Timeline 1838-1890

President Martin Van Buren facilitates a settlement of a strike by shipyard workers, the first government mediated labor settlement in America.

President Martin Van Buren signs an Executive Order providing a 10-hour workday for employees on federal public works projects.

Movement toward building a national coalition of workers’ unions begins with the National Labor Union.

The term “collective bargaining” is first used by Mrs. Sidney Webb, a British labor historian.