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Lowell Mill, first union of working women
The Lowell mill women organized, went on strike when women couldn't even vote—and created the first union of working women in American history. This was a huge step for unions in general. -
National Labor Union founded
Although it lasted just seven years, the NLU holds the title of being America's first labor union. Consisting of skilled and unskilled workers, it was organized to bring together already existing unions throughout the country to demand an eight-hour work day and work for more things also. -
Knights of Labor
The fall of the NLU strengthened the Knights of Labor, which quickly expanded after the economic depression of the mid-1870s. They became the first truly successful large-scale labor organization in the country, having membership of 700,000 in 1886. -
Atlanta's Washerwoman strike
Thousands of black laundresses went on strike for higher wages, respect for their work and control over how their work was organized. In 1881, they took on Atlanta’s business and political establishment and gained so much support that they threatened a general strike, which would have shut the city down. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
This act was intended mainly to stop trusts between businesses. This applies to the labor movement in how it was made to stop monopolies and create econmoic competition. -
Homestead Strike
Workers of a steel plant were brutally killed after they refused to let their wages go down. The steel plants' management were going to make sure that their wages went down. -
McKees Rock Strike
The strike took place at the Pressed Steel Car Co. plant in McKees Rock. The plant was mainly immigrant workers from many different places. -
National Labor Relations Act
The National Labor Relations Act was passed in order to create a healthy relationship between unions and their employers. Before this was passed, employers were not required to recognize unions. -
Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hartley Act prohibited wildcat strikes, jurisdictional strikes, political strikes, secondary strikes, and large-scale picketing. President Harry Truman, who called it a "dangerous intrusion on free speech," vetoed the bill only for it to be overridden in Congress. -
OSHA
OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was created in order to make sure that working conditions were safe for workers. They also created standards that must be followed. This applies in how union workers were also required to be treated fairly. -
Postal Workers strike
200,000 postal workers went on strike to be better treated and have their wages risen. President Nixon had no choice but to give them what they wanted.
