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1800s: Friendly Societies
Comprised of skilled tradesmen -
The end of debtors prison
Fought for by unions -
Railroad workers strike
Protesting a cut in wages -
Founding of American Federation of Labor
An organized union for skilled workers working together to fight for higher wages -
Haymarket Affair
Unions protesting for an eight hour work day -
Change in industries
1900s: Decline in industries where labor was the focus -
Founding of Industrial Workers of the World
A union comprised of skilled and unskilled workers -
World War I
Women and African Americans to temporarily take over white men's place in the workforce due to a lack of labor force -
The Great Depression
Workers experienced long hours and low wages. No room to complain about working conditions based on the number of unemployed. -
Minimized workforce
1/4 of workforce is unemployed -
National Recovery Act
Unionizing became legal -
Committee for Industrial Organizations
Also known as Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) a union focusing on skilled craftsmen -
World War II
Another increase of women and African Americans in the workforce. Women began fighting for equal pay for equal work -
1940
1940s: Unions grow based on the promise not to disrupt productivity during the war years -
Taft Hartly Act
Anti-union legislation which restricts the actives and power of labor unions -
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merge
The goal is to increase power by combining forces -
Unions in decline
1960s: Labor movement in decline