Andrew Cameron (1834–1892) was an American

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

ist and newspaper editor who founded the

National Labor Union The National Labor Union (NLU) is the first national labor federation in the United States. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1873, it paved the way for other organizations, such as the Knights of Labor and the AFL (American Federation of Labor). ...

alongside William H. Sylvis. He represented the National Labor Union as a delegate to the

Basle Congress (1869) The Basel Congress of 1869 is the common name assigned to the 4th General Congress of the International Workingmen's Association (IWA), commonly known as the First International. The meeting was held in the city of Basel, Switzerland from Septembe ...

of the International Workingmen's Association (IWA). Cameron worked as a printer at the ''

Chicago Times The ''Chicago Times'' was a newspaper in Chicago from 1854 to 1895, when it merged with the ''Chicago Herald'', to become the ''Chicago Times-Herald''. The ''Times-Herald'' effectively disappeared in 1901 when it merged with the ''Chicago Record' ...

'' in 1860. When the paper's publisher, William F. Storey, dismissed his employees to hire cheaper labor, Cameron led a strike, which led to the striking workers forming their own labor newspaper, the ''Workingman's Advocate.'' Cameron became editor of this paper. Cameron was a supporter of free labor republicanism and opposed socialism. Despite this relatively conservative view, he was a supporter of

industrial unionism Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Andrew 1834 births 1892 deaths Members of the International Workingmen's Association People from Berwick-upon-Tweed English emigrants to the United States Trade unionists from Illinois People from Chicago