History of North America

Who did American Federation of Labor represent?

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) represented skilled workers in the United States from 1886 to 1955. The AFL was a federation of national and international labor unions, and its members included workers in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation, and mining. The AFL was founded by Samuel Gompers, who served as its president for nearly four decades. The AFL was a major force in the American labor movement, and it helped to improve wages, hours, and working conditions for millions of workers. In 1955, the AFL merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) to form the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).