Changes

Gompers promoted harmony among the different craft unions that comprised the AFL. Focused on higher wages and job security, the AFL fought against socialism and the Socialist party, as well as the radical anti-capitalist union, [[IWW]]. After 1907 it formed alliances with the [[Democratic party]] at the local, state and national levels. The AFL enthusiastically supported the war effort in World War I, and saw rapid growth in union membership and wage rates.  

Gompers promoted harmony among the different craft unions that comprised the AFL. Focused on higher wages and job security, the AFL fought against socialism and the Socialist party, as well as the radical anti-capitalist union, [[IWW]]. After 1907 it formed alliances with the [[Democratic party]] at the local, state and national levels. The AFL enthusiastically supported the war effort in World War I, and saw rapid growth in union membership and wage rates.  

The AFL strenuously opposed unrestricted immigration from Europe because it lowered wages, and opposed any immigration at all from Asia for the previous reason and also because it brought an alien culture. The AFL was instrumental in passing immigration restriction laws from the 1890s to the 1920s, and seeing that they were strictly enforced. As Mink shows, the link between the AFL and the Democratic Party rested in large part on immigration issues; the owners of large corporations wanted more immigration and thus supported the [[U.S. Republican Party, history|Republican party]].<ref> Gwendolyn Mink. ''Old labor and new immigrants in American political development: union, party, and state, 1875-1920.'' (1986).</ref>

The AFL strenuously opposed unrestricted immigration from Europe because it lowered wages, and opposed any immigration at all from Asia for the previous reason and also because it brought an alien culture. The AFL was instrumental in passing immigration restriction laws from the 1890s to the 1920s, and seeing that they were strictly enforced. As Mink shows, the link between the AFL and the Democratic Party rested in large part on immigration issues; the owners of large corporations wanted more immigration and thus supported the [[Republican party]].<ref> Gwendolyn Mink. ''Old labor and new immigrants in American political development: union, party, and state, 1875-1920.'' (1986).</ref>

The AFL lost membership in the 1920s, and did not recover from the doldrums until the [[New Deal]] passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  The AFL enthusiastically supported the [[New Deal Coalition]] led by Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

The AFL lost membership in the 1920s, and did not recover from the doldrums until the [[New Deal]] passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  The AFL enthusiastically supported the [[New Deal Coalition]] led by Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

==CIO breaks away==

==CIO breaks away==

Coal mine leader [[John L. Lewis]] led a group of industrial unions to break away in the 1930s to form the [[CIO]].  The two federations competed furiously, even violently.  The AFL was always larger, and added more members in the late 1930s and World War II era, while avoiding the radicalism of the CIO.  William Green was president (1925-1952),  but after 1940 the dominant leader was William Meany (1894-1980), former head of the New York State Federation of Labor.

Coal mine leader [[John L. Lewis]] led a group of industrial unions to break away in the 1930s to form the [[CIO]].  The two federations competed furiously, even violently.  The AFL was always larger, and added more members in the late 1930s and World War II era, while avoiding the radicalism of the CIO.  William Green was president (1925-1952),  but after 1940 the dominant leader was William Meany (1894-1980), former head of the New York State Federation of Labor.