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13 Lab. Stud. J. 51 (1988)
Workers and Unions in Country Music: A Look at Some Recent Releases

handle is hein.journals/labstuj13 and id is 143 raw text is: Workers and Unions in Country Music: A Look at Some Recent Releases Tom Juravich This paper examines images of workers and unions in country music. What first appear to be contradictory views actually are part of two ongoing traditions in country music. First, because the indi- vidual heroes that are so central to the country genre often are workers, country music generally is pro worker. Yet this positive attitude towards workers does not generalize to unions. Trade unions are not viewed as distinct from other institutions, which in the country tradition are seen as impediments to individual strug- gle. Recent public opinion polls demonstrate that this pro worker, but antiunion, sentiment also is a feature of contemporary Amer- ican society, and evidence of a growing individualism. It is sug- gested that the labor movement and labor educators need to understand more about the distinctiveness of these two clusters of public opinion. In the summer of 1985, the popular country music group Alabama released what was to become another in a string of best selling albums. Titled 40-Hour Week, the cover featured the band dressed in work clothes ready to punch the clock in a factory. The title cut from the album rose quickly up the charts. There are people in this country who work hard every day Not for fame or fortune do they strive But the fruits of their labor are worth more than they're paid And it's time a few of them were recognized. Tom Juravich is assistant professor of labor studies at The Pennsylvania State University, and coordinates labor education in the greater Philadelphia area. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 1987 meeting of the Popular Culture Associa- tion. The author would like to thank Alice Hoffman, Marilyn McArthur and Saul Schniderman for their comments.

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