labor unions
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The Roots of Labor Unions
The formation of national labor unions started in a time of great change in the United States. This era came about a little after the Civil War. This war greatly expanded factory production and railroad building, which generated much concern about the well-being of the workers. By 1864, about 300 local unions operated in twenty northern states. In 1866, the International Industry Assembly of North America became the National Labor Union. It was the first important association of unions. But, in 1872, it failed and disappeared from the pages of history.
The next big step in the labor movement was the formation of the Knights of Labor, begun by Uriah Stephens, a tailor, in 1869. It began as a secret society to improve workers welfare through peaceful means. It became the first major American attempt to found a union for all workers, skilled and unskilled...