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The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1886 by Samuel Gompers as a reorganization of its predecessor, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions.
The A.F. of L. served as the preeminent national labor organization until the Great Depression when unskilled workers finally came together. Smart leadership, patience, and realistic goals made life better for the hundreds of thousands of working Americans it served.
Mar 13, 2024 · AFL-CIO, American federation of autonomous labor unions formed in 1955 by the merger of the AFL (founded 1886), which originally organized workers in craft unions, and the CIO (founded 1935), which organized workers by industries. Learn more about the AFL-CIO, including its history.
Worker Wins: We Deserve Safe Working Conditions. Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. The AFL-CIO is an expression of the hopes and aspirations of the working people of America.
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) began as a conservative response to earlier labor unions in the United States. Late nineteenth-century labor leaders who opposed the socialist ideals of the Knights of Labor , as well as its belief in a centralized labor movement, organized what became the AFL.
Although the KOL only lasted from 1878 to 1886, the organizational structure and policies established during those years are considered the foundation that ultimately formed the American Federation of Labor.
Timeline. Chronology of key events, 1866-1924, in the history of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) from before its founding in 1886 until the death of its first president Samuel Gompers in 1924.
