2014 Event The Vatican issues a document indicating that the Catholic Church is taking a softer stance on relationships outside of traditional marriage, upholding the church's views but advocating respect for unmarried couples and homosexual unions 2014 Event Labor unions of workers in the public sector went on strike across the U.K. to protest wage increases below the rate of inflation; unions claim that over one million workers participated 2013 Event In Greece, new austerity measures prompt the unions to call for a general strike 2013 Event Following the closure of the public broadcasting station ERT, Greek unions call for a general strike 2012 Event In Greece, trade unions call a general strike as they continue their protest against austerity measures 2012 Event In Portugal, trade unions hold a 24-hour strike to protest austerity measures 2011 Event Australia's Qantas airlines and its unions are ordered to settle their industrial dispute within 21 days 2011 Event The General Assembly of Rhode Island passes legislation allowing same-sex couples to enter civil unions 2011 Event In Brazil, the Supreme Federal Court rules that same-sex couples receive the same rights of existing civil unions 2010 Event Trade unions in France launch a round of strikes in response to President Sarkozy's plan to lift the pension age to 62 2010 Event India is crippled as trade unions declare a general strike to protest a hike in fuel prices 2010 Event A bill to allow same-sex civil unions is vetoed by Linda Lingle, U.S. governor of Hawaii 1982 Event Poland bans Solidarity and all labor unions 1978 Event U.S. Postal Service and unions agree on a contract averting mail strike 1963 Event SVB, Students Unions, established under Barrel Regtien 1962 Event U.S. unions AFL-CIO starts campaign for 35-hour work week 1955 Event West German unions protest for 40-hour work week and more wages 1955 Event U.S. federations of trade unions merge into AFL/CIO 1947 Event Senate approved the Taft-Hartley Act limiting the power of unions 1945 Event World Federation of Trade Unions forms; CIO a member 1944 Event Bishop forbids membership in non Catholic unions 1934 Event Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Federal Credit Union Act, establishing Credit Unions 1933 Event In Germany, Adolf Hitler bans trade unions 1933 Event Dutch bishops forbid membership in non-catholic unions 1932 Event Dutch textile strike broken by trade unions 1932 Event U.S. railway unions accept 10% wage reduction 1926 Event Italy establishes corp of force in order to break powerful unions 1924 Event Unions terminate Twentse textile strike 1916 Event Bishop speak against Catholics in trade unions 1912 Event Pius X encyclical Singular quadam, against interconfess unions 1911 Event Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Unions form Western Canada Rugby Football Union 1886 Event American Federation of Labor (AFL) formed by 26 craft unions Samuel Gompers elected AFL president 1883 Event 1st state labor union legislation; New Jersey legalizes unions 1862 Event Excelsiors defeat Unions of Morrisania 13-9
