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Samuel Gompers: Cigar Makers Early Labor Union

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Born on January 27th, 1850, in London, England, Samuel Gompers was known to be an early labor union leader toward the beginning of American labor history. He received basic schooling as a child, but he was later removed from school and began working as an apprentice cigar maker. As a cigar maker, he was elected vice-president of the Cigar Makers International Union in 1886, but he would find himself in a financial crisis. After his vice-presidential term, he would later start the American Federation of Labor as the president. Additionally, Gompers would remain the president of the AFL for the rest of his life until his death. Furthermore, the AFL gained strength as they attempted to increase wages and shorten the number of hours worked per

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