Labor Relations

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From the beginning, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) set out to be a different. Rather than focusing on remolding American life and the institutions in control of American life, the AFL sought to better workers lives by securing higher wages, a shorter work day, and more favorable working conditions (Holley, Jennings, & Wolters, 2009). The AFL also divided membership up by trade, recognizing that different skilled trades had individualized needs (Holley, Jennings, & Wolters, 2009). The Haymarket Riot, Homestead Incident, and the Pullman Strike all played a role in the rise and decline of the AFL. The first event, the Haymarket Riot, was a delightful success for the newly created AFL under Samuel Gompers (Holley, Jennings, & Wolters, 2009). The Haymarket Riot sought to earn personnel a shorter work week (McNamara, 2012). The Riot ended violently. Public outcries against labor unions were fueled by negative press from the media (McNamara, 2012). The labor movement as a whole experienced a major setback as a result of the violence which negatively resonated among the general public (McNamara, 2012). The goal to earn a shorter working day failed. For the AFL though, the Riot was not a complete failure. The Knights of Labor (KOL), the leading labor union at the time, took a fatal blow. Union members of the KOL were disappointed with the union’s leaders following the riot; consequently many joined the AFL (Holley, Jennings, & Wolters, 2009). The Homestead Incident was a battle between the union and a powerful corporation with government backing in 1892 (History.com, 2012). The Homestead Incident began as a lockout when union workers refused to accept new terms of employment stipulated by the Carnegie Ste... ... middle of paper ... ...e Wagner Act of 1935. Retrieved from, http://www.stfrancis.edu/content/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/btopics/works/wagner.htm Brendel, M. (1994). The Pullman Strike. Retrieved from, http://www.lib.niu.edu/1994/ihy941208.html History. Com. (2012). Homestead strike. Retrieved from, http://www.history.com/topics/homestead-strike Holley, W. H., Jennings, K. M., & Wolters, R. S. (2009). The labor relations process (9th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. McNamara, R. (2012). The 1886 Haymarket Square Riot in Chicago. Retrieved from, http://history1800s.about.com/od/organizedlabor/a/haymarket01.htm Nayab, N. (2011). A history of human resource management. Retrieved from, http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/77387.aspx PBS. (2001). The origins of Labor Day. Retrieved from, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/business/july-dec01/labor_day_9-2.html

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