dec 8, 1886 - AFL

Description:

One approach to the organization of
labor was craft unionism, which included skilled workers
from one or more trades. Samuel Gompers led the Cigar
Makers’ International Union to join with other craft unions
in 1886. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) with Gompers as its president, focused on collective bargaining, or negotiation
between representatives of labor and management, to reach written agreements
on wages, hours, and working conditions. Unlike the Knights of Labor, the AFL
used strikes as a major tactic. Successful strikes helped the AFL win higher wages
and shorter workweeks. Between 1890 and 1915, the average weekly wages in
unionized industries rose from $17.50 to $24, and the average workweek fell from
almost 54.5 hours to just under 49 hours.

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