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Noble Order of Knights of Labor Formed
Noble Order of Knights of Labor, a labor union, was formed in 1869 by Philadelphia garment workers. This union was open to farmers, merchant;s, and wage earners. The objectives of the group were to gain equal pay for equal work, abolish child labor, and have an eight-hour work day. -
The First Labor Day
It is debated whether Matthew Maguire or Peter McGuire came up with the idea for Labor Day. The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5th of 1882, but only in New York City. Today, it is a national holiday held on the first Monday of September commemorate the work of American laborers. -
American Federation of Labor Formed
The American Federation of Labor was a craft oriented labor union. They focused on better working conditions and getting paid more for the work they did. This was organized in 1886. -
Haymarket Square Riot
The Haymarket Square Riot took place in Chicago, where workers marched for a protest. Eventually, the police came to break up the strike, where eight policemen died and hundreds were injured. Anarchists were then blamed for the violence. -
"How the Other Half Lives," by Jacob Riis is Written
As a muckraker of his time, Jacob Riis wrote about the poor living conditions in the tenements of New York slums. This publication illustrated the conditions in the 1880s. The cramped and hazardous conditions of the poverty-ridden slums were exposed. -
The Homestead Strike
In a strike that resulted in a defeat for the union and the setback for efforts to unionize steelworkers, the Homestead Strike made history. A battle between strikers and private security agents on July 6, 1892. The dispute between the Amalgamated Association of Steel and Iron Workers and the Carnegie Steel Company met a strike on June 30th, 1892. -
The Pullman Strike
The town of Pullman was built around the railroad company. When the Panic of 1893 set in, George M. Pullman, the owner of the town, refused to drop rents. A chain reaction led to the strikes of railroad workers in twenty-seven states and territories, so there was no transportation from Chicago to the Pacific Coast. Troops were eventually sent to settle the strike, and Eugene V. Debs, leader of a union and of the strike, was arrested. -
"The Jungle," by Upton Sinclair is Written
Muckraker Upton Sinclair wrote of the perils of the meat packing industry of Chicago. What he exposed helped pass the Pure Food and Drug Act. In the story, food was prepared carelessly and poisoned by rats and other toxins. -
"The Bitter Cry of the Children," by John Spargo is Written
In preparation for his publication, John Spargo entered a coal mine to try to do the work of the twelve-year-old boy. Here, he realized horrors of the child labor force: children being maimed and killed my machines, dirty work areas, uneducated youth, and boys unaware of religion. This report rocked the views of those in favor of child labor. -
Pure Food and Drug Act Passed
The Pure Food and Drug Act owes a bit of its passage to Upton Sinclair for publishing "The Jungle." Under this law, federal inspection of meat was enforced. Also, the manufacture, sale, or trasportation of adulterated food products and poisonous patent medicines were forbidden. -
Triangle Shirt Factory Fire
While a strike in 1909 improved the conditions of some garment shops, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory did not have improved conditions. On the afternoon of March 25, 1911, an eighteen-minute factory fire killed 146 factory workers. Because of this, a new industrial safety model was created for the nation. Also, thirty-six new labor laws were passed. -
Congress of Industrial Organization Formed
Originally, the Congress of Industrial Organization was part of the American Federation of Labor. Because it supported organization in industrial lines of business rather than craft lines, it broke away in 1935. In 1955, the groups joined together once again. -
National Labor Relations Act Passed
Also known as the Wagner Act, the National Labor Relations Act was pro-labor. The labor's right to legally organize was recognized. Also, the National Labor Relations Board was created, and people had the power to punish unfair labor practices. -
The GM Sit-Down Strike
A plant in Michigan halted work when workers showed up on duty and did not do any work from December 30, 1926-February 11, 1937. This started the battle of sit-down strikes. This caused other GM plants to go on strike, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was pressuring GM to talk to the UAW and end the strike. When the strike resolved, it was the first time that workers were able to help run the company. -
Free Labor Standards Act Passed
The Free Labor Standards Act led to a federal regulation of child labor. Minimum ages of emplyment were regulated by federal law. The hours children could work was also regulated by the federal government. -
Steel Strike
When President Harry S. Truman nationalized the steel industry, companies fought to take back their facilities. A fifty-three day strike occurred when the United Steelworkers fought for wage increases. This strike was agsint U.S. Steel and nine other steelmakers. -
Major League Baseball Strike
April 1-April 13, 1972 marked the first strike in the history of Major League Baseball. When owners and players agreed on a half million dollar increase in pension fund payments, the sporting season resumed. The league refused to pay the players for the time they were on strike, so the eighty-six games that were missed were never made up. -
New York City Transit Strike
Millions of commuters lost their way around New York city when the Transport Workers Union Local 100 had a two-and-a-half day strike. A negotiation for a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had collapsed under the issues of retirement, pension, and wage increases. Service for commuters was back up and running by the morning of December 23rd. -
The Coal Stirke
The Coal Strike by the United Mine Workers of American in Pennsylvania marked the first time that the federal government played the role of a neutral arbitrator in a labor episode. With the winter came the strike, and the workers threatened to shut down the fuel supply or major cities. President Theodore Roosevelt cut in and got the strike suspended. Because miners worked fewer hours and received more pay, the strike never resumed.
