Labor laws, which sought the adoption of the American Federation of Labor, focused mostly on six major aspects of: Settlement (arbitration), labor disputes, child labor, female labor, workplace safety, liability for accidents at work, eight hours per day. But in regard to these issues the position of the American Federation of Labor was not constant. If at the beginning of its members were in favor of the introduction of eight-hour workday for all workers, by 1888. They changed their point of view and at the American Federation of Labor have repeatedly stated that "the workers, except for employees of the state, women and children who do not have to seek government intervention in this matter."
Manual of the American Federation of Labor has denied and denounced even social legislation. They opposed government measures to regulate wages and working hours of workers against the federal law on pensions for the elderly and Unemployment Insurance, claiming that the workers need jobs, not "charity".
Such hostility of the American Federation of Labor to the idea of ​​state regulation of economic and social spheres of life is an integral part of the ideology of voluntarism and the following reasons. While the economy and politics of the United States dominated the slogan «laissez faire», assuming non-interference of the state in economic, political, social, ideological field. This call is meant non-interference of the state, respectively, and in trade union affairs. The refusal of trade unions to take part in the struggle for broader social and political reforms and policy implementation was a kind of «laissez ta ire» to the activities of American trade unions.