query: who helped form the american federation of labor?

title: American Federation of Labor

text: American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States founded in Columbus, Ohio, in December 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor union. Samuel Gompers of the Cigar Makers' International Union was elected president at its founding convention and reelected every year, except one, until his death in 1924. The A.F. of L was the largest union grouping in the United States for the first half of the 20th century, even after the creation of the Congress

title: American Federation of Labor

text: organizing effort. The A.F. of L. responded with its own massive organizing drive that kept its membership totals 50 percent higher than the CIO's. American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States founded in Columbus, Ohio, in December 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor union. Samuel Gompers of the Cigar Makers' International Union was elected president at its founding convention and reelected every year, except one, until his death in 1924. The A.F. of L

title: Pan-American Federation of Labor

text: Pan-American Federation of Labor Pan-American Federation of Labor () was an international trade union organization, promoted by the American Federation of Labor. The organization was founded at a conference in Laredo, Texas, United States in December 1918. At the conference, 72 delegates took part, 46 from USA, 21 from Mexico (representing CROM) and five from Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Colombia. The conference elected Samuel Gompers as the president of the organization. The organization was later joined by reformist labor movements from Cuba, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua and Bolivia. AFL and CROM were, however, the only national trade union

title: Pan-American Federation of Labor

text: Cuba. The Cuban conference organizers cancelled the event, as the AFL had supported a call for US military intervention in Cuba. The organization was formally dissolved in 1934. Pan-American Federation of Labor Pan-American Federation of Labor () was an international trade union organization, promoted by the American Federation of Labor. The organization was founded at a conference in Laredo, Texas, United States in December 1918. At the conference, 72 delegates took part, 46 from USA, 21 from Mexico (representing CROM) and five from Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Colombia. The conference elected Samuel Gompers as the president of the

title: American Federation of Labor

text: that a person did not have to be a union member to be hired. A.F. of L. unions lost membership steadily until 1933. In 1924, following the death of Samuel Gompers, UMWA member and A.F. of L. vice president William Green became the president of the labor federation. The organization endorsed pro-labor progressive Robert M. La Follette Sr. in the 1924 presidential election. He only carried his home state of Wisconsin. The campaign failed to establish a permanent independent party closely connected to the labor movement, however, and thereafter the Federation embraced ever more closely the Democratic Party, despite the

title: American Federation of Labor Building

text: are decorative limestone panels. The building is crowned by a projecting modillioned cornice. The ground floor is faced in limestone. The building was completed in 1916 to a design by Miburn, Heister & Company for the American Federation of Labor, which was then at a high point in its power and influence. Samuel Gompers, the organization's leader, characterized it as a monument to the power of labor, and its dedication include a speech by President Woodrow Wilson. The AFL continued to occupy the building until 1955, when its merger with the CIO prompted a need for additional office space. The

title: Labor federation competition in the United States

text: the federation was unable to protect them. But Samuel Gompers proposed a new federation, the American Federation of Labor (AFL). In a complex political environment, Gompers and the craft unionists outmaneuvered the Knights of Labor leadership, gaining considerable support from within the Knights of Labor. The AFL was founded as a continuation of FOOTALU, and as a rival to the now faltering Knights. The very success of the Knights of Labor intensified the split between unskilled and skilled workers and drove a wedge into the working class. Two national organizations now reflected two different philosophies, one job-consciousness, the other class-consciousness.

title: Labor unions in the United States

text: Labor emerged as a major force in the late 1880s, but it collapsed because of poor organization, lack of effective leadership, disagreement over goals, and strong opposition from employers and government forces. The American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886 and led by Samuel Gompers until his death in 1924, proved much more durable. It arose as a loose coalition of various local unions. It helped coordinate and support strikes and eventually became a major player in national politics, usually on the side of the Democrats. American labor unions benefited greatly from the New Deal policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt

text: (WFM). In July 1896, he took the WFM into the American Federation of Labor headed by Samuel Gompers. Almost immediately the two hit a sour note. Gompers and Boyce went together like warm beer and vinegar. A stumpy Jewish immigrant from the London ghetto, Sam Gompers was shaped by the world of his father, who rolled rich cheroots and aromatic panatelas in cigar-making lofts on New York's Lower East Side... the rollers [that young Gompers joined] were educated men, their craft an ancient skill, their union like that of the medieval guilds, designed as much to protect their hard-won turf

title: American Federation of Labor

text: the tactic of independent political action by the workers in the form of the existing Socialist Party or the establishment of a new labor party. After 1908, the organization's tie to the Democratic party grew increasingly strong. Some unions within the A.F. of L. helped form and participated in the National Civic Federation. The National Civic Federation was formed by several progressive employers who sought to avoid labor disputes by fostering collective bargaining and "responsible" unionism. Labor's participation in this federation, at first tentative, created internal division within the A.F. of L. Socialists, who believed the only way to help

title: American Federation of Labor

text: of Labor was possible, the heads of the five labor organizations which issued the call for the April 1886 conference issued a new call for a convention to be held December 8, 1886 in Columbus, Ohio in order to construct "an American federation of alliance of all national and international trade unions." Forty-two delegates representing 13 national unions and various other local labor organizations responded to the call, agreeing to form themselves into an American Federation of Labor. Revenue for the new organization was to be raised on the basis of a "per-capita tax" of its member organizations, set at

title: American Federation of Labor Building

text: American Federation of Labor Building The American Federation of Labor Building is a seven-story brick and limestone building located at 901 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C. Completed in 1916, it served as the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor until 1955, when it merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form the AFL-CIO. It remained a trade union headquarters until 2005, when it was sold to the developers of the Washington Marriott Marquis hotel. The building exterior, the only historical element remaining of the building, is now part of that structure. It was declared a National Historic Landmark

title: American Federation of Labor

text: Labor (A.F. of L.) organized as an association of trade unions in 1886. The organization emerged from a dispute with the Knights of Labor (K of L) organization, in which the leadership of that organization solicited locals of various craft unions to withdraw from their International organizations and to affiliate with the K of L directly, an action which would have taken funds from the various unions and enriched the K of L's coffers. The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions also merged into what would become the American Federation of Labor. One of the organizations embroiled in this

