 65 Greenstone, of course, made the same point for the 1960s. See Greenstone. Labor in American Politics, chap. 10; and also Richard B. Freeman and James L. Medoff, What Do Unions Do? (New York: Basic Books, 1984), chap. 12.
75. 65 Greenstone, of course, made the same point for the 1960s. See Greenstone. Labor in American Politics, chap. 10; and also Richard B. Freeman and James L. Medoff, What Do Unions Do? (New York: Basic Books, 1984), chap. 12.