Workers International League - US Labor History

The US labor movement has a proud and militant tradition. Only by studying the great struggles of the past can we come to a deeper understanding of the present and future. In this section you will find articles and information about the events and workers who participated in the great battles against the ruling class.

Mother Jones - 1830 - 1930
Greg Oxley looks at the life of this labor pioneer and lifelong fighter for the working class.
Pages from US Labor History: The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Many skeptics say that a socialist society could never exist in America. They say that the working class and poor, who make up 90 percent of the country, are too fragmented. They say that Americans are greedy and unwilling to join together in common struggle. Some say human nature prevents a socialist system from ever being successful, but the truth is that it’s human nature to strike back against oppression and exploitation when men and women are pushed to the brink. Our own history is rich with examples of the heroism of the working class in their struggle for a better world. By Josh Shelton.
Lessons of the Post-WW2 Soldiers' Movement: the Strikes of 1945-1946
The history books conveniently skip over the massive revolutionary wave which swepth the world after World War II. The United States was no exception, with the largest strike wave in history and the mobilization of the working class against the occupation armies.