A History of Trade Unionism in the United States

The book traces the evolution of organized labor in the United States from scattered early strikes and trade societies through the rise of mass union organizations, examining key phases such as post‑Civil War monetary and industrial adjustments, the emergence of broad reformist movements and craft federations, and later stabilization. It analyzes tactics and institutions—strikes and benefits, craft versus industrial organization, employers' reactions, and court and legislative intervention—and surveys developments among major trades, wartime pressures, and radical currents. The concluding chapters offer economic and idealistic interpretations and explore why a durable national labor party did not arise.