Knights of Labor
Est. 1869
Background: Founded in 1869 as a secret society and didn't emerge as a public organization until 1881 Leader: Terence V. Powderly Goals: Unite all working class under one union and campaign for social and economic reforms Membership Requirements: Hold a job in any industry and you can qualify to join our union Weaknesses: Include both skilled and unskilled workers, rendering strikes and other reform efforts futile Actions: May 4, 1886, Haymarket Square Riot- Police are sent to check up on a meeting supposedly called to protest against corrupt authorities. A dynamite bomb is thrown into the crowd and kills dozens. The Knights of Labor are blamed for the chaos and eventually dissipate to other groups |
American Federation of Labor
| Background: Federation consists of many self-governing national unions; each of which is responsible for their own efforts Leader: Samuel Gompers Goals: Fight for better wages, hours, and working conditions Membership Requirements: We accept any profession across the industrial world, but we do require that you possess a sufficient amount of skill regarding your specific job Weaknesses: By including only skilled laborers, their numbers only encompass a small amount of the working class Actions: Not known for many strikes, the AFL's most effective weapons were the walkout and boycott |