Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

Much of what workers take for granted today—fixed working

hours, a minimum wage, paid vacations, a safe workplace, and the power

to negotiate—was gained after years of bitter struggle by working people.

During the Industrial revolution, there were few laws to govern how

companies treated their workers; as a result, hours were long, pay was

low, and working conditions were poor. from the 1830s, workers joined

together to form the first unions. By the 1880s, national unions had

successfully won better working conditions, while meeting opposition

from employers. Public opinion turned in favor of workers’ rights, and

legislation in the 1930s brought about the first national labor policy.

LaBor LegIsLatIon

Prior to the 1930s, there were

few national labor laws, and

employers used the courts to

halt union activity. as part

of his new Deal program,

President franklin D.

roosevelt introduced new and

sweeping laws regulating labor

unions. In 1932, a new law limited the

use of courts in labor disputes, and made

it illegal for employers to ask job seekers

to pledge not to join unions. the Labor

relations act of 1935 gave workers

the right to form unions without

interference from their employers.

workers’ rights

1834 first national labor union, the

national trade union, is founded.

1860 shoe workers in Lynn, Ma,

strike and win better wages.

1869 noble order of the knights of

Labor unites nearly 750,000 workers.

1886 skilled workers form the

afL (american federation

of Labor).

strIke

the struggle for workers’ rights

turned violent in the years following

the civil war. Many workers, from

shoemakers to newspaper

carriers, and

railroad workers

to coal miners,

felt they had no

recourse but to

strike, or refuse to

work. In an effort to stop strikes,

owners hired their own security

forces (above) and pressured the

police to fight back. Many striking

workers lost their jobs, and some

met with violence and even death.

workers unIte

as more people started

to accept the need for

organized labor, the first

powerful national unions

emerged. the american

federation of Labor

(afL), a group of skilled

craft unions headed

by cigar maker samuel

gompers, was founded

in 1886. under his

leadership, the afL won

eight-hour days, shorter

working weeks, safer

working conditions, and

the right of the union to

negotiate directly with the

employer. the afL grew

quickly—by 1901, there were

over one million members.

afL–cIo

the congress of Industrial

organizations (cIo) was

established in 1938 to organize

factory workers. In 1955, the

afL and cIo combined their

strength. the opportunity for

massive strikes gave the unions

greater political influence.

President Roosevelt’s

New Deal legislation

helped strengthen unions.

Labor movement

woMen LaBor LeaDers

as the Industrial revolution

exploded, the need for cheap

labor sent women—and

children—into factories,

especially in the garment

and textile industries.

Many women workers

joined unions to highlight

exploitation and seek better

working conditions and pay.

Elizabeth Flynn successfully led a

waiters’ strike in New York in 1919.

Samuel

Gompers

civil rights

congress

Industrial revolution

Find out more

1935 committee for Industrial

organization (cIo) unites unskilled

and semiskilled workers.

1935 congress passes the national

Labor relations act.

1938 congress passes the fair

Labor standards act.

1955 afL and cIo merge.

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