Terence Powderly (1849-1924)
and
Samuel Gompers (1850-1924)
I. Introduction
- •American workers and industrialization: first reactions
- •Powderly and idealistic unionization
- •Gompers and craft unions
- •Who would speak for unskilled workers?
- •Industrialization and American workers (1840s-1890s)
- •European vs. American solutions
- •European socialism and class warfare
- •American faith in social mobility and small town values
II. Terence Powderly
- •Youth
- •Knights of Labor (1874)
- •President (1879)
- •Program of Knights of Labor
- •Success to 1884
- •Haymarket bombing (1886)
III. Samuel Gompers
- •Youth
- •Immigrated to U.S. (1863)
- •Cigar Makers' Union (18641886)
- •American Federation of Labor [AF of L] (1886)
- •Union policies
- •Political influence
IV. Conclusion
- •Differences between Knights of Labor and AF of L
- •American small town tradition vs. modified European tradition
- •Knights too inclusive
- •But AF of L too exclusive
- •Who will speak for unskilled workers?