The history of "Scabs"

[jarhead]

I just watched a documentary program on the history channel, about the advent of steel from iron, and on how Andrew Carnegie built a fortune during the industrial revolution in the 1800's. One of his Companies was Homestead Steel, and as the principal owner of the stock, at one time in the late 1800's Carnegie became the richest man in the world, replete with mansions and all the trappings. Homestead Steel became a landmark case of labor vs management, when the workers went on strike, and then management locked them out, and brought in scabs to break the union. The documentary specifically used the term "scabs" and that prompted a question in my mind that maybe someone out there can answer.

The airline pilots of this country absolutely detest the use of scabs to help management during a strike, yet, the term appears to be very old in usage (way before airplanes flew). Does anyone know what the origination of the term or word is, where it came from, and if it is in fact an acronym for several words?

 

[Dominicinco]

Check this website out. http://www.worldwidewords.org/index.htm
I found alot of cool definitions and their historys of words that were always mysterious to me.
Ehh, you might get lucky

 

[jarhead]

Thanks. Searched that entire site, and their is no reference to the term "Scab" Anyone else?

 

[firstthird]

google search turned up the following at this site
http://www.takeourword.com/et_q-s.html#scab
Admittedly, it isn't very illustrative. what we need is someone with access to an OED to look it up.

Scab in the `strike-breaker' sense is directly related to scab `crust which forms over a wound.' The word is descended from an Old English source with influence from a Scandinavian source. The Old English word was sceabb `scab' (source of shab, a dialectal form of sceabb. Shab survives in English in the word shabby). There was also a Norse relative skabbr `scab.' Both the Old English and the Norse words come from the Proto-Germanic *skab- `scratch, shave' (source also of English shave). The form scab entered English in about 1275 with the meaning `skin disease characterized by pustules or scales.' By the late 14th century it had acquired the meaning `crust which forms over a wound.' The word was likely reinforced by Latin scabies `scab, itch,' from scabere `to scratch.' Interestingly, the Latin word and Proto-Germanic root come from the same Indo-Eurpean root.

The `strike-breaker' sense first arose in the early 19th century, and prior to that it referred to a person who refused to join a trade union. These meanings arose from an early 16th century meaning of `despicable person.'

 

[FSB99]

A SCAB is a person doing what you would be doing if you weren't on strike.
A SCAB takes your job, a job he could not get under normal circumstances. He could only advance himself by taking advantage of labor disputes and walking over the backs of workers trying to maintain decent wages and working conditions. He helps management to destroy his and your profession, often ending up under conditions he/she wouldn't have even scabbed for. No matter. A SCAB doesn't think long term, nor does he think of anything other than himself. His smile shows fangs that drip with your blood, for he willingly destroys families, lives, careers, opportunities and professions at the drop of a hat. He takes from a striker what he knows he could never earn by his own merit: a decent job. He steals that which others earned at the bargaining table through blood, sweat and tears, and throws it away in an instant -- ruining lives, jobs and careers.


I know the above doesn't really answer your question, but, it's a good definition anyway.

Jack London wrote a poem about scabs, and this was back in the early 1900's.. i've read other works of fiction, mark twain for instance, where that term was used. not sure where the term came from, but it does go back deep into the 19th century.

 

[jarhead]

FSB99

I believe your definition is as good as any, in the common parlance of the word. I was just wondering what the history of the term was, or if it is S.C.A. B., meaning something like Sex Crazed A$$ B!tch or some such derogatory term (I just made that up) It is such a common term in today's lexicon, that it seems strange that it's origin is not readily understood.

 

[bobbysamd]

Scabs

Interesting discussion.

The airline pilots of this country absolutely detest the use of scabs to help management during a strike . . .

Uncle Frank knows scabs. Ask Frank what scabs mean to him.

 

[Cardinal]

I've also read that during one or more late 19th century labor actions that the company published a list of those Still Collecting All Benefits, pay etc. Perhaps a contibution to the words acronym-ish roots.

