Historically, labor unions were created to protect the American worker from business management. Throughout the years, many laws have been enacted to protect the American worker and businesses. With the decline in our labor force and shrinking wages and benefits, do they continue to be relevant today? The story of American labor is dramatically relevant to today’s society. There are very little issues that is or has not been influenced by the labor’s organized efforts or lack of them. (Cahn, 1972) Labor organization in the mid-nineteenthy century was not new to America, and it was inevitable due to the working people being confronted by common problems causing them to unite their protection efforts. There was mutual aid or societies for masters, journeymen, and apprentices. They were usually founded to provide insurance against accidents and sickness. In 1801, an early labor organization announced the purpose of said insurance, and they were called the Society of Mechanics. Society or association was used in place of the word union representing a local organization of journeymen within a single trade. In the 1830’s the term trade union came in use, then later national and international which meant representing members in more than one country. Terms such as trade assemblies and central labor unions came in the 1860’s. The first permanent labor organization was founded when journeymen shoemakers of Philadelphia joined forces in 1792. Unions were organized during and after the war. Some of these were American Miners Association(1861), United Sons of Vulcan(1862), Cigar Makers, Ship Carpenters, Plasters, Tailors, Heaters, Coachmakers(1865), Silk and Fur Hat Finishers(1866), Spinners(1867), and Knights of St. Crispin(1868). In 1869, nine garment cutters in Philadelphia established the first major labor organization
