The Creation of Labor Unions
and its Importance in the Progressive Era
By Joseph Ballesteros, Bobby Klemt, and Alex Mailander
Eugene Debs
● Born Terre Haute, Indiana
● High school dropout
● Socialist
○ Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
○ The Wobblies
Jail/Election
● Goes to jail for leading the Pullman Strike against
federal troops
● Becomes an official socialist in jail and then runs in
1900 for the socialist party
○ He loses, but continues to run.
● Ditches the national election and runs for the Indiana
congressional seat.
○ Campaigned as a pacifist and won!
● But then arrested for preaching pacifism
● And then he ran again for the national election from his
jail cell
○ Another loss
Square Deal: Theodore Roosevelt● First time President sided with union
workers in labor dispute.
● Addressed -the three c’s-○ Control of Corporation○ Consumer protection○ Conservation
● 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike in Pennsylvania○ 140,000 miners went on strike.
Square Deal Cont.● Anthracite operator led by George Baer.● TR asked the workers and representatives
to Washington.● United Mine Workers president calls for
Arbitration.● George Baer refuses insults TR “they don’t
suffer; they can't even speak English.”● Owners agree to wages of workers.
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
● Originally the Federation of Organized Trades○ Replaces the KOL since they
started to go into political and social problems
● In 1886, the AFL is formed under the leadership of Samuel Gompers○ Kept labor movement together
AFL Cont.● First focused on craft unionism● Its approximately 100 national and international unions
kept full control over their affairs○ Each union received “exclusive jurisdiction” over
their crafts● Stayed true to their cause
International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union● Founded in 1900.● Members were mostly women● 1909 part of “uprising of 20,000”● 1910 “great revolt” group of 60,000 led by
ILGWU.● After 1911 triangle shirtwaist factory fire ILGWU
worked towards factory reforms.
● Industrial Workers of the World is a union for all workers.
● Based on industry, not trade, the union focuses on all jobs in the industry, not one specific skill set.
● founded in 1905.● nicknamed the “Wobblies”● ANYBODY can join.● Radical
IWW
Key Events for Labor Unions:
McKees Rock Strike● Happened in 1909 at McKee Rock● Described as “the greatest labor fight in all
[of] history in the labor movement”The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire● March 25th, 1911● Put worker conditions in the spotlight.
Overall:
● Labor unions are what began the overthrow of capitalist leaders, and gave the need for more proactive presidents, ending the Gilded Age and beginning the Progressive Era.
● Essentially, this is the pivotal point between the two eras, and therefore must be included in the new Progressive Era exhibit.
Works Cited
"About the IWW." Industrial Workers of the World. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013. <http://www.iww.org/about>.
"American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) (labour Organization)." Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19681/American-Federation-of-Labor-Congress-of-Industrial-Organizations-
AFL-CIO>.
"Eugene Debs 1855-1926." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wilson/peopleevents/p_debs.html>.
"Key Events in Labor History." AFL-CIO. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2013. <http://www.aflcio.org/About/Our-History/Key-
Events-in-Labor-History>.
"The Progressive Presidents." - AP U.S. History Topic Outlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/the-progressive-presidents/>.