title: Texas State Federation of Labor

text: 17% of the non-agricultural working population. Of these, approximately 235,000 were affiliated to the AFL unions. Texas State Federation of Labor The Texas State Federation of Labor (TSFL) was the Texas affiliate of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). It was formed in 1900 and disbanded in July 1957, when it merged with the Texas State CIO Council to form the Texas AFL-CIO. After several attempts to form a statewide labor organization had foundered, a convention was called at Cleburne, Texas by the Clebourne Trades Council on January 15, 1900. This first convention was attended by 23 delegates representing seven

title: Texas State Federation of Labor

text: Texas State Federation of Labor The Texas State Federation of Labor (TSFL) was the Texas affiliate of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). It was formed in 1900 and disbanded in July 1957, when it merged with the Texas State CIO Council to form the Texas AFL-CIO. After several attempts to form a statewide labor organization had foundered, a convention was called at Cleburne, Texas by the Clebourne Trades Council on January 15, 1900. This first convention was attended by 23 delegates representing seven cities and a membership of 8,475. Despite the organization's name, the TSFL did not receive a

title: American Federation of Labor

text: workers was to remove large industry from private ownership, denounced labor's efforts at cooperation with the capitalists in the National Civic Federation. The A.F. of L. nonetheless continued its association with the group, which declined in importance as the decade of the 1910s drew to a close. By the 1890s, Gompers was planning an international federation of labor, starting with the expansion of A.F. of L. affiliates in Canada, especially Ontario. He helped the Canadian Trades and Labour Congress with money and organizers, and by 1902, the A.F. of L. came to dominate the Canadian union movement. The A.F. of

title: American Federation of Labor

text: differences on an ad hoc basis. The A.F. of L. made efforts in its early years to assist its affiliates in organizing: it advanced funds or provided organizers or, in some cases, such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Teamsters and the American Federation of Musicians, helped form the union. The A.F. of L. also used its influence (including refusal of charters or expulsion) to heal splits within affiliated unions, to force separate unions seeking to represent the same or closely related jurisdictions to merge, or to mediate disputes between rival factions where both sides claimed to represent

title: American Federation of Labor Building

text: in 1974. It housed the American Federation of Labor for 40 years. The facade of the former American Federation of Labor Building forms a corner portion of the massive Washington Marriott Marquis hotel, set at the northwest corner of Massachusetts Avenue and 9th Street NW. It is seven stories in height, built out of brick with limestone trim. It presents five bays, including its original main entrance, to Massachusetts Avenue, and eight bays to 9th Street. The front facade is characterized by four brick piers, which separate window bays in a 1-3-1 pattern. In between the windows within each group

title: American Federation of Labor Building

text: building was then purchased by the Pipefitters Union, which used it as its headquarters. During its ownership the interior was modernized. The union sold the building in 2005 to the developers of the Washington Marriott Marquis, which serves as the main hotel for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, which is located across the street. The interior spaces of the AFL building now house a lounge space, the hotel's fitness center, and four high-end suites. American Federation of Labor Building The American Federation of Labor Building is a seven-story brick and limestone building located at 901 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington,

title: American Federation of Labor

text: of Industrial Organizations (CIO) by unions which were expelled by the A.F. of L. in 1935 over its opposition to industrial unionism. The Federation was founded and dominated by craft unions throughout its first fifty years, after which many craft union affiliates turned to organizing on an industrial union basis to meet the challenge from the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in the 1940s. In 1955, the A.F. of L. merged with the CIO to create the AFL-CIO, which has comprised the longest lasting and most influential labor federation in the United States to this day. The American Federation of

title: American Federation of Labor

text: national officials of the Knights of Labor. The committee of investigation was controlled by individuals friendly to the New York District Assembly, however, and the latter was exonerated. The American Federation of Labor was thus originally formed as an alliance of craft unions outside the Knights of Labor as a means of defending themselves against this and similar incursions. On April 25, 1886, a circular letter was issued by Adolph Strasser of the Cigar Makers and P. J. McGuire of the Carpenters, addressed to all national trade unions and calling for their attendance of a conference in Philadelphia on May

title: American Federation of Labor

text: endorsement by various local labor bodies. Some assemblies of the K of L supported the Cigar Makers' position and departed the organization: in Baltimore, 30 locals left the organization, while the membership of the Knights in Chicago fell from 25,000 in 1886 to just 3,500 in 1887. Factional warfare broke out in the K of L, with Terence Powderly blaming the organization's travails on "radicals" in its ranks, while those opposing Powderly called for an end to what they perceived as "autocratic leadership." In the face of the steady disintegration of its rival, the fledgling American Federation of Labor struggled

title: American Federation of Labor

text: founding convention of the A.F. of L. had authorized the establishment of a publication for the new organization, Gompers made use of the existing labor press to generate support for the position of the craft unions against the Knights of Labor. Powerful opinion-makers of the American labor movement such as the Philadelphia "Tocsin," "Haverhill Labor," the "Brooklyn Labor Press," and the "Denver Labor Enquirer" granted Gompers space in their pages, in which he made the case for the unions against the attacks of employers, "all too often aided by the K of L." Headway was made in the form of

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: employees, and the United Teachers of Los Angeles (with thirty thousand teachers from the American Federation and the National Education Association).” They have helped make Los Angeles a union city. Their mission is to “ promote a voice for workers through organizing themselves into unions, building strong coalitions of labor, community, faith, and responsible businesses, engaging in both organizing and political campaigns, electing pro-union and pro-worker candidates and advancing public policies that support workers, families and local communities.” They also encourage people to help make change by voting. The Los Angeles County Federation of labor is a major focal point

title: American Federation of Labor

text: the leadership of an affiliated union. The A.F. of L. also chartered "federal unions"—local unions not affiliated with any international union—in those fields in which no affiliate claimed jurisdiction. The A.F. of L. also encouraged the formation of local labor bodies (known as central labor councils) in major metropolitan areas in which all of the affiliates could participate. These local labor councils acquired a great deal of influence in some cases. For example, the Chicago Federation of Labor spearheaded efforts to organize packinghouse and steel workers during and immediately after World War I. Local building trades councils also became powerful

title: American Federation of Labor

text: as an industrial organizing strategy. The dues in these federal labor unions (FLUs) were kept intentionally low to make them more accessible to low paid industrial workers; however, these low dues later allowed the Internationals in the Federation to deny members of FLUs voting membership at conventions. In 1933, Green sent William Collins to Detroit to organize automobile workers into a federal labor union. That same year workers at the Westinghouse plant in East Springfield MA, members of federal labor union 18476, struck for recognition. In 1933, the A.F. of L. received 1,205 applications for charters for federal labor unions,

