ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the pivotal 1930s and 1940s. It explains the rise of industrial unions and the creation of the legal framework in which American and Canadian unions and employers operated in subsequent decades. The impact of electoral politics on unions and management is described, along with the roots of modern anti-union sentiment in the United States. The impact of World War II on labor and management is described, as is how unions interacted with women and workers of color. The meaning of the post-war labor relations framework is considered in this chapter. This was a period of convergence between Canada and the United States.
