The guilds and the American workers tradition are similair in many ways. Each guild represented workers in a different occupation, as do the workers unions here in the U.S. Also the guild members fought to protect their own economic interests, as do the union workers of today. To become a member of the guild you had to work many years, you couldn't just be a member. The same is done here in the U.S. There were also many differences though. In the U.S. there are no riots between workers and wealthier merchants, as there was with the guilds and wealthier merchant guilds when they had struggles. Also, the guilds said that only guild members could work in any trade, and in the U.S. that is not done because anybody can work anywhere. The guilds also did many social services, which is not done today in the U.S. by union workers. Also, the U.S. Union workers don't work with other unions, as guilds did. They are many differences and similarities between the guilds and union workers, and you can see many traces of the guilds in today's unions.