Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Practice Exam

What ideology was the Brewers Union based on?

1. Craft model

2. Industrial model

3. Socialist model

4. Corporate model

The correct answer is: Industrial model

The Brewers Union was primarily based on the industrial model of unionism. This model focuses on organizing workers in entire industries rather than in specific crafts or trades. The industrial model advocates for collective bargaining strategies that can include entire sectors—such as brewing—instead of limiting the movement to specific skills or trades. This approach aims to unify all workers within an industry to strengthen their bargaining power against employers, which is particularly relevant in industries where labor forces are diverse and interdependent. By organizing based on the industrial model, the Brewers Union was able to address broader labor issues and solidarity among workers, rather than focusing on the needs of a specific craft. The other options, such as the craft model, would focus on skilled workers in specific trades, often preserving traditional practices and hierarchies, which does not align with the Brewers Union's broader industrial focus. The socialist model implies a more political agenda aimed at the transformation of society through collective ownership and economic planning, which, while possibly influential among some union members, does not specifically define the structural basis of the Brewers Union itself. Meanwhile, the corporate model denotes a relationship where labor unions are treated as part of corporate governance, which contradicts the foundational principles of union independence and worker advocacy.