Labor History

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was a nationwide strike by railroad workers in the United States, which began on July 14, 1877. It was the first major strike in the country's history, and it marked the beginning of the modern labor movement in the United States.

Samuel Gompers was a British-born American labor leader who founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886. He served as the AFL's president for 38 years, from 1886 to 1924.

The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) was a labor union that represented workers in the garment industry in the United States and Canada. The union was founded in 1900, and it played a major role in organizing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911.

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935. The NLRA, also known as the Wagner Act, was a landmark piece of legislation that guaranteed workers the right to organize and bargain collectively. It also created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is responsible for enforcing the law.

The National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) was a labor union that organized farm workers in the United States. The union was founded in 1962 by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. In 1965, the NFWA merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) to form the United Farm Workers of America (UFW).

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. King was a civil rights leader and a labor leader. He was the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and he played a major role in the civil rights movement in the United States.

The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) was a labor union that represented air traffic controllers in the United States. The union was founded in 1968, and it played a major role in organizing the PATCO strike in 1981. The strike was unsuccessful, and PATCO was decertified as a union.

John Sweeney was elected president of the AFL-CIO in 1995. Sweeney was a former president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and he was the first AFL-CIO president to come from the ranks of the service sector.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union that represents workers in the service sector. The union was founded in 1921, and it is one of the largest unions in the United States. The SEIU played a major role in organizing the Fight for $15 movement, which is a campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Liz Shuler was elected president of the AFL-CIO in 2021. Shuler is the first woman to lead the AFL-CIO, and she is also the first person of color to hold the position.

The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) is a labor union that represents workers at Amazon. The union was founded in 2020, and it is the first independent union to successfully organize workers at Amazon.

Carl Rosen was elected president of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) in 2019. Rosen is a former organizer for the UE, and he is the first openly gay president of the union.

The Starbucks Workers United (SWU) is a labor union that represents workers at Starbucks. The union was founded in 2021, and it is the first independent union to successfully organize workers at Starbucks.

Bonnie Castillo was elected president of the National Nurses United (NNU) in 2019. Castillo is a former nurse and a former president of the California Nurses Association (CNA).

The Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) is a labor union that represents workers at Google. The union was founded in 2021, and it is the first independent union to successfully organize workers at Google.