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: Chicago Federation of Labor The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) is an umbrella organization for unions in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is a subordinate body of the AFL-CIO, and as of 2011 has about 320 affiliated member unions representing half a million union members in Cook County. The labor body is also involved in political lobbying, often in alliance with other allied organizations (e.g.. Interfaith Worker Justice), is active in Chicago politics, and participates in many of Chicago's civic committees (composed of business and city leaders). The CFL was formed by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) on November 9,

title: American Federation of Labor

text: CIO merged to form the AFL–CIO, headed by George Meany. During its first years, the A.F. of L. admitted nearly anyone. Gompers opened the A.F. of L. to radical and socialist workers and to some semiskilled and unskilled workers. Women, African Americans, and immigrants joined in small numbers. But by the 1890s, the Federation had begun to organize only skilled workers in craft unions and became an organization of mostly white men. Although the Federation preached a policy of egalitarianism in regard to African American workers, it actively discriminated against black workers. The A.F. of L. sanctioned the maintenance of

title: American Federation of Labor

text: L. In the early 1930s A.F. of L. president William Green (president, 1924–1952) experimented with an industrial approach to organizing in the automobile and steel industries. The A.F. of L. made forays into industrial unionism by chartering federal labor unions, which would organize across an industry and be chartered by the Federation, not through existing craft unions, guilds, or brotherhoods. As early as 1923, the A.F. of L. had chartered federal labor unions, including six news writer locals that had formerly been part of the International Typographical Union. However, in the 1930s the AFL began chartering these federal labor unions

title: Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions

text: organization dissolved itself. It turned over its treasury of $248.97 and all its property to the other delegates. The other delegates then declared themselves to be the American Federation of Labor. Although many at the time argued that FOTLU merged with the AFL, the AFL was in fact a continuation of the FOTLU. Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada (FOTLU) was a federation of labor unions created on November 15, 1881, at Turner Hall in Pittsburgh. It changed its name to the American Federation of

title: American Federation of Labor

text: 18. The call stated that an element of the Knights of Labor was doing "malicious work" and causing "incalculable mischief by arousing antagonisms and dissensions in the labor movement." The call was signed by Strasser and McGuire, along with representatives of the Granite Cutters, the Iron Molders, and the secretary of the Federation of Trades of North America, a forerunner of the A.F. of L. founded in 1881. Forty-three invitations were mailed, which drew the attendance of 20 delegates and letters of approval from 12 other unions. At this preliminary gathering, held in Donaldson Hall on the corner of Broad

title: American Federation of Labor

text: as an unskilled labor reserve that kept wages low. As such, the Federation often opposed women's employment entirely. When it did organize women workers, most often it did so to protect men's jobs and earning power and not to improve the conditions, lives, or wages of women workers. In response, most women workers remained outside the labor movement. In 1900, only 3.3% of working women were organized into unions. In 1910, even as the A.F. of L. surged forward in membership, the number had dipped to 1.5%. And while it improved to 6.6% over the next decade, women remained mostly

title: American Federation of Government Employees

text: American Federation of Government Employees The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is an American labor union representing over 670,000 employees of the federal government, about 5,000 employees of the District of Columbia, and a few hundred private sector employees, mostly in and around federal facilities. AFGE is the largest union for civilian, non-postal federal employees and the largest union for District of Columbia employees who report directly to the mayor ("i.e.", outside D.C. public schools). It is affiliated with the AFL-CIO. AFGE was founded on October 17, 1932, by local unions loyal to the American Federation of Labor (AFL)

title: Labor Party of the United States

text: Party and the Chicago Federation of Labor was leading the charge to organize the Labor Party of Cook County in Illinois. Over the course of the next year, the Labor Party of Cook County and the Illinois Federation of Labor joined forces to help form the Labor Party of Illinois, while workers in New York City established the American Labor Party of Greater New York, which quickly evolved into the American Labor Party of New York State. By August 1919, labor parties had been established in seven states, including Minnesota, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Kansas, Ohio, and South Dakota. By

text: Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada (FOTLU) was a federation of labor unions created on November 15, 1881, at Turner Hall in Pittsburgh. It changed its name to the American Federation of Labor (AFL) on December 8, 1886. During the Long Depression of 1873-1878, the Knights of Labor emerged as a potent force for workers in the United States. But as Marxists and Socialists joined the labor movement and fought for dominance within various labor unions, influential newspapers began to advocate for the suppression of

title: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

text: the Asian Immigrant Women's Advocates in the San Francisco, California, the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates in Los Angeles, California, and Workers' Awaaz and the Chinese Staff and Workers' Association in New York City also helped the federation see the need for an Asian-Pacific American labor organization. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance was founded on May 1, 1992 when 500 Asian-Pacific American labor activists met to found a new national labor organization to give Asian and Pacific Islander workers a more effective voice within the AFL-CIO and on labor issues nationally. APALA's first president was Kent Wong. Its first executive

title: Labor Age

text: May 1929, the editors of "Labor Age" helped to form the Conference for Progressive Labor Action (CPLA) in order to counter what they considered growing pro-business tendencies in the American Federation of Labor. In 1932, the CPLA voted to supplement the monthly "Labor Age" with a daily newspaper, called "Labor Action", but that was never realized. "Labor Age" ceased publication after the February-March 1933 issue. Labor Age Labor Age was a monthly political magazine published from 1929 to 1933. The publisher was by the Labor Publication Society. It succeeded the "Socialist Review", journal of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society. "Labor Age"

