American Federation of Labor

American Federation of Labor
Name	American Federation of Labor
Founded	08 December 1886
Dissolved	05 December 1955
Merger	Congress of Industrial Organizations
Successor	AFL–CIO
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Key people	Samuel Gompers, William Green, George Meany

American Federation of Labor. The American Federation of Labor was a national federation of labor unions in the United States founded in Columbus, Ohio in December 1886. It emerged from the reorganization of its predecessor, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, and became the most enduring and influential labor organization of its era. Under the longtime leadership of Samuel Gompers, it championed a philosophy of "pure and simple" unionism, focusing on concrete economic gains for skilled workers within the existing capitalist system. Its 1955 merger with the rival Congress of Industrial Organizations created the modern AFL–CIO.

History

The organization was formed at a convention in Columbus, Ohio in December 1886, consolidating several existing unions and absorbing the remaining structure of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions. Its establishment occurred amidst the turbulent labor climate following the Haymarket affair in Chicago. Under the strategic direction of its first president, Samuel Gompers, it grew steadily while distancing itself from the broader political agendas of earlier groups like the Knights of Labor. It survived government opposition during World War I and the anti-union First Red Scare, and reached its peak membership in the years following the pro-union legislation of the New Deal, particularly the Wagner Act. Its refusal to organize industrial workers led to the expulsion of several member unions in 1938, which then formed the rival Congress of Industrial Organizations, initiating a period of intense competition known as the CIO-AFL rivalry. Following the presidencies of William Green and then George Meany, it reunified with the CIO in 1955.

Structure and governance

The federation operated as a loose umbrella organization composed of autonomous national and international craft unions, such as the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and the International Association of Machinists. This structure, granting great authority to individual union presidents, was codified in its constitution and stood in contrast to the more centralized industrial unionism of the later Congress of Industrial Organizations. Governance was conducted through annual national conventions where each affiliated union held voting power proportional to its membership size. The elected executive council, led by the president, implemented policies between conventions and coordinated limited national activities, but the affiliated unions retained control over their own finances, organizing drives, and contract negotiations.

Political activity and ideology

Its political philosophy, often termed "business unionism" or "pure and simple unionism," was pragmatic and non-revolutionary. Rejecting the socialist ideologies of contemporaries like Daniel De Leon or the Industrial Workers of the World, it focused on achieving immediate "bread and butter" issues: higher wages, shorter hours (epitomized by the slogan "Eight-hour day"), and better working conditions. Politically, it pursued a strategy of "rewarding friends and punishing enemies" within the existing Democratic and Republican parties, rather than forming an independent labor party. It actively lobbied for specific legislation, such as restrictions on immigration and against the use of labor injunctions, while generally opposing expansive social welfare programs that might diminish the role of unions.

Major strikes and campaigns

While member unions conducted their own strikes, the federation occasionally coordinated or supported major national efforts. It provided critical support for the 1922 railroad shopmen's strike. One of its most significant and controversial interventions was its opposition to the Pullman Strike of 1894, where Samuel Gompers disagreed with the tactics of Eugene V. Debs and the American Railway Union. It also played a central role in the 1919 campaign for the Eight-hour day in the steel industry, which culminated in the massive but unsuccessful Great Steel Strike of 1919. Later, it was involved in the violent West Coast waterfront strike of 1934 and the post-World War II 1946 steel strike, which confronted the Truman administration.

Relationship with other labor organizations

Its relationships with other labor groups were often contentious. It competed fiercely with the Knights of Labor in its early decades and maintained a deep ideological hostility toward socialist and radical unions like the Industrial Workers of the World. Its most significant internal conflict was with its own industrial union members, leading to the creation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations under John L. Lewis. For nearly two decades, the two federations competed for members and influence, sometimes violently, until the merger in 1955. It also maintained formal ties with international labor bodies, including the International Federation of Trade Unions and, after World War II, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, in opposition to Soviet-influenced unions.

Legacy and influence

The federation left an indelible mark on the American labor movement and industrial relations. It established the dominant model of craft-oriented, business-focused unionism in the United States for much of the 20th century. Its advocacy was instrumental in establishing the United States Department of Labor and in shaping key New Deal labor laws. The merged AFL–CIO inherited its organizational structure and much of its political approach. Critiques of its legacy often focus on its initial exclusion of unskilled workers, African Americans, and women, and its conservative stance which some historians argue limited the broader political potential of the American working class.

Category:American Federation of Labor Category:Defunct national trade union centers of the United States Category:Organizations established in 1886 Category:Organizations disestablished in 1955