Trade Union Civil Rights
1865-1914: Violence and divisions preventing development of workers’ solidarity
Position in 1865: union and labour rights limited to what they workers could negotiate with their
employer on an individual level. Very few unions, only small and exclusively for skilled workers – no
legal obligation to recognise/allow unions.
Effect of industrialisation 1860-1900
-Traditional skills were disappearing, unskilled and low-paid workers in increasing demand. By 1890,
unskilled woman = 35% of labour force
-Both skilled and unskilled workers worked 12 hour shifts, often in dangerous and harmful
conditions e.g. high accident rate in steel mills, and lung disease in coal mines
-1889: 2,000 railway workers killed as a result of accidents
National Labour Union (NLU), 1866 – first cross-craft organisation
-Industrialisation 1860-1900: industrial workers 885,000 to 3.2m, need to organise labour to avoid
evils of industrialisation e.g. William Sylvis, President of the Iron Moulders’ International Union
-Sylvis called a convention in 1866 = National Labour Union, first cross-craft organisation
-1866/67: Iron Founders strike fails. Membership 300,000 by 1868. Sylvis died in 1869 marking the
demise of the NLU
Knights of Labour (KOL), 1869 – nearest workers had come to establishing some solidarity until the
violence of the Haymarket Affair destroyed reputation. Accepted AAs – see AA labour
-Founded in 1869 by Uriah Smith Stephens, achieved initial success, attracted membership from NLU
following its demise
-Gained real momentum after 1879 when Terence Powderly became its leader – wanted to unite
skilled and unskilled labour and break the cultural/racial divisions. Didn’t believe in using strikes.
-1881: 20,000 members. But forced to abandon anti-strike view in 1885 vs Wabash Railroad. Success
boosted membership to 700,000 in 1886 (included AA and women)
-Violence of Haymarket Affair in 1886 destroyed KOL’s reputation and support dwindled. Only
100,000 members in 1890s, and internal divisions led to split-ups within the union
American Federation of Labour (AFL), 1886 – most significant development in the period. Accepted
AAs – see AA labour
-Effectively replaced the KOL when founded in December 1886. First successful federation seeking to
link all unions, became the largest – leader was Samuel Gompers
-By 1914: 2m members, although still only represented a small % of national industrial workforce
Haymarket Affair 1886 – indicative of extent of suspicion and animosity towards new migrants.
Also of problems of violence in hindering the movement
-May 1886: violence police vs striking workers at the McCormick Harvester Plant. 4 workers killed
when police opened fire. 7 policeman killed by a bomb during protest rally next day, police
responded by firing, killing 4 more workers.
-Violence blamed on German anarchists and 8 arrested, no evidence but all convicted and 5
executed. Propagated myth that America was in the grips of a foreign communist conspiracy.
1865-1914: Violence and divisions preventing development of workers’ solidarity
Position in 1865: union and labour rights limited to what they workers could negotiate with their
employer on an individual level. Very few unions, only small and exclusively for skilled workers – no
legal obligation to recognise/allow unions.
Effect of industrialisation 1860-1900
-Traditional skills were disappearing, unskilled and low-paid workers in increasing demand. By 1890,
unskilled woman = 35% of labour force
-Both skilled and unskilled workers worked 12 hour shifts, often in dangerous and harmful
conditions e.g. high accident rate in steel mills, and lung disease in coal mines
-1889: 2,000 railway workers killed as a result of accidents
National Labour Union (NLU), 1866 – first cross-craft organisation
-Industrialisation 1860-1900: industrial workers 885,000 to 3.2m, need to organise labour to avoid
evils of industrialisation e.g. William Sylvis, President of the Iron Moulders’ International Union
-Sylvis called a convention in 1866 = National Labour Union, first cross-craft organisation
-1866/67: Iron Founders strike fails. Membership 300,000 by 1868. Sylvis died in 1869 marking the
demise of the NLU
Knights of Labour (KOL), 1869 – nearest workers had come to establishing some solidarity until the
violence of the Haymarket Affair destroyed reputation. Accepted AAs – see AA labour
-Founded in 1869 by Uriah Smith Stephens, achieved initial success, attracted membership from NLU
following its demise
-Gained real momentum after 1879 when Terence Powderly became its leader – wanted to unite
skilled and unskilled labour and break the cultural/racial divisions. Didn’t believe in using strikes.
-1881: 20,000 members. But forced to abandon anti-strike view in 1885 vs Wabash Railroad. Success
boosted membership to 700,000 in 1886 (included AA and women)
-Violence of Haymarket Affair in 1886 destroyed KOL’s reputation and support dwindled. Only
100,000 members in 1890s, and internal divisions led to split-ups within the union
American Federation of Labour (AFL), 1886 – most significant development in the period. Accepted
AAs – see AA labour
-Effectively replaced the KOL when founded in December 1886. First successful federation seeking to
link all unions, became the largest – leader was Samuel Gompers
-By 1914: 2m members, although still only represented a small % of national industrial workforce
Haymarket Affair 1886 – indicative of extent of suspicion and animosity towards new migrants.
Also of problems of violence in hindering the movement
-May 1886: violence police vs striking workers at the McCormick Harvester Plant. 4 workers killed
when police opened fire. 7 policeman killed by a bomb during protest rally next day, police
responded by firing, killing 4 more workers.
-Violence blamed on German anarchists and 8 arrested, no evidence but all convicted and 5
executed. Propagated myth that America was in the grips of a foreign communist conspiracy.
