This several page chapter from the site From Revolution to Reconstruction outlines the growth of the union in the railroad industry in the late 19th century. Read about the strikes, working conditions, the beginning of the American...

The year 1919 was a year of strikes all across America. Read about the Boston police force's attempts to unionize in order to improve wages and working conditions. The disastrous results were attributed partly to ethnic prejudice, partly...

Read about the strength of labor unions just after World War I and see how the gains were eroded throughout the 1920s.

Original photographs highlight the General Strike of San Francisco in 1934.

This very complete lesson plan from the New York State Library uses newspaper accounts to give a "you are there" feeling to the discussion of the Railroad Strike of 1877. Included are a history of the strike, student activities,...

A lengthy look at the sit-down strike called against General Motors factories first in Flint, Michigan, and then across the country. Find out about how the UAW organized the strike, how long it lasted, and what the consequences were for...

From Walter Lindner's Progressive Party pamphlet, this detailed description of the Flint sit-down strike of 1936-1937 outlines the causes and results of the UAW's collective action.

[Free Registration/Login Required] A lengthy essay discussing the differing opinions about immigration and the role of immigrants in the United States in the latter half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. Find out about the...

Explore the rise of unions in the United States in the early 1900's. Understand Roosevelt's role in unions, the Wagner Act, and sit down strikes.

Reference source for information on the history of the labor organization, the Knights of Labor, nationally and in Georgia, in particular, in the late 1800s and the role it played in organizing southern laborers. Hyperlinks to additional...

A listing of all work stoppages in 2012 which have involved at least 1,000 workers. Plant name, city, unions, and start and end dates of strike are given.

This site contains a description of the Haymarket Tragedy, and also includes many related topics.

An excellent collection of artifacts that highlight the aims and aspirations of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Members of the IWW, known as Wobblies, played a unique role in the American labor movement. Artifacts include...

A several page article about the labor unrest in the steel industries in 1937. Find out about what the union activists were fighting for, martial law that was declared in Ohio, and the final results of the strike.

This detailed and informative site explains how the Pullman Strike, which began as a peaceful protest about rent in the company town of Pullman, spread across the country and brought railroad traffic to a halt.

Read the gripping testimony of an immigrant girl who testified before a U.S. Congressional committee detailing the conditons in the textile mill in which she worked. Because of these unsafe working conditions, the textile workers...

The story of Mexican workers and their attempt to unionize due to poor working conditions at a Hyundai plant in Tijuana. Fom a story by David Bacon in the San Francisco Bay Guardian on 06/11/1997.

Katherine Paterson writes historical fiction for middle school aged learners. This book on the Bread and Roses strike includes good factual information about the strike woven into a personal story. This teacher's guide is a handy...

Read the text and listen to President Truman's speech concerning his plans to address the railway strike that was affecting the post-World War II economy. (12 min.19 sec.)

A discussion of the railroad strike of 1877 as it affected particularly Illinois. Read about how the strikes were put down violently and who was blamed for the work stoppages.

A good look at not only Samuel Gompers and the formation of the American Federation of Labor, but also of the course of unionism in general, its successes and failures, its goals, and membership in the late 19th century.

This collection uses primary sources to explore the Homestead Strike.

The first conflict between a corporation and labor union materialized in Flint, Michigan in the 1930's. Identify the tensions between General Motors and the United Automobile Workers during this time through Context, articles, images,...

This thirty-minute video, the seventeenth in a series on American history, examines the rocky relationship between labor, management, and industry from 1882 to 1901. You can also read the transcript, find a map of the Anthracite Strike,...