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Railway Strike of 1877
This was a strike against the Baltimore & Ohio railroad ignites a series of strikes across the northeast. The violence and disturbances that follow result in Federal troops being called out for the first time in a labor dispute. The strike was stopped, but it gave evidence of the deep conflict between workers and business owners. -
Haymarket Riot
A labor rally at the Haymarket Square in Chicago, called in support of the eight-hour day, turned into chaos when an unknown party tosses a bomb at police, who then fire into the crowd. This incident was stopped by armed forces. -
Shermans Anti-Trust Act
Approved July 2, 1890, The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was the first Federal act that outlawed monopolistic business practices. -
Anti-Labor Injunction
A federal court issues the first injunction against a union under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The case, brought against the Workingman's Amalgamated Council of New Orleans for interfering with the movement of commerce, hands managers a potent legal weapon. -
IWW Founded
Western miners and other activists form the Industrial Workers of the World at a convention in Chicago. The IWW, or Wobblies, is one of the most radical of all organized labor groups. Though they will achieve only limited success in moving their agenda forward, they will inspire generations of labor activists with their militant spirit. -
General Textile Strike
This strike was one of the largest strikes in American history; it was the culmination of homegrown organizing and protest. For many Southern workers, it was the first time they had raised their voices as citizens to challenge the control of mill owner -
The New Deal
President Roosevelt took office in 1933, he acted quickly to try and stabilize the economy and provide jobs and relief to those who were suffering. Over the next eight years, the government instituted a series of experimental projects and programs, known collectively as the New Deal, that aimed to restore dignity and prosperity to many Americans. More than that, Roosevelt’s New Deal permanently changed the federal government’s relationship to the U.S. populace. -
The Wagner Act
The main purpose of the Wagner Act was to establish the legal right of most workers to organize or join labor unions and to bargain collectively with their employers. -
Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
The LMRDA establishes the Bill of Rights for union members, reporting requirements for labor organizations, union officers and employees, employers, labor-relations consultants, and surety companies; standards for the regular election of union officers; and safeguards for protecting labor organization funds and assets. -
Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act
The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek.