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: as an attack on public sector unions by right-leaning organizations. In 2018, Robert G. ("Bob") Reiter, Jr. was elected president after serving 8 years as the CFL's Secretary-Treasurer. Reiter, a member of Operating Engineers Local 150 and an attorney, is considered a progressive in the labor movement. Following is a list of the presidents of the Chicago Federation of Labor. Chicago Federation of Labor The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) is an umbrella organization for unions in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is a subordinate body of the AFL-CIO, and as of 2011 has about 320 affiliated member unions representing half

title: American Federation of Musicians

text: the American Federation of Musicians (AFM)—and in Canada, the Canadian Federation of Musicians/Fédération canadienne des musiciens (CFM/FCM). The AFM is affiliated with AFL–CIO, the largest federation of Unions in the United States; and the Canadian Labour Congress, the federation of unions in Canada. Among the most famous AFM actions was the 1942–44 musicians' strike, to pressure record companies to agree to a better arrangement for paying royalties. The American Federation of Labor recognized the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) in 1896. In 1900, the American Federation of Musicians modified its name to "American Federation of Musicians of the United States

text: of the United Mine Workers. In September 2005, five decades after the AFL merged with the CIO to form the AFL-CIO, seven unions and six million workers split off to form the Change to Win Federation. Other pressures dictating the nature and power of organized labor organizations have included the evolution and power of the corporation, efforts by employers and private agencies to limit or control unions, and U.S. labor law. Political organizations sometimes see alliances with organized labor as a means to increase their effectiveness, and vice versa. The Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance (STLA) was closely linked to

title: American Federation of Labor

text: "pure and simple" approach limited the A.F. of L. to matters pertaining to working conditions and rates of pay, relegating political goals to its allies in the political sphere. The Federation favored pursuit of workers' immediate demands rather than challenging the property rights of owners, and took a pragmatic view of politics which favored tactical support for particular politicians over formation of a party devoted to workers' interests. The A.F. of L.'s leadership believed the expansion of the capitalist system was seen as the path to betterment of labor, an orientation making it possible for the A.F. of L. to

title: American Federation of Labor

text: 1006 of which were granted. By 1934, the A.F. of L. had successfully organized 32,500 autoworkers using the federal labor union model. Most of the leadership of the craft union internationals that made up the federation, advocated for the FLU's to be absorbed into existing craft union internationals and for these internationals to have supremacy of jurisdiction. At the 1933 A.F. of L. convention in Washington, DC John Frey of the Molders and Metal Trades pushed for craft union internationals to have jurisdictional supremacy over the FLU's; the Carpenters headed by William Hutchenson and the IBEW also pushed for FLU's

title: National Labor Federation

text: National Labor Federation The National Labor Federation (NATLFED) is a network of local community associations, run exclusively by volunteers, that claim to organize workers excluded from collective bargaining protections by U.S. labor law, specifically, under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Although the groups affiliated with NATLFED have denied having a political affiliation, NATLFED is described by some former participants as a front for an organization called the Provisional Communist Party of the United States, which has, in the past, advocated for armed overthrow of the government. NATLFED consists of several dozen mutual benefit associations and their organizers who

title: American Federation of Labor

text: L. vigorously opposed unrestricted immigration from Europe for moral, cultural, and racial reasons. The issue unified the workers who feared that an influx of new workers would flood the labor market and lower wages. Nativism was not a factor because upwards of half the union members were themselves immigrants or the sons of immigrants from Ireland, Germany and Britain. Nativism was a factor when the A.F. of L. even more strenuously opposed all immigration from Asia because it represented (to its Euro-American members) an alien culture that could not be assimilated into American society. The A.F. of L. intensified its

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: Illinois State Federation of Labor President Reuben Soderstrom to combat the influence of organized crime on organized labor. Fitzpatrick also worked to counter perceived press bias against labor. From 1926 through 1979, the Chicago Federation of Labor operated a radio station, WCFL, as the "Voice of Labor" in the Midwest. Fitzpatrick died in office in September 1946 at the age of 75. His successor was William A. Lee, a vice president of the Teamsters. Lee expanded CFL's role in the politics. Although personally a conservative, Lee continued to support a broad liberal agenda. Lee was a close friend to Chicago

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: for new American labor movement. Recently, the impressive progression of Los Angeles becoming a union city has become a stand out model for other non-union cities because of Los Angeles’ anti-union history. Los Angeles combines the economic development activism and the refined political work of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has three hundred and forty-five affiliates representing its over eight hundred thousand members. This membership has grown at a staggering rate just in 1934 membership totaled 70,000 now there are over 800,000 members. The largest of its union workers groups is

title: American Federation of Labor

text: drink. During World War I, the A.F. of L.—motivated by fear of government repression, and hope of aid (often in the form of pro-A.F. of L. labor policies)—had worked out an informal agreement with the United States government, in which the A.F. of L. would coordinate with the government both to support the war effort and to join "into an alliance to crush radical labor groups" such as the Industrial Workers of the World and Socialist Party of America. In the pro-business environment of the 1920s, business launched a large-scale offensive on behalf of the so-called "open shop", which meant

title: American Labor Party

text: American Labor Party The American Labor Party (ALP) was a political party in the United States established in 1936 which was active almost exclusively in the state of New York. The organization was founded by labor leaders and former members of the Socialist Party of America who had established themselves as the Social Democratic Federation (SDF). The party was intended to parallel the role of the British Labour Party, serving as an umbrella organization to unite New York social democrats of the SDF with trade unionists who would otherwise support candidates of the Republican and Democratic parties. In 1934, the

text: Western Labor Union federation changed its name in 1902 as a direct answer to Gompers' actions. The Western Labor Union became the American Labor Union (ALU) and announced its intention to organize nationwide, hoping to challenge the AFL in the East as well as the West. The American Labor Union ceased to exist in 1905 when militant labor joined together with labor anarchists and socialist political organizations to create the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). In 1903 the WFM became embroiled in the Colorado Labor Wars. Beaten down in 1904 by the combination of employers' alliances, employer-sponsored citizens' groups

title: American Labor Union

text: American Labor Union The American Labor Union (ALU) was a radical labor organization launched as the Western Labor Union (WLU) in 1898. The organization was established by the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) in an effort to build a federation of trade unions in the aftermath of the failed Leadville Miners' Strike of 1896. The group changed its name from WLU to the more familiar ALU moniker in 1902 at its fifth annual convention. The group had a peak membership of about 43,000 — of which 27,000 were members of the WFM. The ALU was a precursor to the Industrial

title: American Federation of Labor

text: in some areas. In San Francisco, the local Building Trades Council, led by Carpenters official P. H. McCarthy, not only dominated the local labor council but helped elect McCarthy mayor of San Francisco in 1909. In a very few cases early in the A.F. of L.'s history, state and local bodies defied A.F. of L. policy or chose to disaffiliate over policy disputes. Though Gompers had contact with socialists and such as A.F. of L. co-founder Peter J. McGuire, the A.F. of L. adopted a philosophy of "business unionism" that emphasized unions' contribution to businesses' profits and national economic growth.

