 The Yiddish-speaking East European Jews were strong supporters of labor unions, which they related to their socialist influences back in Europe.The International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) formed in 1900 and was a major player in the American Federation of Labor.It grew rapidly in its first two decades and took credit for abolishing sewing work in the tenements, establishing a six-day, 54-hour week, writing union contracts that gave preference to ILGWU members applying for a job, and setting up arbitration machinery.