Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Practice Exam

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded on December 8, 1886, and is a significant organization in the history of labor movements in the United States. Its establishment marked a pivotal moment for labor unions as it aimed to unite labor groups in order to advocate for better working conditions, fair wages, and the rights of workers. The AFL focused on organizing skilled workers into national unions and sought to engage in collective bargaining with employers, which was a departure from previous movements that tried to unite all workers regardless of skill.

The organization's emphasis on craft unionism and its strategic approach to negotiations helped it to influence labor policy and improve conditions for union members over the following decades. The foundation of the AFL set the stage for modern labor relations and created a framework that facilitated the growth of subsequent labor movements in the U.S. This context highlights the crucial role that the AFL played in shaping labor rights and advocacy, making it an important entity in labor history.