American Federation of Labor

The American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886, was one of the first federations of labour unions in the United States. In 1955, it merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form the AFL-CIO.

First World War

The AFL was a close supporter of Woodrow Wilson's drive for intervention in the First World War. In October 1916, its leader Samuel Gompers was appointed to the Advsory Commission of the Council of National Defence. In a speech to the AFL's 1917 convention, Wilson invited its leaders to serve on the National Labor Conference and later on the National War Labor Board.

At a 1917 meeting of the AFL Executive Council, Gompers rebuffed a delegation of black trade unionists for "somehow conveying the idea that they are to be petted or coddled and given special consideration and special privilege. Of course that can't be done."

New Deal

The AFL lost ground to the more militant Congress of Industrial Organizations in the mid-1930s, but its position recovered with the recession of 1937.

The overall result of the New Deal period was to see both the AFL and CIO involved in a corporatist compromise that offered workers higher wages in return for improved productivity. Both movements would take part in the internationalisation of this American model of labour relations after the War.

World War Two

The AFL rejected the TUC's December 1943 proposal for a worldwide congress of trade unions including those from the Soviet Union.

The Cold War

In 1949, the CIO withdrew from the World Confederation of Free Trade Unions and joined with the AFL to establish the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

People

• Samuel Gompers President 1886-1924
• William Green President 1924-1952
• George Meany President 1952-1955, President of the merged AFL-CIO 1955-1979
• Matthew Woll
• Jay Lovestone

External Resources

• http://www.aflcio.org Homepage of the merged AFL-CIO
• AFL-CIO's Dark Past: A 6-Part Series by Harry Kelber, The Labor Educator, November - December 2004.
• Damon W. Root, Divide and Conquer: The American Federation of Labor's shameful record on race, Reason.com, 13 March 2009.

Labor History Timeline, AFL-CIO, accessed 29 April 2010.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.59.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.60.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.96.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.136.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.59.

Kees van der Pjil, The Making of an Atlantic Ruling Class, Verso, 1984, p.150.