 

[EOpilot]

Etymology of the word "scab":

scab - developed from O.E. sceabb "scab, itch" (related to scafan "to scratch") and from O.N. skabb "scab, itch," both from P.Gmc. *skab- "scratch, shave" (related to shabby). Sense reinforced by L. scabies "scab, itch, mange" (from scabere "to scratch"). Meaning "strikebreaker" first recorded 1806, from earlier sense of "person who refuses to join a trade union" (1777), probably from meaning "despicable person" (1590).

No acronymic meaning, and predates the airlines (and a great deal of the steel industry).

It started out meaning "scumbag" and people just naturally applied the word to mean someone who wouldn't join a union. From there to strikebreaker is not much of a stretch.

 

[WrightAvia]

Main Entry: scab
Pronunciation: 'skab
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish skabbr scab; akin to Old English sceabb scab, Latin scabere to scratch -- more at SHAVE
Date: 13th century
1 : scabies of domestic animals
2 : a crust of hardened blood and serum over a wound
3 a : a contemptible person b (1) : a worker who refuses to join a labor union (2) : a union member who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended (3) : a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike (4) : one who works for less than union wages or on nonunion terms
4 : any of various bacterial or fungus diseases of plants characterized by crustaceous spots; also : one of the spots

 

[mckpickle]

Where is TurboS7. I bet he knows.

 

[Cardinal]

Hehe, nice jab

Speaking of scabs, does anybody still have that cool sticker from the 83-85 era with a skull, crossbones, and an hourglass superimposed over the old Continental meatball? Saw that on a flight bag the other day and thought it was kickin'.

 

[Catbird]

Scab- If your a ALPA member doesn't mean squat these days. CAL has a "Scab" MEC officer. Look around the 121 industry. Lots of "Scabs" flying at Value Hole, SWA, ATA, and United. Don't kid yourself, if you walk, the kiddies from MESA,or its latest clone will run over you and your family for a "Airline Job", then start whining about the pay and nonexistent work rules. Save the 1.95%, Duane doesn't need another 70' Hatteras Yacht.

 

[FSB99]

i read something also, put out by alpa not long ago, addressing the 'forgiven' scabs, most notably those referred to in the above post... its point was, they were forgiven when alpa was voted back on property at cal.. forgiven, but, not forgotten.

 

[FSB99]

and you sir, are a class act. thank god you're proud of yourself. at least someone is.

 

[DGdaPilot]

So if I don't want to participate in a strike, am I automatically a scab?? Just curious....

If so, why does that make me a bad person. I don't like unions. I have had bad experiences with them. I will never join one. How can you judge me as a person for a personal principle that I'm standing up for? It doesn't seem right. If I don't like what's going on at my workplace, I'll do whatever I can in my power to resolve that issue. If that goes nowhere, I'll simply quit.

<frustrating>

 

[sydeseet]

Oh boy

 

[EOpilot]

DGdapilot:

For God's sake, why couldn't you have said something a little less inflammatory, like "Jesus was a fudge-packer".

I'd bet that if I started a thread titled, "should I pick this scab off my arm?", you'd pipe in with, "what's so bad about a scab? I hate unions!"

Maybe I'm just tired...

 

[Cardinal]

DGdaPilot, you're certainly entitled to your opinion. Unfortunately it seems you've picked the worng industry. Do us all a favor and just keep instructing in your piston driven sardine can for $14/hour...forever. Or join the corporate ranks and drive down the salaries where so many arrogant anti-unionists call home. But stay away from the airlines, we like it here, and it will be a better place without the likes of you. Have a nice day.

 

[Erlanger]

The Scab
A Poem by: Jack London (1876-1916)
"After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire,
he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab."

"A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul,
a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue.
Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles."

"When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and
angels weep in heaven, and the devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out."

"No man (or woman) has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in,
or a rope long enough to hang his body with. Judas was a gentleman compared with a scab.
For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself." A scab has not.

"Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Judas sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver.
Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commission in the British army."
The scab sells his birthright, country, his wife, his children and
his fellowmen for an unfulfilled promise from his employer.

Esau was a traitor to himself; Judas was a traitor to his God;
Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country;
a scab is a traitor to his God, his country, his family and his class