History of the labor movement in the United States : Volume III: The policies and practices of the American Federation of Labor, 1900-1909 / By Philip S. Foner.

This is the third volume of the History of the Labor Movement in the United States series. It is preceded by the second volume: From the Founding of the A.F. of L. (American Federation of Labor) to the Emergence of American Imperialism; and succeeded by the fourth volume: The Industrial Workers of the World, 1905-1917.

This resource includes a key for abbreviations used in footnotes and reference notes.

This book includes biographical summaries of individuals mentioned in the third volume of this publication.

Includes biographical references (pages 439-470) and index.

1. Labor moves into a new century -- 2. The open-shop drive -- 3. The National Civic Federation, I: organization and ideology -- 4. The National Civic Federation, II: role in strikes -- 5. The church in labor -- 6. Business unionism -- 7. Reaction to technological changes -- 8. Craft versus industrial unionism -- 9. Women and negro workers -- 10. The immigrant workers -- 11. Political policies and practices -- 12. Labor's "Bill of Grievances" and the 1906 campaign -- 13. Political policies and practices, 1907-1909 -- 14. The socialists, 1900-1905: "Boring from Within" -- 15. The Western Federation of Miners -- 16. The American Labor Union.

"In the present volume of his full-length history, Dr. Foner deals with the policies and practices of the A.F. of L. [American Federation of Labor] in the years 1900 to 1909 and with the opposition to them as it arose during that period. Starting with an analysis of labor conditions then prevalent, the author moves on to a detailed discussion of the open-shop drive, collaboration between the labor leaders and big business as epitomized by the National Civic Federation, the influence of the church (particularly the Catholic Church) in shaping the ideology of the A.F. of L. leadership, and the emergence of business-minded union leaders. Then follows a careful examination of the A.F. of L. organizing policies, showing how they remained rooted in craft unionism although large-scale industrial development was already beginning to render this type of unionism obsolete. The policies and practices established during this period, it is demonstrated, held back the organization of the Negro, women and foreign-born workers for a long time to come. Turning to political policies, Dr. Foner traces the transition from "No Politics in the Unions" to the espousal of "Reward Our Friends and Punish Our Enemies," within a framework of opposition to independent political action in general. The volume closes with discussion of the role of the socialists, in the labor movement, the militant activities of the Western Federation of Miners, and the rise and decline of the American Labor Union, the immediate predecessor of the International Workers of the World. Like the two preceding volumes, Dr. Foner's...work is based on intensive research into a wide variety of sources, largely unpublished. Among the latter are the incoming correspondence of the A.F. of L. and the letter-books of Samuel Gompers..." -- from the dust jacket

This text contains racial terms from the 19th century that are offensive today.