An investigation of some problems involved in organizing trade unions in the souther states.

Abstract

The percentage of union members in all southern states is significantly below the national average. The economic development of the southern states since the Civil War is briefly reviewed with emphasis on the origin of the continuing southern labor surplus. The history of the labor movement in the South is briefly reviewed with emphasis on economic conditions that have facilitated or hampered union organization. An attempt is made to forcast some major future problems. It is the contention of this paper that the failure of labor unions to organize more southern workers is basically due to the persistent southern labor surplus, which was caused by a retarded and inadequate industrial development, which was due in turn to an almost complete dependence on capital from other than southern sources.