text: control of wealth, which was "concentrating itself into fewer hands." It believed in "compulsory education laws... prohibition of labor of children under 14 years... sanitation and safety provisions for factories... repeal of all conspiracy laws... a National Bureau of Labor Statistics... protection of American industry against cheap foreign labor... Chinese exclusion..." In time, the AFL would redefine its methods and its mission. The federation embraced "pure and simple trade unionism." It pursued the goal of winning "a fair day's wage for a fair day's work," the standard expression of the aspirations of working people as perceived by the federation. National

text: Labor federation competition in the United States Labor federation competition in the United States is a history of the labor movement, considering U.S. labor organizations and federations that have been regional, national, or international in scope, and that have united organizations of disparate groups of workers. Union philosophy and ideology changed from one period to another, conflicting at times. Government actions have controlled, or legislated against particular industrial actions or labor entities, resulting in the diminishing of one labor federation entity or the advance of another. A 'labor federation' is a group of unions or labor organizations that are in

text: labor's internal battles in the aftermath of World War II. Labor federation competition in the United States Labor federation competition in the United States is a history of the labor movement, considering U.S. labor organizations and federations that have been regional, national, or international in scope, and that have united organizations of disparate groups of workers. Union philosophy and ideology changed from one period to another, conflicting at times. Government actions have controlled, or legislated against particular industrial actions or labor entities, resulting in the diminishing of one labor federation entity or the advance of another. A 'labor federation' is

title: American Labor Party

text: garner 50,000 votes for any of its candidates and it lost its place on the New York ballot. In 1956 the party was terminated by its New York state committee. American Labor Party The American Labor Party (ALP) was a political party in the United States established in 1936 which was active almost exclusively in the state of New York. The organization was founded by labor leaders and former members of the Socialist Party of America who had established themselves as the Social Democratic Federation (SDF). The party was intended to parallel the role of the British Labour Party, serving

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: the 75,000 homecare and nursing home workers they alone now comprise a larger number of workers than the entire Los Angeles County Federation of Labor of 1934. Second only the homecare and nursing works is the 45,000 county workers that belong to SEIU. LA County Federation of Labor of Labor also represents over 30,000 teachers along with 28,00 members working in the film and television industry. The Executive Board of the LA County Federation of Labor’s Executive Board consists of thirty-five members that are appointed to key union leadership roles. The LA County Federation of Labor also has a committee

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: of the California State Assembly. Hicks graduated from Austin College in 2002 and Loyola Law School. Los Angeles County Federation of Labor The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor was started in 1885. Originally, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor was split into five individual unions of bakers, cigar makers, printers, tailors, and carpenters. Now they represent over 300 unions, about 800,000 people, throughout Los Angeles County, making it the second largest in the country. “A survey published in December 2003 showed that the three largest unions in the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor were SEIU 434B (with

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor was started in 1885. Originally, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor was split into five individual unions of bakers, cigar makers, printers, tailors, and carpenters. Now they represent over 300 unions, about 800,000 people, throughout Los Angeles County, making it the second largest in the country. “A survey published in December 2003 showed that the three largest unions in the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor were SEIU 434B (with seventy-four thousand homecare and nursing home workers), SEIU 399 with forty-five thousand health care and other

text: technicians, fire fighters, police officers, correctional officers, cowboys, engineers, administrative assistants, janitors, radio and TV broadcasters, procurement specialists, quality assurance specialists, benefits administrators, housekeepers, lawyers and paralegals, boiler plant operators and many more. American Federation of Government Employees The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is an American labor union representing over 670,000 employees of the federal government, about 5,000 employees of the District of Columbia, and a few hundred private sector employees, mostly in and around federal facilities. AFGE is the largest union for civilian, non-postal federal employees and the largest union for District of Columbia employees who report

title: American Federation of Teachers

text: American Federation of Teachers The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is the second largest teacher's labor union in America (the largest being the National Education Association). The union was founded in Chicago in 1916, with Margaret Haley credited as its founder and first leader. A precursor to the group, the American Federation of Teachers and Students, was founded in 1900. Approximately 60 percent of AFT's membership works directly in education, with the remainder of the union's membership composed of paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals. The

text: recognized the stagnation of their own union, looked upon the rise of the order with considerable dismay. Accordingly, the F.O.O.T.A.L.U. convention of October, 1884, determined to make a new bid for leadership by inaugurating a national movement for an eight hour day. The convention invited the Knights to cooperate. Frank K. Foster of the Typographical Union, affiliated with FOOTALU (which was about to become the American Federation of Labor) proposed a "universal strike" for May 1, 1886. The federation accepted the proposal, while the Knights of Labor leadership expressed no interest. The call demonstrated a rift between the Knights of

text: and disunion; whereas the history of the non-producers of all ages proves that a minority, thoroughly organized, may work wonders for good or evil. Conforming to the old adage, 'In union there is strength,' the formation of a Federation embracing every trade and labor organization in North America, a union founded upon a basis as broad as the land we live in, is our only hope. —Preamble to the Constitution of the American Federation of Labor, 1886 The AFL Preamble had been preserved intact from its FOOTALU predecessor. Years later, the Industrial Workers of the World would declare, [The AFL's]

