knights of labor
The successes and failures of the Knights of Labor, have generated many controversial issues that have helped shape the North American labor movement. The Knights of Labor were originally part of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada when it was organized in 1886 but were expelled after the Berlin Convention in 1902. It was during these years that the Knights of Labor enjoyed their peak success, and also contributed to their disappearance before World War I. Unquestionably the Knights of Labor was a popular movement, and was growing at an alarming rate. The members put the labor movement on the map, reaching groups that had never been reached before and teaching things about land, money, immigration, and government ownership that had never been taught before. The Knights of Labor tried one way and failed, but is it appropriate to ask, who has found another way and succeeded? It is a mistake to think that the North American Labor movement has outgrown the Knights of Labor. In functions, organizations, and ideas, perhaps, but not in opinion. Emphasis on the principle of solidarity was the beginning of understanding the Knights of Labor. Strange names and titles, rituals, secrecy, forms of organization, and even activi
" If a fellow Knight heard his response was "a stranger should be assisted," then he knew he was among friends. The full extent of the good that has been done by the Order of the Knights of Labor will never be known. The members realized that men who possessed wealth, in their haste and greed, often overlooked the interests of others less fortunate than they and frequently violated the rights of the people who were helpless and defenseless. Strikes were not encouraged, however, when it became necessary to make use of that weapon, it was intended that the Knights of Labor aid such members that might suffer loss. The original committee consisted of U. Smith demanded his employees sign an iron clad agreement that prohibited them from joining any union. The main objective of the Order was to teach the American wage earner that he was a wage earner first and a bricklayer, shoemaker, carpenter, and/or miner ,etc. A committee was soon appointed to act upon the offending individual, but no action was ever taken. Hornberger, and James Barron were also elected to membership. In October, 1884, a 10% reduction in wages of shopmen and others was ordered by Gould on the Missouri Pacific. The member who had violated his obligation to the Knights of Labor made a satisfactory excuse and was forgiven with a promise to never repeat the offense.
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