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The '''American Federation of Labor''' or '''AFL''' was a confederation of unions in the U.S., 1886 to 1955. Its great leader was [[Samuel Gompers]] (1850-1924). The rival [[CIO]] broke away in 1937, to form a rival federation.  The two merged in 1955 as the AFL-CIO ("American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations"). The AFL-CIO has had a cyclical history, with growth spurts around 1900-1910, 1917-20, 1935-60, and declines in the 1920s and in recent years, Politically it has been closely tied to the Democratic Party on the national level since 1910. Likewise the state and city affiliates have usually been tied to the Democrats, with some exceptions.  It has strongly opposed socialism and government ownership of business, and has supported capitalism, while at all times seeking higher wages, restricted work rules, pensions, health care, grievance procedures, and seniority for its members, as well as retirement benefits for its retired members.  A central theme was that certain jobs "belonged" to union members and non-members must be stopped from taking them, especially during strikes. This often led to dehumanizing the non-union workers as "scabs," socially ostracizing them and sometimes violently attacking them.  Many violent confrontation took place between AFL and CIO unions battling to control a specific workplace.  

The '''American Federation of Labor''' or '''AFL''' was a confederation of [[American labor unions|labor unions]] in the U.S., 1886 to 1955. Its great leader was [[Samuel Gompers]] (1850-1924). The rival [[CIO]] broke away in 1937, to form a rival federation.  The two merged in 1955 as the AFL-CIO ("American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations"). The AFL-CIO has had a cyclical history, with growth spurts around 1900-1910, 1917-20, 1935-60, and declines in the 1920s and in recent years, Politically it has been closely tied to the Democratic Party on the national level since 1910. Likewise the state and city affiliates have usually been tied to the Democrats, with some exceptions.  It has strongly opposed socialism and government ownership of business, and has supported capitalism, while at all times seeking higher wages, restricted work rules, pensions, health care, grievance procedures, and seniority for its members, as well as retirement benefits for its retired members.  A central theme was that certain jobs "belonged" to union members and non-members must be stopped from taking them, especially during strikes. This often led to dehumanizing the non-union workers as "scabs," socially ostracizing them and sometimes violently attacking them.  Many violent confrontation took place between AFL and CIO unions battling to control a specific workplace.  

==Origins==

==Origins==

* Gompers, Samuel. ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor: An Autobiography'' (1925) [http://www.questia.com/read/62031927 online edition]

* Gompers, Samuel. ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor: An Autobiography'' (1925) [http://www.questia.com/read/62031927 online edition]

==See also==

==See also==

* [[Samuel Gompers]]

* [[Samuel Gompers]]