Happy Independence Day!
Today we celebrate when the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence and declared itself an independent nation.
Like in America, unions work as a democracy, but many don’t know that the labor movement formed in America before we even declared independence. The first recorded strike occurred in 1768 when journeymen tailors protested wage reductions.
However, it wasn’t until 1794 that the first union organization, the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers in Philadelphia, formed among American workers. Many unions formed after, and protection for workers soon became a part of American culture.
As union members, we have the power not just to shape our working lives, but also to influence the fabric of America.