Surf these sites: A Short History of American Labor -- By the 1820s, various unions involved in the effort to reduce the working day from 12 to 10 hours began to show interest in the idea of federation-of joining together in pursuit of common objectives for working people. Address to the National Labor Union of the United States -- From the minutes of the General Council meeting, May 11, 1869, as taken by George Eccarius. American Labor History -- Presentation of an online study guide, searchable by topic or by period. An Eclectic List of Events in U.S. Labor History -- Begins 1806 when the union of Philadelphia Journeymen Cordwainers was convicted of and bankrupted by charges of criminal conspiracy after a strike for higher wages, setting a precedent by which the U.S. government would combat unions for years to come. Highlights from 1806 to 1989. Avondale -- The 1869 calamity of the Avondale shaft, furnishes another case where the whole population of the mine perished for want of means of escape, in time of accident, to the only opening of the mine. Child Labor -- Article about child labor in the 19th century by David Cody, Associate Professor of English, Hartwick College. Coal Mining in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era -- Accounts of the culture of coal mining from the 1860s through the early 1900s. Famous American Trials: The Haymarket Affair -- Details accounts of the trial, excerpts, biographies of participants, speeches, map of riot area and monuments. History of Labor Day -- Conceived by the America''s labor unions as a testament to their cause, it became a national holiday in 1894 as a timeless act of political expediency. Read about the turbulent circumstances of its birth. Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld - 1893-1897 -- Early in his term as governor, he was asked to review the sentences of the surviving prisoners convicted after the Haymarket affair. The next year, during the Pullman strike, Altgeld refused to send in troops against the striking railway workers, and protested when President Cleveland defied his authority. Labor Day -- Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. Labor History -- The modern labor movement’s roots are more accurately reflected in the breakdown of cottage industries, which occurred in the United States in the early 1800s. Mother Jones -- In her 73rd year, Mary Jones marched from Philadelphia to New York, followed by hundreds of textile workers, half under the age of 16. They marched in their tattered rags, many with fingers missing from a moment''s carelessness at the loom. Their goal was to see President Theodore Roosevelt to plead for his support in ending the abominable work life of tens of thousands of Philadelphia''s children. Race and Racism at the 1886 Knights of Labor Convention -- The convention and the Knights, the most powerful labor organization in late nineteenth century America, were quickly plunged into conflict over the organization''s attitudes toward the question of social equality between the races. Rough Conditions Existed In Coal Fields -- The rough actions of the Molly Maguires, although inexcusable in a civilized society, were no doubt brought on by in large part by the conditions they faced in the mines and in the mining towns, called patches. Spotlight Biography: Labor Reformers -- As the power and scale of American industry grew during the 19th century, working conditions for most Americans underwent radical change. Mechanized, large-scale factories staffed by unskilled laborers gradually came to replace specialized craftsmen and small workshops. Samuel Gompers, more than any other individual, helped to modernize the unions, organize them on a national scale, and open their doors to unskilled as well as skilled workers. The American Railway Union -- Under Locomotive Fireman Gene Debs'' leadership, the ARU was formed in Chicago on June 20, 1893 as a single organization representing all crafts of railroad employees. Within the year, the ARU had 125 locals, as thousands rushed to join the new type of union. Whole lodges of established craft unions voted to affiliate with the ARU---and just in time for a fight! The Haymarket Tragedy -- During the nation-wide strike for the 8-hour workday, which began may 1, 1886, a mass meeting was held to protest a police action of the previous day in which workers were killed. When police ordered the protest meeting to disperse, a bomb was thrown and killed several officers. The Homestead and Pullman Strikes -- In light of the recent depression, the voters of 1896 were concerned with keeping money in their pockets. Within recent public memory lay two major events that led to this unease--the Homestead strike of 1892 and the Pullman Railroad strike of 1894. These two conflicts brought to the surface the deeper issues at work in an age of industrial progress. The Labor Movement in the Public Eye -- American public opinion during the late 1800s was marked by mistrust and uncertainty. It appeared to the American people that the labor unions were fighting for better working conditions one minute, and the next it appeared that they were leading a revolution against business and government. The Government took an anti-labor stance in response to the public outcry against labor-based extremism and violence. The Origins of May First -- A century ago, on May 1, 1886, a general strike broke across the United States. Within days it would culminate in the events forever associated with the name Haymarket. Workers in 19th-century Britain -- Contains the reprinted work of "Readings in European History Since 1814," which describes the parliamentary investigation of conditions in the textile factories by Michael Sadler in 1832. The immediate effect of the investigation and the report resulted in the passage of the Act of 1833 limiting hours of employment for women and children in textile work.
Help build the largest human-edited
directory on the web.