By Carl Finamore
There are only two flash points in American history where labor unions became center stage in politics.
I will call these “Big Bang” moments because they propelled the American Federation of Labor (AFL) after 1886 and the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) after 1935, from fledgling organizing committees into mass organizations directly impacting and attracting millions.
In the case of the AFL, it was due to avid support for the eight-hour day and in the case of the CIO, it was due to resolute support for union organizing of millions of previously excluded industrial workers.
There has never again been such mass acceptance and relevancy for labor, mostly because of numerous failures to grasp the historical moment. Continue reading
Filed under: Economy, Immigrant Workers, Labor History, Low wage workers, Organizing, Politics, Solidarity, Strikes and work action | Tagged: activism, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Labor, American Federation of Teachers, CIO, Samuel Gompers, United Farm Workers | Leave a comment »