Originally founded as the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions (FOTLU) in 1881, the federation was reorganized in 1886 and went on to define decades of the labor movement as the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was a loose amalgamation of skilled craft unions, in contrast to other unions that admitted unskilled laborers. The AFL sought tangible economic gains, such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better conditions, in addition to staying out of politics.
Dozens of craft unions, which were groups of skilled workers, formed the loose affiliation of the AFL. Unlike the more radical unions such as the Knights of Labor, the AFL did not engage with socialists or anarchists. President Gompers exclaimed, 'I abhor anarchy.' Are you a student or a teacher?
Samuel Gompers was the unionist who helped found the American Federation of Labor. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was a loose amalgamation of skilled craft unions, in contrast to other unions that admitted unskilled laborers.