Trade unions

History of Trade Unions

By leahcrystal

  • 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