The Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was the largest and most powerful labor union in America from 1850 to 1900. It represented all workers- men and women, black and white, citizen and immigrant, skilled and unskilled- in all industries. This union showed workers the power of organized labor.
Most labor unions were unsuccessful but, with the help of the Knights of Labor, they were able to accomplish their goal. The union slowly grew by forming small, local groups called assembles. These groups consisted of workers from the same trade. Eventually, the separate assemblies conbined together to form a stronger assembly in the union. The assemblies allowed anyone to join even unskilled workers, women, and African American workers.
By 1878, the Knights of Lbor had 9,300 members. They held a convention that approved a constitution stating that the union was open to all wage earners except lawyers, doctors, bankers, liquor dealers, stockbrokers, and professional gamblers. The union had conditions that included abolishing child labor, equal pay for equal work, establishing an eight-hour workday, and lobbying for the creation of a Bureau of Labor Statistics within the federal government.
The union's leader allowed boycotts to settle arguments but, did not support strikes. Most of the members turned to strikes as a last resort to acheive their goals. Therefore, the union participated in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and won wage increases on several railroads. Their participation helped the union gain more members.
In 1883 and 1884, a nationwide economic recession caused the Knights of Labor to fight businesses with strikes in the glass, telegraph, cotton, shoe-manufacturing, carpet-weaving, mining, iron-casting, and railroad industries for reducing workers' wages. In 1884, the union fought in another railroad strike against the Union Pacific Railroad over wages. In 1885, the union fought against Jay Gould's Southwestern railroad empire in two strikes. They won the first strike but, lost the second one.
Most labor unions were unsuccessful but, with the help of the Knights of Labor, they were able to accomplish their goal. The union slowly grew by forming small, local groups called assembles. These groups consisted of workers from the same trade. Eventually, the separate assemblies conbined together to form a stronger assembly in the union. The assemblies allowed anyone to join even unskilled workers, women, and African American workers.
By 1878, the Knights of Lbor had 9,300 members. They held a convention that approved a constitution stating that the union was open to all wage earners except lawyers, doctors, bankers, liquor dealers, stockbrokers, and professional gamblers. The union had conditions that included abolishing child labor, equal pay for equal work, establishing an eight-hour workday, and lobbying for the creation of a Bureau of Labor Statistics within the federal government.
The union's leader allowed boycotts to settle arguments but, did not support strikes. Most of the members turned to strikes as a last resort to acheive their goals. Therefore, the union participated in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and won wage increases on several railroads. Their participation helped the union gain more members.
In 1883 and 1884, a nationwide economic recession caused the Knights of Labor to fight businesses with strikes in the glass, telegraph, cotton, shoe-manufacturing, carpet-weaving, mining, iron-casting, and railroad industries for reducing workers' wages. In 1884, the union fought in another railroad strike against the Union Pacific Railroad over wages. In 1885, the union fought against Jay Gould's Southwestern railroad empire in two strikes. They won the first strike but, lost the second one.