American Federation of Labor: History and Significance
The American Federation of Labor
Early Stages and Exclusionary Practices
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) initially adopted exclusionary practices, barring Black workers and women from membership. Focusing on skilled laborers, the union organized itself by trades, such as steel workers and garment workers. This structure reflected the AFL’s belief in clear distinctions between skill levels. Their primary goal was to protect skilled American laborers from the perceived threat of immigrant competition.
Samuel Gompers’ Philosophy: “Keep It Simple”
“The various trades have been affected by the introduction of machinery, the subdivision of labor, the use of women’s and children’s labor and the lack of an apprentice system—so that the skilled trades were rapidly sinking to the level of pauper labor,” the AFL declared. “To protect the skilled labor of America from being reduced to beggary and to sustain the standard of American workmanship and skill, the trades unions of America have been established.”
Formation and Early Growth
The need for a unified labor movement led to a pivotal meeting of worker representatives in Pittsburgh on November 15, 1881. Delegates from various trades, including carpenters, cigar makers, printers, merchant seamen, and steelworkers, along with representatives from city labor bodies and the Knights of Labor, attended this meeting. The newly formed Federation of Organized Trades and Labour Unions adopted a constitution inspired by the British Trades Union Congress. Its primary focus was legislative action, with 31-year-old Samuel Gompers of the Cigar Makers Union leading the legislative committee. Gompers would become a prominent figure in the American labor movement for the next four decades.
Challenges and the Eight-Hour Workday Movement
Despite its limited resources and small membership, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labour Unions resonated with the American working class. In 1884, the federation passed a resolution advocating for an eight-hour workday, effective May 1, 1886. This call for shorter work hours ignited a national movement and demonstrated the federation’s growing influence.
Transformation into the American Federation of Labor
Recognizing the need for a stronger organization, Gompers and other leaders, including Peter J. McGuire of the Brotherhood of Carpenters, initiated a reorganization. On December 8, 1886, they met in Columbus, Ohio, to establish the American Federation of Labor, marking a significant step forward in the American labor movement.