"Organized labor did not become a reality in the United States until a ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Court in 1842 made it legal to form unions. The first successful one was the International Typographical Union, formed in 1852. Labor unions in the United States were seen as vehicles for better wages, not as instruments for achieving social change as in Europe.".

"The topics covered in this chronology include the gradual shift of the work force from farming to manufacturing to service occupations, women in the labor force, child labor, the average work week, unemployment compensation, the minimum wage, safety in the work place, and educational issues."--BOOK JACKET.