Chronology

Chronology of Illinois Labor History (1819 – 1996)

1819

The Apprenticeship Law provided the first protection for minors in Illinois.

1861

The first meeting to form the first national miners’ union in the U.S. took place in Belleville, when the American Miners’ Association was formed. The Association became inactive after 1868.

1863

Strikes of coal miners led to passage of the La Salle Black Law, which “prohibited any person from preventing any other person from working at any lawful occupation on any terms he might see fit and from combining for the purpose of depriving the owner or possessor of property of its lawful use and management.”

1865

The Iron Molder’s International Union met in Chicago. It was described as the “largest convention of workingmen of one craft ever held on the continent” up to that time. Under the leadership of William Sylvis, the union was considered the most powerful in number, resources and completeness and the most ably led trade union in America in that period.

1867

March: an act making eight hours a legal day’s work was passed.
May 1: “Eight Hour Day Strike”. Chicago workers led by the Molders Union tried to get employers to obey the law passed in March for eight hours to be the “legal work day in the State of Illinois.”

1874

January: Workingmen’s Party of Illinois was organized.

1877

Local assemblies of the Knights of Labor chartered in Peoria, Chicago, and Springfield.
Delegates from 17 trade unions met to form a Trade Council, which was the forerunner of the Chicago Federation of Labor.
During railroad strike of 1877 militia detailed to Peoria, Chicago, Decatur, Galesburg, and East St. Louis.
July 26:”Battle of the Viaduct”–U.S. troops of the Second Militia Regiment and police attacked about 5,000 workers at Halsted and 16th Street in Chicago. “Turner Hall Raid”–Police raided the hall during a meeting of the German Furniture Workers, killed Mr. Tessman, wounded many others. A judge later found the police guilty of preventing the workers from exercizing their right to freedom of speech and assembly.

1879

April: Illinois General Assembly passed Armed Workmen Law, requiring all military organizations other than the state militia to be licensed by the governor.
Creation of the Illinois Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1881

April: Strike at Carne factory.

1884

First convention of the Illinois State Federation of Labor met in Chicago and declared that May 1, 1886, would be the day for workers all over America to demand the eight-hour day.

1885

July: Street car strike in Chicago.

1886

May 4: Haymarket protest meeting at which a bomb was thrown, killing 8 police officers and wounding about 65 other persons.

1887

November 11: Convicted Haymarket bombers Parsons, Spies, Fischer, and Engel were executed.
The Cole Anti- Boycott Law and the Merritt Conspiracy Law were passed as a reaction to the Haymarket affair.

1888

Burlington Strike of engineers and firemen was the most serious labor conflict ever experienced by that railroad and raised the issue of protection of interstate commerce against boycotts and the quasi-public nature of railroads.

1889

Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr open Hull House. Investigations undertaken by residents of Hull House led to the establishment of free employment offices, regulation of sweatshops, state factory inspection, and other progressive social legislation.

1893

June 26: Governor Altgeld pardoned the remaining persons convicted of the Haymarket bombing–Neebe, Fielden, and Schwab.

1894

Workers at Pullman Car Company strike over wage cuts. American Railway Union called general railroad strike in sympathy. President Cleveland sent federal troops to Chicago in defiance of Governor Altgeld.

1895

Passage of first version of law providing for the investigation of labor disputes.

1897

Chicago teachers organize into the Chicago Teachers’ Federation. In 1902, they affiliated wih the AFL.

1898

October 12: Repudiation of an agreement for the eight- hour day, a wage increase, abolishment of the company store and recognition of the United Mine Workers led to the “Virden Riot”, when striking miners opposed the introduction of strikebreakers and armed guards. Ten miners and six guards were killed and about 30 persons wounded.

1899

First public employment office opened in Chicago. Also employment agencies required to be licensed by the state.

1904

Meat packers strike. Union members return to work under the same conditions as prior to the strike.

1905

November: The Industrial Workers of the World was founded in Chicago.

1907

State Department of Factory Inspection created.

1909

Ten hour day law for women passed.

