Union History: Key Moments in February

At just 19 years old, Kate Mullany, an Irish immigrant, led the Collar Laundry Union in Troy, New York on February 23, 1864. This all-female union went on strike and won better wages and safer working conditions.

Mine owners in Cripple Creek, Colorado cut wages from $3 to $2.50 a day on February 7, 1894. Union miners went on strike for five months—and won. In a rare move, the governor sent state troops to protect the workers, not the owners.

On February 6, 1896, Ironworkers from six cities met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to form what is now the Ironworkers Union. Their work helped build the bridges and skyscrapers we see today.