Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a major labor organization in the United States that emerged in the 1930s. It aimed to unite workers across various industries, particularly in manufacturing and textiles, to improve their rights, wages, and working conditions through collective bargaining. The CIO played a key role in organizing workers who had been excluded from traditional unions, fostering a more inclusive approach to labor. It became influential in the labor movement and was a significant force in advocating for workers' rights until it merged with the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1955.