bodies were protective, many benevolent, and at least two were secret—The Supreme Mechanical Order of the Sun and the Knights of St. Crispin. In 1869, the assembly favored the establishment of cooperative enterprises; but little progress was reported for the year 1868. At the close of that year there were at least six cooperative foundries in the state.
The Workingmen's Union of New York City and vicinity, "reorganized in 1864 and incorporated in 1866," was a city central labor union. All representatives sent to this central body were required to be "practical" workingmen actually working at their trade. The objects of the union were to unite the strength of different organizations in the city, to foster a friendly feeling between workingmen, to discuss and modify proposed legislation, to adjust difficulties between labor and capital—accepting the "axiom, That the interests of labor and capital should be identical,"—to discountenance strikes except when "they become absolutely necessary." Evidently class consciousness was not as yet highly developed among the organized workingmen of our largest city.[1] A very interesting preamble to the constitution of The Stair Builders' Mutually Protective and Benevolent Union of New York City offers further evidence. The Stair Builders deplored the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few. They asserted in italics that the "interests of the employee and the employer are identical." But they also declared "the independent and irresponsible action of individual employers ignores the claims and rights of employees, casts upon the field of labor incompetent workmen, lowers the dignity of the mechanic, and degrades labor." Through union action they hoped to advance the interests of labor and to secure their just reward.[2]
In 1868, at least twelve national and international trade unions were in existence: International Union of Bricklayers, Plasterers' International Union, Carpenters' National Union, National Typographical Union, Moulders' International Union, International Union of Machinists and Blacksmiths, Coach Makers' International Union, Ship-carpenters and Caulkers' International Union, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Glass-Bottle Blowers' Association, Cigar Makers' International Union, Knights of St. Crispin. The Daughters of St. Crispin was organized in 1869; and was the only women's trade union having a national organization. One authority states that more than thirty national trade unions were in existence during the decade, 1863–1873.[3]
The President of the New York State Workingmen's Assembly reported a membership of 280 organizations in January, 1868, and 305
