The American Federation of Labor (AFL), established in 1886, focused on representing skilled laborers with a pragmatic approach, distinguishing itself from the more inclusive Knights of Labor.
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by disaffected members of the Knights of Labor, a national labor union. The AFL was the largest union grouping in the United States for the first half of the 20th century, even after the creation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The federation was founded and dominated by craft unions throughout its first half-century.
Industrial unions bring together workers from different crafts within the same industry under one union, a concept notably utilized by the CIO to organize large corporations like General Motors, U.S. Steel, and Ford.
Detailed insight into Vertical Unions, their history, significance, and comparison with other union types.
