Mechanics’ Union of Trade Societies

The Mechanics' Union of Trade Societies was the first labor-oriented political organization in the United States, established in Philadelphia in 1828 and New York in 1829. It emerged from the concerns of craftsmen and skilled journeymen regarding their low social and economic status. The organization advocated for universal male suffrage, equal educational opportunities, protection from debtor imprisonment, and shorter working hours.1

The Philadelphia branch pushed for free public education and an end to competition from prison contract labor. The New York branch, led by Thomas Skidmore, demanded the 10-hour workday, abolition of imprisonment for debt, and a mechanics' lien law for laborers. The party grew rapidly but was weakened by internal disputes in the early 1830s.1