THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR

• Began as a secret society of tailors in Philadelphia in 1869.• Membership rose after the success of the great railroad strike of 1877• Grand Master Workman Terence V. Powderly took office in 1879-

membership flourished under his leadership

Organization

• All workers were welcome regardless of trade• All skill levels welcome• Women and blacks welcome• Chinese workers unwelcome.

Successes and Failures

• 1884: the Knights led a successful strike against Jay Gould’s southwestern railroad system• Membership soared as a result• 1886: Knights struck against Gould again and failed• Knights were blamed for a bombing at a workers’ rally on May 4th

1886• Membership plummeted as a result of these two occurences.

Industrial Workers of the World

• Established in Chicago in 1905• Ranks were filled primarily with unskilled workers• Hoped that collective action would bring pay increases, shorter hours,

and safer working conditions• Welcomed ALL working people including women and immigrants

Random fact

• Children were welcomed into the I.W.W. and were called “Junior Wobbiles”