title: Pan-American Federation of Labor

text: federations that joined the organization. The PAFL was seen by many labor leaders as an attempt by the AFL to extend its influence over the Latin American labor movement and isolate it from European and especially communist influences. Among the PAFLs successes, however, was an understanding reached between the US and Mexican unions on the position of Latin American workers in the United States, condemnation of Latin America's repressive regimes and some of the policies of the US in Nicaragua and other countries. The organization was virtually disintegrated in 1930, ahead of the 6th conference to be held in Havana,

title: American Labor Union

text: a referendum vote of the general membership. The government was more centralized than the typical federation of trade unions of the time. For example, the executive board could depose any general officer, and affiliated organizations were not permitted to strike without the approval of the executive board. The official organ of the American Labor Union were the weekly "American Labor Union Journal." Price of the publication was 50 cents per year. Three years after its founding the ALU took part in the creation of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). American Labor Union The American Labor Union (ALU) was

text: in 1897 while expressing dissatisfaction with the AFL's conservatism. The State Trades and Labor Council of Montana issued its November 1897 proclamation which assessed the state of affairs between capital and labor, and called for a new western labor federation. In 1898, Boyce organized a rival federation called the Western Labor Union (WLU), which was intended as a class-conscious alternative. The WFM, which played a leadership role in the WLU, professed that the benefits of productivity gains belonged to labor and not to capital. But the WLU also zeroed in on the AFL, criticizing that federation for "dividing the skilled

title: American Federation of Labor

text: and Filbert Streets, the K of L was charged with conspiring with anti-union bosses to provide labor at below going union rates and with making use of individuals who had crossed picket lines or defaulted on payment of union dues. The body authored a "treaty" to be presented to the forthcoming May 24, 1886, convention of the Knights of Labor, which demanded that the K of L cease attempting to organize members of International Unions into its own assemblies without permission of the unions involved and that K of L organizers violating this provision should suffer immediate suspension. For its

title: American Federation of Labor

text: was the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, called the Wagner Act. It greatly strengthened organized unions, especially by weakening the company unions that many workers belonged to. It was to the members advantage to transform a company union into a local of an A.F. of L. union, and thousands did so, dramatically boosting the membership. The Wagner Act also set up to the National Labor Relations Board, which used its powers to rule in favor of unions and against the companies. However, the NLRB was later taken over by leftist elements who favored the CIO over the A.F. of

title: American Labor Union

text: workers—many, though not all, of them unskilled—organized mainly in industrial organizations. One Denver WLU affiliate was the powerful Butchers Protective Union, with nearly fifteen hundred members in 1902. It included skilled butchers and unskilled meatpackers. In 1902, as a response to a visit of a delegation from the American Federation of Labor "to plead for a reunited labor movement," the WLU changed its name to the American Labor Union. While at one time the American Labor Union claimed 135,000 members, a more sanguine estimate pegs the group's membership strength at 43,000 in 1905, which included 27,000 members of the WFM.

text: regularity" (Selig Perlman's words). Not only would the federation prevent rival unions (i.e., unions over which it could not exercise control) from joining, it would also deal ruthlessly with any subordinate body which lent support to any rival organization. The governing body of the American Federation of Labor was in essence a weak organization, allowing individual affiliates to make their own decisions on most matters, except in regard to the oversight for the protection and perpetuation of the federation itself. Thus, the federation generally cannot order affiliates to adopt a particular course of action, but it may appeal to them

title: National Labor Federation

text: between the assistance they claim to provide and the actual assistance provided to the working poor, and the secrecy surrounding entity finances and operations, continue to make discussions about the NATLFED groups contentious. National Labor Federation The National Labor Federation (NATLFED) is a network of local community associations, run exclusively by volunteers, that claim to organize workers excluded from collective bargaining protections by U.S. labor law, specifically, under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Although the groups affiliated with NATLFED have denied having a political affiliation, NATLFED is described by some former participants as a front for an organization

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: Contreras worked closely with Maria Elena Durazo. Contreras held his position as Executive Secretary Treasurer until his death, during his tenure he focused on immigrant workers and exasperated to his union into the Los Angeles political scene. Rusty Hicks took over January 1, 2015 as head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Hicks was unanimously elected as the Executive secretary Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Before taking this position Hicks had been the Political Director for the Los Angeles Federation of Labor since 2006 before this he was the District Director for a member

title: Immigration policies of American labor unions

text: Immigration policies of American labor unions Labor unions in the United States, since their early beginnings, have held various viewpoints on immigration. There were differences among the labor unions and occasionally opposition to contemporary majority opinions and public policies. In the first half of the 20th century, the majority of labor unions within the American Federation of Labor (AFL) were strongly anti-immigration, looking to curtail immigration, causing the AFL itself to adopt restrictive policies and resolutions. The predominant viewpoint in the AFL in the early 20th century saw the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 as a model piece of legislation

title: Gay and Lesbian Labor Activists Network

text: unions to campaign for LGBTQ rights within the state of Massachusetts. GALLAN helped to form the national organization Pride at Work in 1994, which became a constituency group of The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in 1997. Today, GALLAN is considered a local chapter of Pride at Work. In one of their early flyers, GALLAN stated their mission was to raise lesbian and gay issues within organized labor and to bring labor issues to the LGBTQ community at large. The organization believed that both movements could be strengthened by recognizing that homophobia and oppression of

title: American Federation of Catholic Societies

text: American Federation of Catholic Societies The American Federation of Catholic Societies was formed in 1901 to encourage Catholic unity and promote Catholic interests. Bishop James McFaul of Trenton was one of the key organizers of the federation. The Federation focused on social and economic questions as well as issues of public morality and education. In 1910, it created a Committee on Social Reform chaired by Father Peter Dietz. The committee supported the organization of labor; however, it became a strong opponent of socialist influence in the unions. Although it was approved by the Apostolic Delegate and the Catholic hierarchy of

text: and left the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) when that union became independent of the AFL (NFFE in 1998 became part of the IAMAW, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO). AFGE is a federation of local unions, with each local maintaining autonomy through operating under local constitutions that comply with the AFGE National constitution ratified originally during its founding in 1932. Federal employees' right to organize and bargain binding labor contracts was established in law by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which AFGE helped to draft, and which states that collective bargaining in the federal sector is

