Trade Unionism and Spain-Us Political Relations, 1945-1953

Journal title VENTUNESIMO SECOLO
Author/s Francisco Javier Rodrìguez Jiménez
Publishing Year 2016 Issue 2016/38
Language English Pages 29 P. 96-124 File size 231 KB
DOI 10.3280/XXI2016-038006
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The lack of greater involvement of Western democracies in defense of the Second Republic during the Spanish Civil War generated a sort of remorse in many sectors of the European and American public opinion. After the end of World War II, the American Federation of Labor (Afl) and United Automobile Workers (Uaw) deployed numerous campaigns in favor of their anti-Franco colleagues. However, such trans-Atlantic solidarity took place in an atmosphere of adversity, due to the increasingly polarizing atmosphere of the Cold War, a period in which the Us Congress drastically reduced labor union power. Democratic labor leaders constantly aired the Spanish dictatorship’s previous connection with Hitler and Mussolini. Although this pressure failed in pushing the Spanish dictator to relinquish power, it provided oxygen for anti-Franco labor unions to continue their actions. Ultimately, this contributed to moderating the highly repressive treatment that those unions were suffering.

Keywords: Us labor unions; Uaw; Afl; Ugt; anti-Franco labor unions; labor legislation

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Francisco Javier Rodrìguez Jiménez, Trade Unionism and Spain-Us Political Relations, 1945-1953 in "VENTUNESIMO SECOLO" 38/2016, pp 96-124, DOI: 10.3280/XXI2016-038006