Affect of the Industrial Revolution on Labor Unions 

The concept and practice of labor unions began in New York in 1768, when the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers was created. From the beginning, labor unions were meant to provide equal representation, protection, and a just working environment for everyone that took part in them. However, when the American Federation of Labor was formed in 1886, the ideals of labor unions was crushed. The AFL used Marxism to back up the idea that labor unions were preparing for war with large coorporations and monopolies. The Knights of Labor, most popular in the 1880s, and the National Labor Union began to propose reforms that played to the interests of the leaders of commerce and business instead of the interests of the working men. The leaders of the labor unions lost sight that the labor unions were formed to bring equality to both skilled and unskilled workers. The unions began to back skilled labor more extensively and unskilled labor less attentively. Race and gender also began to be an underlying issue. Skilled white men recieved the most support as the AFL and other labor unions. ("Labor Movement," History.com). 

Approaches

The Knights of Labor accepted anyone who was a working man. Skilled, unskilled, black, white, man or woman was admitted to the Union if they wished to be a part of it. Powderly, the leader of the Knights of Labor, believed in including all types of work forces because he believed strongly in equal oppurtunity for representation (The Great Southwest Railroad Strike and Free Labor). the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor only accepted skilled white men to their union. Unskilled workers, blacks, and women were not admitted. Gompers, the leader of the American Federation of Labor, believed in limiting representation to skilled white men because he thought that by limiting the spectrum, more could be done for a specific group of people ("Samuel Gompers," Ohio History Central). Powderly was not a large proponent of striking and perferred boycotts and negotiations because he believed that strikes only led to violence and loss of life ("Terence Powderly," Ohio History Central). Gompers thought similarly when it came to strikes. He supported strikes when he thought they were necessary, but like Powderly, he perferred negotiations ("Samuel Gompers," Ohio History Central). 

Reforms 

Powderly and the Knights of Labor focused strove for an eight hour work day, a new wage system, and a cooperative system, where workers could take control of their work place, and the abolishment of child labor. The eight hour work day was implemented, but the restructuring of the wage system, the implementation of the copporative system, and the abolishment of child labor did not come about before the dismembering of the Knights of Labor. The American Federation of Labor also worked for better wages, better hours, and better working conditions ("The Knights of Labor," Alan Brinkley). Both Gompers and Powderly sought to keep their labor unions away from politics in fear that getting involved in politics would make businessmen angry. Gompers tried to work through politics to pass two reforms concerning tenement production of cigars, but the New York Supreme Court did not pass either reform. However, Gompers was driven back to politics in 1906, when the American Federation of Labor decided to push to elect legislative members to protect the union from being sued after a boycott ("Samuel Gompers (1850-1924," AFL- CIO). 

Success of the Reformers 

By 1893, the Knights of Labor had fallen off the map of labor unions. This was due to the failure of a second strike on Gould. This unsuccessful strike led to thousands of union members looking for other unions to join. The Knights may have been unsuccessful because Powderly was determined to represent everyone, and the task of trying to be a support system for each working group put a strain on the Union as a whole ("Rise of Unions," A.P. U.S. History Notes). However, they did establish the law of an eight hour day, which was a huge success for the union ("The Knights of Labor," Alan Brinkley). The AFL was successful in carrying on later into the twentieth century. The AFL and Gompers were crucial in working alongside the president during World War I. Gompers was able to consult with the president on different issues concerning the working class during war time. The AFL lasted longer than the Knights of Labor partially because they did not carry the weight of a large spectrum of workers, so they were more effecient than the Knights of Labor ("Samuel Gompers (1850- 1924)," AFL- CIO).