Early american workers dealt with many problems. These problems ranged from child labor to unemployment. The workers also tried to set up groups, called unions, that they could call their own. The owners of the companies they worked for could not give the workers what they deserved because of their unions. Many unions also helped shape our modern US history by helping the people come together as a whole. One such union was the American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.). The unions of the A.F. of L. placed great emphasis on written collective agreements, including the closed shop, in which only union members are permitted to work. The A.F. of L. unions also insisted that members pay relatively high dues, and many of them established insurance and strike benefits. They became known to be job consciousness rather than class consciousness. The start of the A.F. of L. started with the beliefs of one man. That man was Samuel Gompers. He believed in organizing skilled workers ofd the same craft, build unions of plumbers, or carpenters, or cigar makers. By establishing these unions, a labor movement started to unfold. He split the American unions from the class struggle, and made it a partner to the US and not an enemy as people thought unions were. Gompers made unions respectable to the people. Child Labor The A.F. of L. was a pioneer in restricting child labor. The A.F. of L. would have a law passed by the Congress but the Supreme court would say Congress over stepped its powers. Even though this slowed the progress of child labor laws, it did not stop Gompers from trying to start the laws. The A.F. of L. held a conference in 1922 in which any union who wished to see the abolition of child labor was invited. The council worked for the restriction of child labor by writing an amendment that did not get enough votes to pass. It was not until the 1930"s that some forms of restriction come about. Unemployment The depression in the 1930"s gave way to massive unemployment.