Union Timeline

  • Industrial Revolution

    Industrial Revolution
    The Industrial revolution was a huge turning point. During the revolution labir unions rose to an all time high, at that point in time.Labor unions arose because there were many who found difficulty in accepting how “big business” was run. unions helped spread the balance of power more evenly so that labourers could bargain for more rights.
  • Sherman Anti-Trust Act

    Sherman Anti-Trust Act
    This law was the first major piece of legislation that affected labor unions. This law was against any "restraint of commerce" across state lines. The courts ruled that union strikes and boycotts were covered by the law.
  • Homestead Strike

    Homestead Strike
    This was an industrial strike and lockout. The battle was one of the most serious disputes in U.S. labor history. The final result was a major defeat for the union and a setback for their efforts to unionize steelworkers.
  • The Pullman Strike

    The Pullman Strike
    A rsilroad strike and boycott that severely disrupted rail traffic in the Midwest of the United States. These workers appealed for support to the American Railway Union (ARU), which argued unsuccessfully for arbitration. This lasted for three months.
  • Ludlow Massacre

    Ludlow Massacre
    This was an attack by the Colorado National Guard and Colorado Fuel & Iron Company camp guards on a tent colony of 1,200 coal miners. The coal miners had been trying to join the union for years. They were opposed by the umwas response and went on strike.
  • Railroad Shop Workers Strike

    Railroad Shop Workers Strike
    The railroad labor board announced that wages for railroad shop workers would be cut by seven cents. 400,000 rail shop laborers from unions went on strike. The great American railroads responded tight away by employing non-union workers to replace three-quarters of the empty positions.
  • The Norris-La Guardia Act

    The Norris-La Guardia Act
    The Norris–La Guardia Act was also known as the Anti-Injunction Bill. It was a United States federal law that banned yellow-dog contracts and barred the federal courts from issuing injunctions. The law created a positive right of noninterference by employers against workers joining trade unions.
  • The New Deal

    The New Deal
    The New Deal was a series of domestic programs enacted in the United States. They included both laws passed by Congress as well as presidential executive orders during the first term of FDR. Unions really increased during this time.
  • The Wagner Act

    The Wagner Act
    This law was a New Deal reform passed by President Franklin Roosevelt. This Act was also known as the naional labor relations act. It was instrumental in preventing employers from interfering with workers' unions and protests in the private sector.
  • The Great Depression

    The Great Depression
    Union's were growing during the 1930's during Roosevelt's administration. Unions may have existed before the Great Depression, but Unions declined during this time. Then their sudden growth that resulted in new interest about them as well as government support.
  • World War 2

    World War 2
    This was a global war that inflicted many. This was also during the times of the Great Depression and New Deal. Unions dropped in popularity than rose again.