Stores Bargaining Unit
Utility Workers Local 223
Organized Labor in America
Past and Present


















Complete History of Labor Leaders in America

Samual Gompers - 1st AFL President 1886-1894 / 1896-1924- Excellent background on the longest serving President of the America Federation of Labor (36 Years)

John McBride 2nd AFL President from 1895 - 1896 - The Populist President of the American Federation of Labor:

William Green 3rd AFL President from 1924 - 1952 - An advocate of labor-management cooperation, legislated wage and benefit protections and industrial unionism

John L. Lewis 1st President of the CIO 1938 - 1940 - Lewis resigned in 1940 to focus on building the United Mine Workers

Philip Murray 2nd President of the CIO 1940 - 1952 - Murray was President of the CIO during a tumultuous time and transformed the movement into a powerful organization

Walter Reuther 3rd President of the CIO 1952-1955- Walter Reuther worked with George Meany to reunite the AFL-CIO in 1955

George Meany the 1st President of the AFL-CIO 1955 - 1979 - Meany built the AFL-CIO into an organization with a powerful voice in the political and legislative arena

Lane Kirkland 2nd President of the AFL-CIO 1979 - 1995 - Kirkland inherited a labor movement under heavy assault. Moving quickly to stem labor's decline

Tom Donahue 3rd President of the AFL-CIO 1995 - Donahue served as secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO from 1979 to 1995 and president in 1995 when Kirkland retired

John Sweeney 4th President of the AFL-CIO 1995 - 2009- Sweeney was elected on a platform of revitalizing the Union, which has 55 affiliated unions and 12.5 million members

Richard Trumpka 5th President of the AFL-CIO 2009 - 2021- Trumka was the nations clearest voice on the critical need to ensure that all workers have a good job

Elizabeth Shuler is the 6th President of the AFL-CIO 2021 - Liz Shuler is the 1st female to serve as the Federations President in its 66 year history






Labor Movement in America - Historical Information


30 victories for workers' rights won by organized labor - Labor Victories from 1794-1993

Labor Movement (The History Channel) - The History Channel account of the rise of the American Labor Movement

The Most Unionized States in America - List of States with the Most Union Representaion

A History of Workers Strikes in America Detailing Labors Battles through the years - Includes the Detroit Newspaper Strike of 1995-1997

Labor Wars in the United States Labor Disputes in America from 1874 - 1989 Presented by PBS

Timeline of Labor History in the United States - From Libcom.org

The Early Labor Movement - The start of the Organized Labor Movement in 1860 from the History Detectives

Labor Unions During the Great Depression and New Deal - The Future of the Labor Movement seemed bleak during the Great Depression

Labor Unions - National Museum of American History - A look at The History of Labor from the american Perspective

Unions Making History in America - Labors role in advancing civil liberties, social justice, and economic equality for all Americans.

A Short History of American Labor - From UnionWeb.org









Women in the American Labor Movement


Women in Labor History (From the Zinn Project) - The Zinn Education Project promotes the teaching of peoples history in the classroom across America

25 Landmark moments for women in American labor history - Contributions that women have made to the labor movement and American history

Stories of Women in the Labor Movement - Explore the stories of women in the labor movement

The State of Black Women in Corporate America - This report draws heavily on Lean In and McKinsey & Companys annual Women in the Workplace study

Women and the American Labor Movement - A book by Philip S. Foner giving a comprehensive account of the women who organized for labor rights and equality

Women in World History - A detailed Look at Women who were and are a force for Change in World History





People of Color in the American Labor Movement


The Importance of Unions for Workers of Color - Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, and Pacific Islanders, have often pushed into lower wage jobs

African Americans in the American Labor Movement - A detailed look at African American labor history.

A Brief History of Labor, Race and Solidarty - A detailed look at African American labor history.

A House Divided: African American Workers Struggle Against Segregation - A detailed history of events Along the road to African American Rights in America

Unions offer women and minorities a better way of life - A Labor Day Study from the Boilermakers International Union

Unions Must Promote Diversity and Inclusion to Maintain Solidarity - Why Inclusion Matters to Unions and Workers

Building Bridges: The Challenge of Organized Labor in Communities of Color - A New York University Article by Robin D.G. Kelly







Attacks on Organized Labor in America


Anti-Union Violence - A look at Anti-Union Violence throughout History by wikipedia

History of Union Busting in the United States - Accounts of Union Busting from 1885 to Present Day

Union Busting Playbook - Playbook of Union Busting Pros and the real stores of workers who beat them

The Business of Union Busting - From Blackjacks to Briefcases: A History of Commercialized Strikebreaking and Union Busting in the United States

Modern Industrial Services - A Scab Provider - For over 25 years MIS has provided quality Scabs to fill in for striker (Sad that such businesses exist)

The Union Avoidance Industry in the United States - Over the past 30 years US employers have waged one of the most successful anti-union wars ever





Current Issues Facing Organized Labor and Future outlook


What is Next for the Labor Movement after Janus? - Supreme Court judgment in Janus v. AFSCME on Wednesday, June 27 was a loss for Unions

Why unions are good for workers, especially in a crisis like COVID-19 - A Report from the Economic Policy Institute

The Future of The Labor Movement After Richard Trumka - New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse discusses the labor movements future direction

Is Orgainzed Labor Making a Comeback? - From the Department of Labor Education Research at Cornell University

Support of labor unions is at 65%. heres whats behind the rise - Coronavirus pandemic may be causing support of labor unions

Unions have endured body blows for far too long. But the tide is turning. - A Report by New York Columnist Katrina vanden Heuvel

Unions are on the front lines in battle over worker protections - A Labor Report by Benjamin Pu of NBC News

What Organized Labor Wants From President Biden - Organized labor wants more than a return to the pre-Trump status quo.

Supreme Court Limits Governments Power to Aid Unions - Supreme Court ruling on Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid case

U.S. labor movement looks for path forward after Amazon defeat - Workers rejected the union at an Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) warehouse in Alabama

14 Of The Best Books About Unions, Organizing, and American Labor - Bookriot.com

How Unions Tried to Harness Pension Fund Clout to Aid Organizing Labors alliance with other large shareholders to rein in corporate power

















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