Which statement about the American Federation of Labor is true?

Which statement about the American Federation of Labor is true?

• A. It was founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers.
• B. It advocated open membership for unskilled workers.
• C. It rejected collective bargaining as a tactic.
• D. It was led by Terence Powderly.

Answer: (A)

The statement reflects how the American Federation of Labor organized the labor movement around skilled crafts and practical gains. The AFL formed in 1886 as a federation of craft unions and was led by Samuel Gompers. This leadership and structure shaped its approach: focus on organized, skilled workers and use collective bargaining to win concrete improvements like better wages, shorter hours, and safer workplaces. Terence Powderly led a different group, the Knights of Labor, which aimed to include unskilled workers and pursued broader political reforms. The AFL did not reject collective bargaining; it embraced it as its primary tactic, and it did not advocate open membership for unskilled workers, instead concentrating on skilled trades. That combination of founding date and leadership makes the statement true.

The statement reflects how the American Federation of Labor organized the labor movement around skilled crafts and practical gains. The AFL formed in 1886 as a federation of craft unions and was led by Samuel Gompers. This leadership and structure shaped its approach: focus on organized, skilled workers and use collective bargaining to win concrete improvements like better wages, shorter hours, and safer workplaces.

Terence Powderly led a different group, the Knights of Labor, which aimed to include unskilled workers and pursued broader political reforms. The AFL did not reject collective bargaining; it embraced it as its primary tactic, and it did not advocate open membership for unskilled workers, instead concentrating on skilled trades. That combination of founding date and leadership makes the statement true.