National Labor Union (NLU)
The National Labor Union, formed in 1866, paved the way for other labor organizations. The goal of
the NLU was to form a national labor federation that could lobby government for labor reforms on
behalf of the labor organizations. Its main focus was to limit the workday to eight hours. While the
NLU garnered many supporters, it excluded Chinese workers and only made some attempts to
defend the rights of African Americans and female workers. The NLU can be credited with the eight-
hour workday, which was passed in 1862. Because of a focus on government reform rather than
collective bargaining, many workers joined the Knights of Labor in the 1880s.
The Knights of Labor started as a fraternal organization, and when the NLU dissolved, the Knights
grew in popularity as the labor union of choice. The Knights promoted the social and cultural spirit
of the worker better than the NLU had. It originally grew as a labor union for coal miners but also
covered several other types of industries. The Knights of Labor initiated strikes that were successful
in increasing pay and benefits. When this occurred, membership increased. After only a few years,
though, membership declined because of unsuccessful strikes, which were a result of a too autocratic
structure, lack of organization, and poor management. Disagreements between members within the
organization also caused its demise.
