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Early successful strike
General strike for 10 hr workday in Philidelphia -
Commonwealth v Hunt
American legal case in which the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that the common-law doctrine of criminal conspiracy did not apply to labour unions. Until then, workers’ attempts to establish closed shops had been subject to prosecution. Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw asserted, however, that trade unions were legal and that they had the right to strike or take other steps of peaceful coercion to raise wages and ban nonunion workers. -
Senecca Falls Women's Convention
Although focused primarily on women's rights, Senecca featured advocacy for no working days on the Sabbath. -
National Labor Union
The National Labor Union was the first national labor federation in the United States. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1873, it paved the way for other organizations, such as the Knights of Labor and the AFL (American Federation of Labor). It was led by William H. Sylvis. Advocated for 10hr workday. -
National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry
An organization formed in 1867 as a support system for struggling western farmers. This organization was a educational and social organization, but under the leadership of Oliver Kelley, this organization began to lobby state and federal governments for legislation that would protect farmers from the effects of big business. -
Knights of Labor
The first mass labor organization created among America’s working class. Founded in 1869 and peaking in strength in the mid-1880s, the Knights of Labor attempted to bridge boundaries of ethnicity, gender, ideology, race, and occupation to build a “universal brotherhood” of all workers. Declined due to the Haymarket Square bombing. Led by Terence V. Powderly. -
Granger Laws
The Granger laws were a series of laws passed in western states of the United States after the American Civil War to regulate grain elevator and railroad freight rates and rebates and to address long- and short-haul discrimination and other railroad abuses against farmers. -
Greenback Party
Initially an agrarian organization associated with the policies of the Grange, from 1878 the organization took the name Greenback Labor Party and attempted to forge a farmer–labor alliance, adding industrial reforms to its agenda, such as support of the 8-hour day and opposition to the use of state or private force to suppress union strikes. -
Terence V. Powderly
Leader of the Knights of Labor; the KOL won several strikes for the 8 hr workday. -
Farmers Alliance
Largest of several organizations that formed throughout farming communities to advance the interests of beleaguered small farmers. Followed Grange Party. -
Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Began on the Baltimore and Ohio system, due to a wage cut; it spread to 11 states. In response to the strike, employers either improved wages and working conditions or broke up worker's organizations. Estimated 100 People died and Federal troops used to break it up. -
Workingmen's Party
Led by Daniel De Leon; wanted workers to improve by accepting Marxism. -
Eugene Debs
Avid Socialist. Founded American Railway Union (unskilled and skilled workers), which boycotted luxury sleeping cars. The strike failed and Debs served time in prison. 1901 he launched the Socialist Party of America. Emphasized democratic process as a way to destroy capitalism. Elected in 1885. -
Haymarket Square Riot
A public meeting in Chicago calling for a strike to achieve an 8-hour work day. Police attempted to break up the meeting, but a bomb was thrown killing 7 police. Americans began to believe the union movement was radical and violent, leading to the fall of the Knights of Labor. -
American Federation of Labor Founded
It was a labor organization created by Samuel Gompers in 1886 that coordinated the activities of craft unions and called for direct negotiation with employers in order to achieve benefits for skilled workers. -
Samuel Gompers
The leader of the AF of L between 1886 and 1924, he went after the basics of higher wages and improved working conditions. -
Populist Party
made up of farmers, greenbacks, laborers, grangers
Omaha Platform 1892 =
- government ownership of rails and telephone
- unlimited coinage of silver
- graduated income tax on wealth
- sub-treasury to store farm goods with loans given to keep farmers in business
- 8 hr. workday
- restriction on immigration
- initiative, referendum, secret ballot, direct election of senators -
Homestead Strike
Henry Clay Frick, manager of Homestead Steel plant cut wages nearly 20% and used the lockout, private guards, and strikebreakers to defeat the workers walkout. Set back the union movement in the steel industry. -
Coxey's Army
Jacob Coxey led groups of unemployed workers into D.C. to demand a government work relief program. It was unsuccessful, arrests were made and the crowd was forced to disperse. -
Pullman Strike
George Pullman cut wages and fired leaders of the worker's delegations for the Pullman factory. Workers boycotted by not handling the cars. Cleveland interfered when cars were attached to mail trains and the strike came to an end. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Following the death of female workers, 56 state laws were passed dealing with such issues as fire hazards, unsafe machines, and wages and working hours for women and children. The fire also provided a national impetus for industrial reform. -
Anthracite Coal Workers Strike
Theodore Roosevelt mediated between a union leader and the coal mine owner. Threatened to take over the mines with federal troops if the owner didn't compromise. Ended with a 10% wage increase and a 9-hour day to miners. -
Women's Trade Union
A U.S. organization of both working class and more well-off women formed in 1903 to support the efforts of women to organize labor unions and to eliminate sweatshop conditions -
International Workers of the World
This radical union aimed to unite the American working class into one union to promote labor's interests. It worked to organize unskilled and foreign-born laborers, advocated social revolution and led several major strikes. Used striking, but never achieved its goal of one central union. -
Mueller v Oregon
Louis D. Brandeis persuaded the Supreme Court to accept the constitutionality of laws protecting women workers by presenting evidence of the harmful effects of factory labor on women's weaker bodies -
National War Labor Board
Samuel Gompers appointed president in 1918 by President Wilson, acted as supreme court for labor, supported right of workers to organize unions, acceptance of 8-hour workday. -
Railway Labor Act
Established 8 hour workday for railroad workers. -
Wagner Act
It reaffirmed labor's right to unionize, prohibited unfair labor practices, and created the National Labor Relations Board. -
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), John L. Lewis
Originally formed by leaders within the AFL who wanted to expand its principles to include workers in mass production industries. In 1935, they created coalition of the 8 unions comprising the AFL and the United Mine Workers of America, led by John L. Lewis. After a split within the organization in 1936, the CIO was established as a separate entity. -
Flint Sit-Down Strike
Auto-workers demonstrated this new and effective form of resistance to corporate opposition by simply sitting down in a GM plant, refusing to work and thus preventing the use of strikebreakers. -
Taft-Hartley Act
Condemned by Labor leaders as a "slave labor law". It outlawed the "closed" shop, made unions liable for damages that resulted from jurisdictional disputes among themselves, and required union leaders to take a non-communist oath. -
Landrum Griffin Act
Labor legislation that required unions to show more financial accountability and outlawed secondary boycotts. -
Civil Rights Act
This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places. -
Occupational Safety Health Act
OSHA; a Governmental Agency with the responsibility for regulatory and enforcement of safety and health matters for most United States employees. -
NAFTA
Established free trade zone between Canada, United States and Mexico, net gain in jobs due to opening of Mexican markets