Henry Rosemont's article, "Benjamin Franklin and the Philadelphia Typographical Strikers of 1786" discusses the history behind the Philadelphia printer's strike of 1786 and the strikers' relationship with Benjamin Franklin. According to Rosemont, "these were the first American workers who deliberately voted to stand out for a specific wage and to provide mutual assistance in maintaining it."
It was not officially stated but it was widely accepted in the years prior to the strike that journeymen in Philadelphia's printing business worked for the price of six dollars a week. Following a sharp drop in the cost