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Knights of Labor Founded
Uriah Stephens founded the Knights of Labor in 1869. It was initially a secret society that organized workers around the country under the radar of management. They were an important force in the early days of labor organizing. -
Haymarket Square Riot
A labor rally at the Haymarket Square in Chicago in 1886, called in support of the eight-hour day. It erupted into chaos when an unknown party tosses a bomb at police, who then fire into the crowd. The incident stains labor's image and creates turmoil within the movement. This was a strike gone wrong. -
Gompers Founds AFL
Gompers founded AFL (American Federation of Labor) in 1886. The AFL is a collection of trade unions. The organization played a major role in the labor movement for the next century. -
Pullman Strike
Union workers walk out of the factory of the Pullman Company in Pullman, Illinois, in 1894. This was in spite of the paternalistic treatment the company had afforded to workers. The strike was organized by Eugene V. Debs and the American Railway Union and ended in defeat. -
ILGWU Strike
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) calls a strike in New York in 1909. They were demanding a 20-percent pay raise and a 52-hour workweek. Within two days, more than 20,000 workers from 500 factories walk off the job. This largely successful "Uprising of 20,000" is the largest labor action by women in the nation's history. -
Federal Department of Labor Established
The United States Department of Labor was established in 1913. Though established under President Taft, he signs the law after his defeat in the 1912 election. The Department will mostly emphasize the pro-labor stance of the incoming president, Woodrow Wilson, who appoints a United Mine Workers official as the first Secretary of Labor. -
Ludlow Massacre
Violence breaks out in a camp housing striking miners in Ludlow, Colorado in 1914. National Guardsmen machinegun strikers and set fire to their tents, killing five miners, two women, and twelve children. More than 75 people will be killed over the full course of the industrial dispute. This started as a stike, but went horribly wrong. -
Railway Labor Act
The Railway Labor Act was passed in1926. The law prohibited discrimination of unions and required collective bargaining among employers at railways. Eventually airlines and interstate commerce were protected by this law as well. -
The Norris-LaGuardia Act
The Norris-LaGuardia Act was passed in 1932. The law ensured that businesses couldn't prohibit workers from joining unions. Before this law was passed, employers could ban employees from joining unions. -
The Wagner Act
The Wagner Act was passed in 1935. The law ensured that worker's rights to form unions and strikes was protected. Before this law was passed, employers could ban employees from forming unions and conducting strikes. -
CIO Expels Red Unions
The CIO expelled the red unions in 1949. They voted to expel eleven unions with almost 1 million members. The reason they did this was the unions were associated with communism.
