What did the american federation of labor do

They organized workers to try and push for shorter hours, better wages and working conditions. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) headed by Samuel Gompers used collective bargening to acheive their goal. The AFL was more succesful than other organizations because they organized skilled workers, rather than all workers.

The founding of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) by several unions of skilled workers in 1886 marked the beginning of a continuous large-scale labour movement in the United States. Its member groups comprised national trade or craft unions that organized local unions and negotiated wages, hours, and working.