The Central Labor Union of New York, Brooklyn, and New Jersey was an early
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...
organization that later broke up into various locals, which are now
AFL–CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...
members. The establishment of the CLU predates the consolidation of New York City (1897) by nearly two decades and is best known as the organization that created the American
Labor Day
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United ...
holiday. Organized in 1867, it later spread to
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
. The union was firmly Marxist in orientation and was the first integrated labor union in the United States.
Politics
Closely linked to the Central Labor Union was the United Labor Party.
Henry George
Henry George (September 2, 1839 – October 29, 1897) was an American political economist and journalist. His writing was immensely popular in 19th-century America and sparked several reform movements of the Progressive Era. He inspired the ec ...
was its
candidate for Mayor of New York City in 1886 but lost the race by a wide margin.
See also
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Knights of Labor
Knights of Labor (K of L), officially Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, was an American labor federation active in the late 19th century, especially the 1880s. It operated in the United States as well in Canada, and had chapters also ...
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May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...
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Peter J. McGuire, 19th century labor leader
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Bolton Hall (activist)
Bolton Hall (August 5, 1854 – December 10, 1938) was an American lawyer, author, and georgism activist who worked on behalf of the poor and started the back-to-the-land movement in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.
Earl ...
, opposed War with Spain at Central Labor Union meeting
Defunct trade unions in the United States
Defunct American political movements
1867 establishments in the United States
1880s in the United States
Trade unions established in 1867
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