What goals did labor organizations seek?

Another major strike occurred in 1886, when two labor organizations, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor (AFL), led a strike against railroads and other companies. The Knights claimed a membership of 700,000 workers, making it by far the most influential labor organization of its day. In the 1886 strike, some 340,000 members of the Knights engaged in 1,500 separate strikes.

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was created in 1886 to organize skilled workers. Its leader, Samuel Gompers, did not challenge the legitimacy of large corporations. He only sought to gain for workers a larger share of the nation's growing wealth. Among other goals, the AFL sought to limit the workday to eight hours. The organization called for a national strike on May 1, since May Day had traditionally been considered a working-class holiday in Europe. On May 3, four strikers were killed while protesting against the McCormick Company in Chicago, which manufactured farm machinery. Strikers called a rally at Haymarket Square in Chicago (above). During this rally, a bomb exploded, killing a policeman. A riot ensued, leading to the death of another policeman and four protesters. After this incident, opposition to labor organizations such as the Knights and the AFL grew.