1790s Trade unions organized in major cities began to increase in number as the factory system

took hold.

First US factory system 1791 Samuel Slater emigrated from Britain and helped establish the first
factory system

beginnings of labor unions 1800s Workers begin to organize into labor unions for goal of
receiving a 10-hour workday

lowell system Young women were hired and brought together to be housed in dormitories; they
would work for only a short time, but were paid low wages for hard work under poor conditions

first strike 1828 Child workers led strike in New Jersey

rise of unions 1830s Brought about by the growth of the factory system, the desire for benefits,
and an influx of immigrants willing to work

national trades union 1837 Craft union workers within a single trade

ten hour work day 1840s and 1850s Most state legislatures in the North passed laws
establishing 10-hour days for industrial workers

commonwealth v hunt 1842 Supreme Court ruled that "peaceful unions" had the right to
negotiate labor contracts with employers

national labor union 1866 Goals: Increase wages and 8-hour work day, monetary reform, and
worker cooperatives. Believed in equal rights for women and African Americans. Lost support in
1873 depression and unsuccessful strikes of 1877

knights of labor 1869 First a secret society under Terrence V. Powderly to avoid detection by
employers, but went public in 1881 for all workers even African Americans and women. Goals:
Abolition of child labor and trusts and monopolies and "make each man his own employer."
Declined after Haymarket Square Riot.

socialist labor party 1877 Led by Daniel De Leon; wanted workers to improve by accepting
Socialism

railroad strike 1877 Began on the Baltimore and Ohio system because of a wage cut to reduce
costs and spread to 11 states. In response to the strike employers either improved wages and
working conditions or broke up worker's organizations

greenback labor party 1878 Tried to promote the inflation of farm prices and the cooperative
marketing of agricultural produce
Haymaker Square Riot 1886 A public meeting in Chicago calling for a strike to achieve an 8-
hour work day. Police attempted to break up the meeting, but a bomb was thrown killing 7
police. Americans began to believe the union movement was radical and violent.

American Federation of Labor 1886 Concentrated on practical economic goals such as higher
wages, improved working conditions. Members were directed to walk out until the employer
agreed to negotiate a new contract through collective bargaining

Rerum Novarum 1891 Pope Leo XIII defended the right of labor to form unions.

Homestead strike 1892 Henry Clay Frick, manager of Homestead Steel plant cut wages
nearly 20% and used the lockout, private guards, and strikebreakers to defeat the workers
walkout. Set back the union movement in the steel industry.

March on Washington 1894 Jacob Coxey led groups of unemployed workers into D.C. to
demand a government work relief program. It was unsuccessful, arrests were made and the
crowd was forced to disperse.

Pullman Strike 1894 George Pullman cut wages and fired leaders of the worker's delegations
for the Pullman factory. Workers boycotted by not handling the cars. Cleveland interfered when
cars were attached to mail trains and the strike came to an end.

1900 Only 3% of Americans belonged to unions. Management held the upper hand, with
government generally taking its side.

Anthracite Coal Worker Strike 1902 Theodore Roosevelt mediated between a union leader and
the coal mine owner. Threatened to take over the mines with federal troops if the owner didn't
compromise. Ended with a 10% wage increase and a 9-hour day to miners.

Department of Labor and Commerce 1903 New Cabinet position was created to address
concerns of labor and business. The Bureau of Corporations was formed and investigated and
reported illegal activities of corporations.

Lochner v New York 1905 Upheld the belief that no government had the power to deprive any
laborer to negotiate labor contracts

Child Labor Act 1916 This law forbad the shipment of products whose production involved labor
of children under the age of 14 and it was the first time Congress regulated labor within a state
using the interstate commerce power.

Adamson Act 1916 Mandated an 8-hour day for workers on interstate railroad and time and a
half for overtime with a maximum of a 16-hour shift.

Kerr-McGillicuddy act 1916 Began the program of worker's compensations for federal
employees
Hammer v Dagenhart 1918 Declared Child Labor Act of 1916 unconstitutional on the grounds
that it interfered with states powers.

National War Labor Board 1918 Chaired by former President Taft and Attorney Frank
Walsh. Goals: Prevent strikes, encourage higher wages, 8-hour day, and unionization.

Labor and Communism 1919 Americans associated radicals in labor unions and strikes with the
threat of a communist revolution.

1920s Unions declined 20%, partly because most companies insisted on open shop (keeping
jobs open to nonunion workers and began to practice welfare capitalism (voluntarily offering
their employees improved benefits and higher wages to remove the need of unions).

National Association of Manufacturers 1920 Attempted to restore "open-shop", suggested

pension and insurance plans.

New Deal 1930s Civilian Conservations Corps, Public Works Administration, National
Industrial Recovery Act

National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) 1933 Gave laborers protection on minimum and
maximum hours, rights to organize and bargain collectively.

National Recovery Administration (NRA) 1933 An attempt to guarantee reasonable profits

for business and fair wages and hours for labor. Enforced NIRA.

Schechter v. United States 1935 Declared the NRA unconstitutional

Committee of Industrial Organizations 1935 Renamed Congress of Industrial Organizations in

1936, it concentrated on organizing unskilled workers in the automobile, steel, and southern
textile industries.

second new deal 1935 Works Progress Administration, National Youth Administration, Wagner
Act.

Wagner Act/ National Labor Relations Act 1935 Reaffirms labor's right to unionize,
prohibited unfair labor practices, and created the National Labor Relations Boards to oversee and
insure fairness in labor management relations.

Social Security Act 1935 Established a retirement plan for ages 65 and older. Funded by
taxing wages and led to unemployment insurance programs.

Sit-Down strikes 1937 Workers barricaded themselves inside factories until their demands
were met. FDR hesitated to take action.

Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 Established a minimum wage, a maximum workweek of 40
hours and time and a half for overtime, and child-labor restrictions on those under 16
US v Darby Lumber Co 1941 Reversed earlier ruling by upholding the child-labor provisions of
the Fair Labor Standards Act.

National War Labor Board 1942 Created by FDR to settle disputes and stabilize labor

War Labor Disputes Act 1943 Passed by Congress after the government seized the
coalmines due to walkout of the United Mine Workers, gave president the power to take over
any war plant threatened by a strike and outlawed strikes against seized plants.

Taft-Hartly Act 1947 Prohibited "union only" work environments called "closed shops",
restricted labor's rights to strike, prohibited use of union funds for political purposes, and gave
government broad power to intervene in strikes

Landrom-Griffen Labor Management Act 1959 Established rules to control unfair union
practices

90 day price and wage freeze 1971 Nixon ordered a price and wage freeze for 90 days to try to
prevent higher inflation

early obstacles to union success 1. Immigrant replacement workers

2. State laws outlawing unions
3. Frequent economic depressions with high unemployment

tactics used by employers to defeat unions 1. Lockout: Closing the factory to break a labor
movement before it could get organized
2. Blacklists: Names of prounion workers circulated among employers
3. Yellow-dog contracts: Workers being told, as a condition for employment, that they must sign
and agreement not to join a union
4. Calling in private guards or state militia
5. obtaining court injunctions against strikes