Names: John Pineda, Raul Barajas Vargas, Jasmeet Baines, Chris Orellana, Deyshaun Greaves
Consider Gompers’ classrooms when answering each of the questions that follows. Also think about how apprentices connect to the questions.
- In Gompers’ Autobiography, what apprenticeship skill did he learn?
Answer: Gompers learned the skill of a cigar roller - Was it a difficult skill? Why or why not?
Answer: It was a difficult skill because the cigar leaves had to be handled with extreme care, and you can’t be wasteful - Given the difficulty of the skill, what was he able to do during work?
Answer: He was able to think, talk, sing and listen while working - What does he mean when he says, “mind-freedom”?
Answer: “Mind-freedom” to him was him in his mind being far beyond skilled in his trade that he was able to wander his mind while working - What sort of relationships did he have with his fellow workers?
Answer: Gompers had a great relationship with his fellow workers due to them constantly arguing. They found out who could take jokes and who couldn’t. It is said that their relationship could have lasted a longtime - During WWI, Gompers stepped back on his labor demands. What kinds of concessions did he make?
- #1 8-hour work days
- #2 Safer working conditions
- #3 Union wage standards
- What important goal did Gompers hope to achieve with these concessions?
Answer: Gompers was able to gain improvements for workers and helped the demands for industrial democracy. - What were some of the organizations Gompers presided over?
- #1 Advisory Commission of the Council for National Defense (CND)
- #2 Committee of Labor
- #3 Educational Trade Union Oriented Club
- In the speech at the end of the lesson, Gompers talks about “new relations.” Described what they are.
Answer: What Gompers means by “new relations” is that people should be nice to each other in general not just nation to nation because of a war.