After the Civil War, which killed much of the working population, people began to appreciate their skills more and more due to the lack of human resources. Labor Unions began forming, demanding better pay, hours, and conditions. Labor Unions did receive some of what they bargained for, but their greatest gain was the augmented participation people began to take in expressing their convictions.
Some of the prominent Labor Unions were the National Labor Union, organized in 1866, the Colored National Labor Union, the Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of Labor. Although these unions targeted different portions of American society (some included blacks, some didn't, some were elitist, some were lower class...), they all had major goals in mind; all fought for reform in the American industrial workforce.
The National Labor Union fought for the arbitration of industrial disputes and the eight hour workday. They were able to win the eight hour workday. The Knights of Labor, an esoteric, clandestine, group, campaigned for economic and social reform. They wanted producers' cooperatives and codes for safety and health. They also fought for the eight hour workday. The American Federation of Labor sought better wages, hours, and working conditions. They also wanted the trade agreements. These Labor Unions negotiated with employers and held strikes, which gradually led employers to grant better lifestyles to the workers.
The success in these Labor Unions lay not only in their arguments themselves, but in the myriad of strikes that occurred. Employers were often hurt