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The Right to Strike
In 1794, shoemakers in Philadelphia organized a union, which they named the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers. Ten years later, the union went on strike, arguing for higher wages. -
The First National Labor Organization in America
n 1866, the National Labor Movement paved the way for future labor parties. Led by William H. Sylvis, who headed the Iron-Molders' International Union, the movement tried to organize local trade unions under a national umbrella. They were also among the first advocates of the eight-hour workday. -
Youth Laborers
Labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones leads child workers in demanding a 55 hour work week. -
Protecting Workers Who Get Injured on the Job
he Federal Employers Liability Act—which would become the foundations for states’ Worker’s Compensation laws—was enacted in 1908 "to put on the railroad industry some of the costs of the legs, arms, eyes, and lives which it consumed in its operation." -
The Great Steel Strike
The "Great Steel Strike" began. 350,000 steel workers walked off their jobs to demand union recognition. The AFL Iron and Steel Organizing Committee called off the strike on 8 January 1920. -
Railway Labor Act
The Railway Labor Act passed. It required employers, for the first time and under penalty of law, to bargain collectively and not to discriminate against their employees for joining a union. It provided also for mediation, voluntary arbitration, fact-finding boards, cooling off periods and adjustment boards. -
United Auto Workers is Founded
Since the UAW was founded in 1930, it has become one of the most important labor unions in the country’s history. Its leadership has successfully lobbied for health insurance plans for industrial workers, the first cost-of-living allowances, as well as training, and educational programs. -
Cotton Workers Strike
18,000 cotton workers went on strike in Pixley, California. Four were killed before a pay-hike was finally won. -
Recognition of Unions
Police attacked and fired upon striking Teamster truck drivers in Minneapolis who were demanding recognition of their union, wage increases, and shorter working hours. As violence escalated, Governor Olson went so far as to declare martial law in Minneapolis, deploying 4,000 National Guardsmen. The strike ended on August 21 when company owners finally accepted union demands. -
Child Labor Laws
A number of organizations existed in the early 20th century to curb the use of child workers, but there was no federal law put into place until 1938. The Fair Labor Standards Act set a minimum wage, required employers to pay overtime, and made it illegal to employ children under the age of 14. -
Minimum Wage Established
Minimun wage says that you cannot pay any workers lower than was mimimum wage is set by the government. -
Fair Pay for Workers
Women with full-time jobs got paid about 60 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. In 1963, the Equal Pay Act required pay parity between all genders and races. Yet in 2010, white women earned about 80 cents for every dollar made by a man, according to the General Accounting Office. -
Civil Rights
The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s resulted in several new laws about how people of all races must be treated—especially in the workplace. In 1964, Congress passed the landmark bill, Title VII, which “prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. -
Protecting Employees’ Safety
The Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970. But it was during WWII that industrial accidents put a renewed focus on worker safety. -
Family and Medical Leave Act
“Family and medical leave is a matter of pure common sense and a matter of common decency,” said former President Bill Clinton upon signing the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993. “It will provide Americans what they need most: peace of mind."