1910

Strike of clothing workers against Hart, Shaffner and Marx in Chicago led by Sidney Hillman, which later led to the founding of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers. It was of outstanding importance for it marked the beginning of a most highly elaborated industrial government.

1911

Occupational Disease Act passed.
Workmen’s Compensation Act passed.

1914

Henrici strikes, Chicago. Use of excessive force by Chicago police. These strikes clarified the Illinois labor law concerning boycotts.

1915

November: Joe Hill was executed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and brought to Chicago for a giant funeral. His ashes were later scattered at the Haymarket Martyrs’ Monument in Waldheim Cemetery.

1922

June 22:Striking United Mine Workers in Herrin clashed with strikebreakers and 22 of the latter killed. Men accused of killings tried and acquitted.
Amalgamated Trust and Savings Bank of Chicago started. It was sponsored by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and was the first bank ever sponsored by a union.

1926

July 21: WCFL, the Voice of Labor premiered with two hours of music.

1929

Children required to complete elementary grades before going to work.

1932

Split in the United Mine Workers led to creation of the Progressive Miners of America.

1933

Italian labor organizer, Giovanni Pippan was murdered during his campaign to organize the Italian bread wagon drivers of Chicago.

1935

Illinois Six Day Work Week Law was passed.

1936

General Assembly enacted Workmen’s Occupational Diseases Act and the Industrial Homework Law.
Pekin became the smallest American community ever to experience a general strike, which was called to protest the unfair employment practices of the American Distilling Company. The strike left the town completely paralyzed for three days.

1937

Eight hour day law for women was passed.
Unemployment Compensation Act passed.
February 17: workers at Fansteel Corporation staged a sit-down strike to gain recognition of their union. This strike later led to a decision of the U.S. Supreme court declaring the illegality of such strikes.
May: “Memorial Day Massacre”–Ten men were killed and eight wounded in a Memorial Day clash between police and members of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee at the plant of the Republic Steel Company in South Chicago.

1941

Act passed making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or creed in training or employment by firms operating under governmental defense contracts.

1943

Equal Pay for Women Act passed.

1943-44

Chairman of Montgomery Ward refuses to comply with War Labor Board orders to extend contract signed in 1942. President Roosevelt orders seizure of Ward’s property in Chicago, with Secretary of Commerce as manager. After union elections, the seizure was terminated until December 27, 1944, when an executive order authorized the Secretary of War to seize all Ward’s property to force compliance with War Labor Board orders which Ward’s was flagrantly ignoring. The seizure was terminated in 1945 by President Truman.

1946

The Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations opened at the University of Illinois. Its three-phase program included: extension services for civic, labor, and management groups, research and information, and professional instruction at the University.

1952

August 21: Strike against International Harvester by the United Electrical Workers.

1961

Fair Employment Practices Act passed.

1967

The Chicago Teachers’ Union was recognized by the Chicago Board of Education.

1968

Representatives of four railway operating unions met in Chicago to form the United Transportation Union.

1969

May 22: First strike by Chicago teachers lasting 3 days.
August 5: Founding meeting of the Illinois Labor History Society.

1971

Illinois Minimum Wage Law passed.

1972

Agreement, called the Chicago Plan, negotiated between U.S. Department of Labor, area building contractors, and nine Chicago-area building trades unions by which goals for hiring minority workers were established.

1974

Coalition of Labor Union Women was founded in Chicago.
Governor Walker issues Executive Order Number 6, establishing the Office of Collective Bargaining extending bargaining rights to state employees employed in agencies under the Governor.

1986

Illinois State Labor Relations Act and Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act passed, permitting employees of state and local government units to organize and bargain.

1993

June 27: Staley Manufacturing in Decatur locked out 763 UPIU Local 7837 members.

1994

June 21: UAW Members began a strike at Caterpillar, Inc., plants in Peoria, Decatur, and Pontiac.

1995

Strike at Bridgestone/Firestone plant in Decatur
December 2-3: UAW members rejected Caterpillar offer, but central bargaining committee ended strike.

1996

Trailmobile locked out members of UPIU in Charleston.