Editing New Deal coalition (section)

===Labor unions===
{{Further|Labor history of the United States#Organized labor, 1929–1955}}
The New Dealers made a major, successful effort to build up labor unions, especially through the [[National Labor Relations Act of 1935]]. In addition, Democratic-led state governments were much more favorable to unions than the pro-business Republicans had been. In 1940 FDR won 64% of non-union manual workers, 71% of AFL members, and 79% of CIO members. Union membership grew rapidly during World War II. In 1944 FDR won 56% of non-union manual workers, 69% of AFL members, and 79% of CIO members. Truman in 1948 had similar results.<ref>{{cite book|publisher=Gallup|title=The Political Almanac 1952|year=1952|page=37}}</ref>
The more militant industrial unions, led by [[John L. Lewis]] formed the [[Congress of Industrial Organizations]] (CIO), and split off from the more traditional [[American Federation of Labor]] in 1938. Both federations added members rapidly, but they feuded bitterly. Both supported Roosevelt and the New Deal Coalition. The nationwide wave of labor strikes in 1937–38 alienated many voters, and the split weakened the New Deal coalition. The most controversial labor leader was [[John L. Lewis]], head of the coal miners; he headed the CIO 1938–1941. Lewis was an isolationist and broke with Roosevelt and endorsed his Republican opponent in the 1940 election, a position demanded by the pro-Soviet far left element in the CIO.<ref>Robert H. Zieger, ''The CIO, 1935–1955'' (Univ of North Carolina Press, 1997) pp. 108–110.</ref> Nevertheless, CIO members voted for Roosevelt and Lewis was forced to leave the CIO, taking his [[United Mine Workers of America]] union along.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=C. K. |last1=McFarland|title=Coalition of convenience: Lewis and Roosevelt, 1933–1940|journal=Labor History|volume=13|number=3|year=1972|pages=400–414}}</ref> Additionally, the coattails of labor candidates and the get-out-the-vote campaigns that were organized by labor unions were a reason for Truman moving ahead in the election of 1948 in many urban-industrial areas. This achievement was done despite Truman’s weaker showing, dragging behind the Democratic party’s congressional ticket by 4%.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Donaldson |first=Gary A. |title=Truman Defeats Dewey |date=2015 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-4923-3 |location=Lexington |pages=204}}</ref>