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: 1896. In part, the federation was an outgrowth of previous umbrella labor bodies in the city, many of which had fragmented during the previous two decades. But, in part, the formation of the CFL was an attempt to end corruption in Chicago's labor unions. Only over time did the CFL change its focus to strengthening the efforts of individual union locals by creating a unified voice for the city's labor movement, uphold the labor rights of its union members, and mediate contract disputes on behalf of local unions. Unfortunately, the CFL was dominated in its early years by Martin "Skinney"

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: that deals with political Education called COPE with ninety-five voting associates and more than thirteen thousand representatives that can participate in its monthly delegates meetings. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has an executive board that consists of thirty-five members. There is a Committee on Political Education (C.O.P.E.) that has ninety-five voting member. C.O.P.E. also has 1300 delegates to participate in its monthly delegates meetings. It is also affiliated with the labor directory Labor 411. The Los Angeles County Federation of labor played a role in the initial fight for minimum wage. Through the efforts of the Building Trades

title: National Labor Union

text: National Labor Union The National Labor Union (NLU) was the first national labor federation in the United States. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1873, it paved the way for other organizations, such as the Knights of Labor and the AFL (American Federation of Labor). It was led by William H. Sylvis and Andrew Cameron. The National Labor Union (NLU) followed the unsuccessful efforts of labor activists to form a national coalition of local trade unions. The National Labor Union sought instead to bring together all of the national labor organizations in existence, as well as the "eight-hour leagues" established

text: began to proclaim the virtues of class harmony and the possibilities of a more benevolent Capitalism. Himself an immigrant, the leader of the AFL developed a vociferous hostility to immigrant labor. Gompers' philosophy about unskilled labor also evolved from one of ambivalence to exclusion. Gompers likewise turned away from union democracy: [His] lieutenant Adolph Strasser voided the election victory of a left-winger to the Cigarmaker's largest local in 1881 and appointed a Gompers (and Strasser) stooge... The early days of the American Federation of Labor were marked by aggressive thought and action: It believed in strikes when necessary. It demanded

text: however, did not include a guest worker program, but the business community has suggested that such a program needs to be a central component of any reform package. Nevertheless, labor's unity on this issue is expected to give Obama additional leverage on the issue. Immigration policies of American labor unions Labor unions in the United States, since their early beginnings, have held various viewpoints on immigration. There were differences among the labor unions and occasionally opposition to contemporary majority opinions and public policies. In the first half of the 20th century, the majority of labor unions within the American Federation

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: labor federation for 14 of the last 23 years. Healey was the first president since Charles Dold in 1905 to retire from the presidency rather than die in office. Under Healey, the CFL began to distance itself from its close relationship with the Democratic Party to take a more independent stance on issues. Under Turner, the CFL emphasized community investment, workforce development, affordable living, and an end to urban sprawl. In 2010, CFL delegates elected Jorge Ramirez (UFCW Local 1546) the first Mexican-American president of the organization. Ramirez's tenure was marked by a boom in construction and tourism, as well

title: American Federation of Musicians

text: American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) labor union representing professional musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in New York City, is led by president Raymond M. Hair, Jr. Founded in Cincinnati in 1896 as the successor to the "National League of Musicians," the AFM is the largest organization in the world to represent professional musicians. They negotiate fair agreements, protect ownership of recorded music, secure benefits such as health care and pension, and lobby legislators. In the US, it is

title: American Federation of Musicians

text: Tino Gagliardi, Tina Morrison, Joe Parente and Dave Pomeroy. American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) labor union representing professional musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in New York City, is led by president Raymond M. Hair, Jr. Founded in Cincinnati in 1896 as the successor to the "National League of Musicians," the AFM is the largest organization in the world to represent professional musicians. They negotiate fair agreements, protect ownership of recorded music, secure benefits such as health care and

text: restricting legal immigration does not actually reduce the number of immigrants entering the country but simply creates greater illegal immigration. It, therefore, has supported reforming immigration policy to allow for the entry of more legal immigrants and providing amnesty to illegal immigrants. In 2005, several unions within the AFL-CIO, such as UNITE and SEIU, disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO and formed the Change to Win Federation, a competing labor federation that now includes seven constituent member unions. One principal disagreement the unions had with the AFL-CIO that helped spur their disaffiliation was their belief that the AFL-CIO was not investing enough

title: American Federation of Labor

text: in 1892, released her after five months, and it did not replace her or hire another woman national organizer until 1908. Women who organized their own unions were often turned down in bids to join the Federation, and even women who did join unions found them hostile or intentionally inaccessible. A.F. of L. unions often held meetings at night or in bars when women might find it difficult to attend and where they might feel uncomfortable, and male unionists heckled women who tried to speak at meetings. Generally the A.F. of L. viewed women workers as competition, as strikebreakers, or

title: American Negro Labor Congress

text: American Negro Labor Congress The American Negro Labor Congress was established in 1925 by the Communist Party as a vehicle for advancing the rights of African-Americans, propagandizing for communism within the black community and recruiting African-American members for the party. The organization attacked the segregationist practices of many of the unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor; it also campaigned against lynching, the disfranchisement of black Americans, and Jim Crow laws. The group was renamed the League of Struggle for Negro Rights in 1930. The first mass organization of the American Communist Party dedicated to advancing issues of importance

title: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

text: head the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Noted as a versatile man, Wood was known as proficient and well versed in the boardroom. He was seen as a peer to top businessmen as well as working the docks doing the hard work of labor. Wood was born in Lancaster, California, but was raised in Merced, California. While attending Cal State Sacramento, Wood became the leader of a statewide drive to prevent tuition increases for state schools. After Wood graduated, he eventually moved to Los Angeles and joined the staff of the County Federation of Labor in 1974. Miguel Contreras

title: American Federation of Labor

text: antitrust laws that were being used to criminalize labor organizing, the courts reversed what few legislative successes the labor movement won. The A.F. of L. concentrated its political efforts during the last decades of the Gompers administration on securing freedom from state control of unions—in particular an end to the court's use of labor injunctions to block the right to organize or strike and the application of the anti-trust laws to criminalize labor's use of pickets, boycotts and strikes. The A.F. of L. thought that it had achieved the latter with the passage of the Clayton Antitrust Act in 1914—which

