The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was called "bread-and-butter unionism" because it focused primarily on improving the wages, benefits, and working conditions of its members, rather than on broader social or political issues. The AFL's philosophy was that unions should concentrate on practical, achievable goals that would directly benefit their members, rather than getting involved in more controversial or ideological struggles. This approach was sometimes seen as narrow or lacking in vision, but it was also effective in achieving concrete improvements for AFL members and helped to build a strong labor movement in the United States.