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First Textie Mill
First Textile mill built in Rhode Island, Pawtucket ; was a major contributor of cotton textiles during the American Industrial Revolution. was the first fully mechanized cotton-spinning mill in America, and had an entire staff of children under the age of 12. -
Invention of the power loom
Mechanised loom powered by a line shaft. Used water as power instead of steam power which sped up the weaving process. Weavers were able to use all the thread that spinners could produce. -
Molly Maguires convicted for coal-field murders in Pennsylvania. 10 are hanged.
19th-century secret society composed mainly of Irish and Irish American coal miners. accused of murder, arson, kidnapping and other crimes, in part based on allegations by Franklin B. Gowen and the testimony of a Pinkerton detective, James McParland, a native of County Armagh, Ireland. -
First Labor Day Celebration takes place in New York City.
Dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. -
The Foran Act bans immigration of laborers
Also known as the "Alien Contract Labor Act" It was the first of a series of measures designed to undermine the practice of importing contract labor. Exempted from the provisions were aliens and their employees temporarily residing in the United States; desirable skilled laborers engaged in “any new industry” not yet “established in the United States”; and “professional actors, artists, lecturers, or singers,” personal or domestic servants, ministers of “any recognized religious denomination,” -
The Haymarket Riot Takes place
the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on Tuesday May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square[2] in Chicago. It began as a peaceful rally in support of workers striking for an eight-hour day. An unknown person threw a dynamite bomb at police as they acted to disperse the public meeting. The bomb blast and ensuing gunfire resulted in the deaths of seven police officers and at least four civilians; scores of others were wounded. -
American Federation of labor
was the first federation of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio in May 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers of the Cigar Makers' International Union was elected president of the Federation at its founding convention and was reelected every year except one until his death in 1924. -
The Homestead Strike
An Industrial lockout and strike culminating in a battle between strikers and private security agents . The dispute occurred at the Homestead Steel Works in the Pittsburgh area town of Homestead, Pennsylvania, between the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (the AA) and the Carnegie Steel Company. The final result was a major defeat for the union and a setback for efforts to unionize steelworkers. -
Boston Police Strike
the city witnessed an outbreak of hooliganism and looting. Some was rowdy behavior that scared respectable citizens, such as youths throwing rocks at streetcars and overturning the carts of street vendors. More overtly criminal activity included the smashing of store windows and looting the displays. In the morning the Mayor asked the Governor to furnish a force of State Guards; Coolidge promptly agreed and eventually provided almost 5,000 men. -
Social Security Act Approved
Act to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue; and for other purposes. -
Taft-Hartely Act
Restores a more balanced relationship between labor and management. It gives employees the right to refrain from participating in union activities and adds a series of prohibited unfair labor practices by unions. In addition, it creates the Federal Mediation Service to assist management and unions in settling disputes. It also establishes certain Presidential powers to be used to retain order in certain emergency situations (such as a strike or lockout that would likely cause adverse effects) -
The AFL and CIO reunite
A national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of fifty-seven national and international unions,together representing more than 11 million workers. -
Ronald Reagan fires most of the nation's air traffic controllers for refusing to end strike.
the union declared a strike, seeking better working conditions, better pay and a 32-hour workweek. In addition, PATCO no longer wanted to be included within the civil service clauses that had haunted it for decades. In doing so, the union violated a law.Ronald Reagan declared the PATCO strike a "peril to national safety" and ordered them back to work under the terms of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. Only 1,300 of the nearly 13,000 controllers returned to work. (others fired) -
Family and Medical Leave Act
requiring covered employers to provide employees job-protected and unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons. Qualified medical and family reasons include: personal or family illness, family military leave, pregnancy, adoption, or the foster care placement of a child -
UPS workers strike over control of retirement benefits
The walkout centered on two key issues--the increasing use by the company of part-time workers and control of UPS pension funds by the Teamsters Union.UPS said the strike cost them about $650 million in lost business. And the union paid about $10 million in strike benefits to members who got $55 a week for manning the picket lines.