title: Labor history of the United States

text: were generally excluded. The AFL saw women as threatening the jobs of men, since they often worked for lower wages. The AFL provided little to no support for women's attempts to unionize. The Western Federation of Miners (WFM) was created in 1893. Frequently in competition with the American Federation of Labor, the WFM spawned new federations, including the Western Labor Union (later renamed to the American Labor Union). The WFM took a conservative turn in the aftermath of the Colorado Labor Wars and the trials of its president, Charles Moyer, and its secretary treasurer, Big Bill Haywood, for the conspiratorial

text: Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers at Homestead had been, ...a militant, mass-oriented union. A strong thread of class consciousness ran through its policy statements... It was the largest and strongest union in the country in 1892, with over 24,000 members when the great strike at Homestead began. Yet the organization was crushed, and "six months later the workers were back at work without a union organization." Historian J. Bernard Hogg, who wrote a dissertation on the Homestead Strike, footnotes that struggle by observing, The survival of the struggling American Federation of Labor during this period is in part

title: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

text: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is a nonprofit organization of Asian-Pacific American trade union members affiliated with the AFL-CIO. It was the "first and only national organization for Asian Pacific American union members". In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a number of AFL-CIO affiliates became concerned with sweatshop work and child labor as a threat to American jobs. Campaigns against these practices, coupled several sweatshop and slave labor scandals in the United States, created a growing awareness within the federation of the plight of Asian-Pacific American workers. Independent worker groups such as

title: American Federation of Musicians

text: in sound, melody, or other details of composition. Also, as the Internet and technology advances and becomes easily accessible, it is easier for people to share the music online. There are several AFM departments: The American Federation of Musicians headquarters is in New York City, it has branches in Los Angeles, Hawaii, Washington, Toronto, and hundreds of small branches in smaller cities throughout the United States and Canada. According to the AFM's Department of Labor records since 2006, when membership classification was first reported, around 81%, or three quarters, of the union's membership are "regular" members, who are eligible to

title: American Labor Union

text: Workers of the World (IWW), established in 1905, which effectively terminated it. The Western Labor Union (WLU) was a labor federation created by the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) after the disastrous Leadville strike of 1896-97. The WLU was conceived in November, 1897 in a proclamation of the State Trades and Labor Council of Montana, and gained support from the WFM's executive board in December 1897. The WLU was formed in 1898 at a convention in Salt Lake City which was attended mostly by former members of the Knights of Labor. The new federation was formed as a response to

title: Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies

text: Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies FATULS, the Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies ("Ittihad al-Niqabat wa'l-Jam'iyyat al-'Arabiyya", , later known as the Arab Workers' Congress) was an Arab trade union organization formed in 1942 in Mandatory Palestine by Marxist activists led by Bulus Farah (a former member of the Palestine Communist Party), who split away from the Palestine Arab Workers Society in 1942. By the end of that year it had recruited around 1,500 members, including workers in the Haifa area petroleum sector, Haifa port, and the British military camp. FATULS concentrated on "shopfloor" issues

title: Labor feminism

text: welfare state and opposition toward socialist measures. By the 1970s, there was a decline in labor feminism. Some labor feminists hoped that the movement could regroup around an agenda of equal rights and equal opportunity. A group of labor women helped secure support for the ERA from the United Auto Workers, the American Federation of Teachers, the Newspaper Guild, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Women's Bureau switched its position on the ERA in 1970. In 1971, Peterson also changed her mind, reasoning that history was moving in this direction. However, some labor feminists, including Wolfgang, remained staunchly opposed

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: Mayor Richard J. Daley, and a very strong backer of the Cook County Democratic Party. Although the AFL and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged in 1955, the respective Chicago bodies did not do so until 1962. Lee was elected president of the unified organization, and remained so until his death in 1984. Since Lee's death, there have been six presidents of the Chicago Federation of Labor, about one every five years. Twice (Robert Healey and Don Turner) the presidency has gone to a member from the Chicago Federation of Teachers, giving the teachers union a top spokesperson in the

text: FOTLU constitution provided for a governing body of five executive council members, who would also act as a legislative committee. Annual conventions were established at which each national affiliate would receive one vote for 1,000 members, two votes for 4,000 members and three votes for 8,000 members. Local labor bodies were given one vote each, regardless of size. The voting rules effectively disenfranchised bodies belonging to the Knights of Labor, and Knights-dominated central labor bodies. The Committee on Platform subsequently proposed, and the delegates approved, a preamble to the FOTLU constitution which sharply delineated the new federation from the Knights

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: organizing drives in steel and meatpacking, led by Foster. The CFL also affiliated the Chicago Federation of Teachers, providing critical support for the nascent teachers' union movement. After World War I, the CFL was active in the formation of the short-lived Labor Party of the United States. Fitzpatrick endorsed socialism and remained a political progressive for the rest of his life, although he also fought bitterly to keep communists out of the labor movement. Fitzpatrick's presidency was also notable for its emphasis on ending the corruption that that plagued the CFL during Madden era. He worked closely with fellow reformer

title: Chicago Federation of Labor

text: the fall and winter. More than 150 policemen were on guard in the convention hall on January 21 to ensure that there was no repeat of the violence of 1905. Fitzpatrick easily outpolled his opponent, two to one. Fitzpatrick's election ushered in an era of stability and reform for the labor federation. The CFL gained increasing amounts of autonomy, and became one of the nation's leading central labor federations. For a while, William Z. Foster and his circle, briefly organized as the International Trade Union Educational League became influential. In the 1910s and during World War I, Fitzpatrick oversaw mass

title: Colorado Labor Wars

text: believed he had the necessary weapon to force the mill owners to negotiate: the solidarity of the workers in the mines that fed the mills. Under the leadership of Ed Boyce, Cripple Creek unions also helped to organize, and provided leadership for the Western Labor Union, a federation formed in response to the American Federation of Labor (AFL) which had federated the craft unions in the east. In 1899, the WFM wrote industrial unionism, its response to the AFL's craft philosophy, into its charter. Colorado's employers observed the WFM's socialist pronouncements with trepidation, because the union's goal was now the