Labor at 'Mother warren": Paternalism, welfarism and dissent at S.D. Warren 1854 - 1967

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2004

Publication Title

Labor History

Keywords

Paper Industry, Labor Unions, Industrial relations, S.D. Warren Paper Mill

Abstract

Using a unique mix of paternalism and corporate welfarism, the S. D. Warren Company of Westbrook, Maine, stayed nonunion from its inception in 1854 to 1967. The article places the company's management system within literature on paternalism and corporate welfarism, concluding that Sanford Jacoby would classify the Warren Company as "laggard" due to its inconsistent supervision, and uses oral history interviews to detail how the company's paternalism eventually broke down. Inconsistent control over supervisors led to complaints of favoritism and sexual harassment, which in turn made the company ripe for unionization in the 1960's. However, the uncertainty and mistrust generated by the sale of the company to Scott Paper Corporation undoubtedly played a role in the workers' decision to unionize.

Comments

DOI:10.1080/00236560410001679523
This is the accepted author manuscript and not the publisher's final version. The published version can be found:
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/clah20/45/1#.VQBiaWPYslQ

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