National Labor Union (NLU)

The National Labor Union (NLU), founded in 1866, was one of the first major labor organizations in the United States. It aimed to unite various trade and labor groups to advocate for workers’ rights, including better wages, working conditions, and an eight-hour workday. The NLU sought to improve the lives of laborers through political activism and social reform. Though it dissolved in the 1870s, it laid important groundwork for future labor movements, influencing the formation of other unions and helping to shape labor policies in the U.S.