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The first Labor Strike in America
Polish craftsmen began the first labor strike in the colony of Jamestown. After they were denied participation in the first Virginia Assembly Polish settlers conducted a labor walkout. The House of Burgesses relized the important role of the polish craftsmen and granted them the same voting rights as the English. -
Daughters of Liberty
The Daughters of Liberty used their traditional skills to "homespun". After joining the support to condem British importation they used this skill to make America less dependent upon British textiles. They were thought of as patriotic heroines for their success. They even inflluenced the Continental Congress' decision to boycott all British goods. -
Philadelphia's Journeymen Cordwainers
Philadelphia's Journeymen Cordwainers was the first labor union to be convicted of engaging in a criminal conspiracy for striking aganinst master craftsmen and city entrepreneurs for higher wages. The U.S. government would use this as a guide to fight against labor unions for years after. -
Commonwealth vs. Pullis
This was the first reported case arising from a labor strike in the United States. Philadelphia shoemakers organized the "Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers" which led a strike in 1805 for higher wages. The strike ended when important union leaders were charged with conspiracy. The decision made during this trail strengthened the idea "that workers were transitory, irresponsible, and dangerous" thus in need of "judicial control". -
Journeyman Mechanics' Almanac
In Philadelphia Journeyman Mechanics' Almanac begins to be published. Making Journeyman Mechanics' Almanac the first newspaper dedicated to labor in the United States. -
Workingmen's Party Established
Workingmen's Party was the forst labor-orientated political organization in the U.S. It was first established in Philadelphia then later in New York as well. The New Y ork party was headed by Thomas Skidmore and avocated for 10-hour working days and the abolition of imprisonment for debt. By late 1830's many members had switched to the Whig Party. -
10-hour Workday
It was under president Martin Van Buren that the 10-hour workday was established for the employees of the U.S. -
Commonwealth vs Hunt
During the mid 1800's even as labor was unionist were experiencing many gains most uonion memberships had begun to shrivel due to the severe depression of 1842. Yet the remaining unionists won a promising legal victory with the Supreme Court ruling on the case of Commonwealth vs Hunt. It was decided that labor unionist were not illegal conspiracies, provoded that their methods were "honorable and peaceful". -
National Labor Union Founded
The National Labor Union lasted for six years and grew to some 600.000 members. Members included skilled, unskilled, and farmers, but over time Chinese, women, and African-Americans were excluded. The National Labor Union fought for arbitration of industrial disputes and the eight-hour workday. After the devestation of the 1870's the union faced hard times but never fully toppled over. -
Knights of Labor Founded
The Knights of Labor picked up where the National Labor Union had left off. Officially known as the noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor it began as a secret society with a private ritual, password, and secret handshake as a way to avoid trouble with employers. Like the National Labor Union all workers were included. Only "nonproducers" were banned such as liquior dealers, bankers, and stockbrokers. The Knights focused on social and economic reform. -
Railway Strike of 1877
After the long years of deflation and depression following the panic of 1873 railroad workers were experiencing particularlly hard times. So when the presidents' of the four largest railroad companies collectively decided to cut wages by 10 percent, workers retaliated by producing the strike of 1877. President Hayes in an attept to stop the strike calls in federal troops . Racial and ethnic fissures among workers were shown with the failure of the great railroad strike. -
Haymarket Riot
Labor disorders broke out on the Haymarket Square, in retaliation Chicago police advanced on the group called to protest alleged brutalities by the authorities. A dynamite bomb was thrown into the crowd and killed or injured several dozen people, including police. Hysteria swept through Chicago. This incident became a symbol of government oppression on the working class. -
American Federation of Labor Founded
The American Federation of Labor cosisted of self-governing national unions, each of which kept its independence. This meant that indiviual laborers could not join the central organization. The AF of L was first headed and largely created by Samuel Gompers. The AF of L sought for better wages, hours, and working conditions. Composed of only skilled craftsmen, the unskilled were left to fend for themselves. -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Palac Company was hit hard by the depression causing them to cut wages by one-third. Outraged the workers struck back by overturning Pullman cars, paalyzing railway traffic from Chicago to the Pacific Coast. Federal troops were then called in to end the strike. Debs was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. This is the first time the legal weapon of "government by injunction" was used against organized labor to stop a strike. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Laws regulating factories were ignored until a lethal fore takes place at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City. Locked doors and other violations of the fire code turned the factory into a death trap. One hundred forty-six workers were killed,angered the public held many strikes until the New York legislature made much stronger laws regulating hours and conditions of sweatshops. This lead to manyy other legislations taking similar percautions to aoid another incident. -
First State Minimum Wage
The minimum-wage legislation is inacted in the state of Massachusetts. This leads other states to later follow suit and inact minimum wage laws as well. -
Federal Department of Labor established
In an effect to emphasize a pro-labor stance for future presidents Taft established the Federal Department of Labor. In coming president Wilson followed suit by appointing a United Mine Workers official, William B. Wilson, as the first secretary of labor. -
Stock Market Crash
With the crash of the Stock Market numerous workers lost their jobs and fought to make it through the Great Depression. -
Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act)
The intention of the Wagner Act was to guarantee employees "the right to self-organization, to form, to join, or assist labor organizations, to bargin collectivelly through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective barginning of other mutal aid and protection". This act applied to all employers involved in interstate commerce except airlines, railroads, agriculture, and government. -
Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO)
Under the lead of John L. Lewis the CIO was created within the ranks of the Skilled-Craft American Federation of Labor. Using the sit-down strike the CIO was able to make General Motors recognize them as the sole baraining agency for its employees. -
Fair Standard Act (Wages and Hours Bill)
Industries involved in commerce had to set up minimum-wage and maximum hour levels. The eventual goal was forty cents an hour and forty hour weeks. Labor by children under sixteen was not allowed. -
U.S. Postal Strike of 1970
In the 195 year history of the postal ring this was the first mass work stoppage. It involved 210,000 of the nations 750,000 postal employees. The states of New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia had their mail services completely paralyzed causing president Nixon to declare a state of national emergency. The strike directly led to the passage of th Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, which modernized the postal service and allowed the postal workers to collectively bargain. -
American Airlines
A planned 11-day walkout done by the American Airlines' flight atendents severely hampered America's second largest carrier. This was the largest walkout against an airline since the one against Eastern Airlines in 1989. -
FedEx pays $3 million to settle charges for hiring discrimination
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced that hiring discrimination charges against FedEx were settled with the convicted companies paying three million dollars in back wages and interest to 21,635 applicants. Making this the largest single finacial settlement negotiated by the OFCCP since 2004.
