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Labor Unions
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National Labor Union Convention
This was the start of the National Labor Union. Unionists and social reformers met at a convention in Baltimore, Massachusetts. They wanted an eight hour work day, end of convict labor, and immigration restrictions. -
National Labor Union Election
William Sylvis was elected president of the National Labor Union. Sylvis was the leader of the Iron Molder's International Union before. -
Knights of Labor Establishment
Uriah Stephens and seven members of the Philadelphia tailor's union organized a secret union. They supported temperance, equal pay for women, an end to convict labor, end to child labor, and a graduated income tax. -
End of the National Labor Union
The National Labor Union ended after the Panic of 1873. As the recession caused unemployment rates to grow, many preferred to obey their bosses rather than risk they vital pay checks. Those without jobs suffered in poverty. -
Great Railroad Strike of 1877
This national railroad strike started due to low wages and bad working conditions. The strike broke out in violence causing President Hayes to send in troops -
Terrence Powderly's Election
Terrence Powderly was elected as the Grand Master Workman of the Knights of Labor, replacing Uriah Stephens. -
Passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act
Chester A. Aurthur signed the federal law, which the Knights of Labor helped pass. This act offically banned the Chinese from immigrating to the United States for a period of about 10 years. -
The Wabash Railroad Strike
Jay Gould set out to dismantle the Knights of Labor. Terrence Powderly scheduled for all workers to walk off of the Wabash Line. Gould arranged to meet with Powderly and stopped his campaign against the Knights of Labor. -
Haymarket Square Riot
A demonstration was being held in Chicago, Illionois when a bomb was set off in the crowd, killing seven policemen. The police then fired into the crowd killing and fatally injuring many people. 8 anarchists were arrested for this crime. Not to mention, the Knights of Labor, who supported the strike, were then affiliated with anarchy, further damaging society's opinion about labor unions. -
Founding of the American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was founded in Columbus, Ohio where Samuel Gompers was elected as president. This union was only for skilled, white male workers. -
Execution of the Anarchists Behind the Haymarket Square Riot
Samuel Fielden, Adolph Fischer, August Spies, and Albert Parson, the anarchists, were executed. The other anarchists were pardoned and one commited suicide. -
Homestead Strike
While Andrew Carnegie was in Scotland, he put Henry Frick in charge of his steel plant. Frick cut wages and stopped barters with the Union. Workers surrounded the factory and vandalized it. Frick sent in the Pinkertons, private detectives, to break up the strike. The strikers fire on the Pinkertons, causing them to retreat. Henry Frick appealed to the governor, who then sent in the National Guard. -
Pullman Strike
At the Pullman Palace Car Company town, rent stayed at the same price while the workers' wages were cut by 25%. In retaliation, the workers joined the America Railway Union, led my Eugene Debbs, and refused to switch Pullman Cars. Grover Cleveland intervened by sending in federal troops and arresting Eugene Debbs. -
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
This organization was founded by immigrant workes involved in New York City's needle trades. They conducted strikes after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. -
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American Federation of Labor
As labor unions continued to exapnd and prosper, the AFL amounted to huge successes. Its membership grew from 625,000 to 4 million members over the course of this time period. However, their memberships was still exclusive with its strength in the traditional skilled industries, while other unions got their man-power from sweatshops and immigrants. -
Anthracite Coal Strike (United Mine Workers Union)
This organization called a strike for higher wages, recognition, and shorter hours. However, their employers resisted. Thus, Teddy Roosevelt stepped in and forced the owners to accept arbitration, obliging them to give their workers a 10 percent wage increase. -
Indutsrial Workers of the World (IWW)
In 1905, WIlliam Haywood founded this labor union. Peaking at 30,000, the IWW membership consisted mainly of western miners, like Haywood, lumbermen, fruit pickers, and itinerant laborers. The organization picketed the mining industry, timber industry, the textile industry, etc. By 1920, the union dissolved. -
Danbury Hatters Case
The Supreme Court decided that boycotts favoring stirkes and protests acted in restraint of trade, violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. -
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union Strike
Clara Lemlich called for a strike at a Union meeting. The picketers were obliged to suffer much pain as they lost jobs and endured police beatings. However, they successfully achieved higher wages and improved working conditions. -
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
Wilson passed this act to replace the Sherman Anti-trust Act and act as a supplement. Now, this new and improved Antitrust act specifically listed prohibited corporate activities and protected Labor Unions from suffering under the legislation, since its true purpose was for trust-busting. -
War Labor Board
This government agency encouraged workers to participate in unions and to make compromise and communicate with management. The association's efforts acted in favor of the eight-hour workday, the end to child labor, and routine sanitation and safety inspecitions. The membership peaked to 5 million by 1920. -
The Espionage Act and Sedition Amendment
These two acts of government greatly affected the IWW, whose members spoke out against the governemnt's policies on war or spoke out against the Great War. Eugene Debs, a socialist, was famously imprisoned for breaking these laws. -
IWW Strike in Seattle
This strike enforced the "Red Scare," or fear of radical, socialist, and communist beliefs and actions. The IWW called for a general strike in Seattle. However, the mayor, jumping to conclusion, accused the organization of attempting to mirror the anarchy of Russia, and demanded that federal troops break up the strike. -
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Labor Union Struggle
Labor Unions faced a struggle to organize in the 1920s. Union membership decreased drastically from 5 million members to a meager 3.4 million. As wage rates rose and conditions improved, workers saw less need to strike. Also, anti-union morale prospered in this decade. -
National Textile Worker's Union Strike
In North Carolina, textile workers faced grueling working conditions, long hours, and unfair wwages. It was even heard that in the town of Marion, sheriffs were shooting at workers who attempted to strike. Thus, the NTWU organized a strike in Gastonia against the mill's absentee owners. Unfortunately, they evicted the workers from their complimentary company-paid homes accompanied by violent raids lead by police forces. The strikes had little impact. -
Flint Sit-Down Strike
The auto workers won a strike against General Motors. During the strike, workers occupied the factory and wouldn't allow anyone to come in. -
Norris-Laguardia Act
The Norris Laguardia Act was passed under Roosevelt. It outlawed yellow dog contracts that employers made employees sign to pledge not to join a union. This Act also restricted the use of court injunctions in labor disputes against strikes and boycotts. -
Frances Perkins becomes Secretary of Labor
Franklin Roosevelt names Frances Perkins his Secretary of Labor. Perkins has a major influence on the labor policy in Roosevelt's New Deal. -
Committee for Industrial Organization is passed
The National Labor Relations Act and Social Security Act passed the CIO, which was formed within the American Federation of Labor. The CIO challenged employer's anti-union practices. -
Wagner Act
The Wagner Act, otherwise known as the National Labor Relations Act, is passed. The act is in favor of labor unions and helps them settle disputes with employers. It also created the National Labor Relations Board. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act is passed. It sets a fourty hour work week and creates a minimum wage. It also put restrictions on child labor. -
Smith-Connally Act
The Smith-Connally Act is passed by Congress. It allowed the government to take over factories where strikes threatened production. It was the first anti-union legislation to be passed since since the 1930s. -
Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hartley Act was passed. It was a federal law that restricts the activitied of labor unions
