National Labor Union

coalition of local trade unions. The NLU is currently made up of 600,000 skilled/unskilled workers, farmers, women, and blacks. William H. Sylvis says, We are looking for higher wages and eight hour work shifts. They are also looking to gain social reform. This group is

On Saturday August 20th, 1866 at a convention in Baltimore, MD, a group called the National Labor union known as the NLU was formed and led by William H. Sylvis. This group has been formed by labor activists to try to form a national

receiving a lot of support from construction unions. The NLU is not looking to hold strikes instead they plan to use arbitration.

Knights of Labor

of the members states, We are seeking the eight-hour day, abolition of child labor, equal pay for equal work, and political reforms including the graduated income tax. It is based on a belief in the unity of interest of

An injury to one of the concern of all. is the slogan being chanted by the people in the Knights of Labor (KOL). KOL is a newly founded union beginning as a secret society in Philadelphia by the working class. It includes a very diverse membership of 700,000 people lead by Uriah S. Stephens. One

all producing groups. Sponsorship for the KOL is being provided by local libraries, reading rooms, the lecture society, and sporting clubs.

American Federation of Labor

formed to promote skilled laborers, and wanted higher wages, a better work place and a shorter work week. The members have begun to hold strikes and have started collective bargaining.

Samuel Gompers has recently formed a group call the American Federation of Labor mostly composed of highly skilled craft people. However, this group excluded unskilled workers, women, blacks, and immigrants. This group was

American Railway Union

secretary, and chose a meeting place to start up this group. The goal of the ARU is uniting railway employees from all types of jobs into one giant union. Founder Eugene V. Debs states I believe that the trade unions to which different types of railroad workers belonged had been ineffective.

Earlier this week in Chicago, Illinois on June 20th, 1893, a group called the American Railway union. Ten railway workers donated $2 each, signed the required documents, elected a chapter Yesterday, a boycott against the Pullman Company led to a strike against the railroads. Riots and violence has occurred along with the strikes.

Great Strike

wages were cut for the third time by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The Great Strike has finally ended after 45 days. After beginning on July 14th, 1877 in Martinsburg, West Virginia the great strike was put to a stop by local and state militias, and federal troops sent by President Rutherford B. Hayes. This massive strike all began when

Haymarket Affair

solid evidence was presented linking the defendants to the bombing. Seven of the eight men were sentenced to the death penalty and the other was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Earlier this week on May 4th, 1886, a labor protest rally at Haymarket Square turned into an enormous riot when a bomb was thrown at police. Eight people have been reported dead and many are injured. Eight men were convicted in a controversial trial in which the jury was considered to be biased and no

Homestead Strike

This battle began because of the Homestead Strike which was a lockout last month on the 30th of June.

July 6th, 1892 one of the most serious disputes in U.S. labor history has begun. A battle between strikers and security agents was fought yesterday at the Homestead Steel works in Pennsylvania. The result of the battle was a major defeat for the union and a setback for efforts to unionize steelworkers.

Pullman Strike

recent reductions in wages. The American Railway Union called a boycott against trains that carried Pullman cars. So far 30 people have been killed as a response to the riots and there

The American Railway Union is striking against the Pullman Company nationwide. Currently, much of the nation's freight and passenger traffic west of Detroit, Michigan are shut down. Two weeks ago this strike began on May 11 when nearly 4,000 factory employees of the Pullman Company began a wildcat strike in response to

are over $80 million worth of damages.