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4 unusual facts about Samuel Gompers


Lump sum

In 1911, American union leaders including Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor expressed opposition to lump sums being awarded their members pursuant to a new workers compensation law, saying that when they received lump sums rather than periodic payments the risk of them squandering the money was greater.

Max S. Hayes

AF of L President Samuel Gompers temporarily passed on the gavel at the convention so that he could himself speak on the floor during the debate which followed.

In 1912 Hayes became the first candidate to challenge Samuel Gompers for the presidency of the American Federation of Labor in nearly a decade, drawing about 30% of the vote in his losing effort.

Socialism or Barbarism

What Mészáros prescribes is a labor union socialist solution, specifically the syndicalist form of socialism that Samuel Gompers had abandoned when the AFL provided the a workforce for the U.S. involvement in World War I.


Frank Keys Foster

Foster, along with Samuel Gompers, helped to found the American Federation of Labor (A. F of L.), was its first national secretary and president of the state chapter.

International Typographical Union

In 1886, the Cigar Makers Union leader, Samuel Gompers, was elected AFL president.

Mary Kenny O'Sullivan

Labor leader and President of AFL Samuel Gompers allowed her time at the microphone to announce the founding of the National Women's Trade Union League (WTUL).

Pax Americana

Those who favored traditional policies of avoiding foreign entanglements included labor leader Samuel Gompers and steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie.


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