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Ironworkers history
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They established the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers of America on February 4, 1896.
In 1896, the founding convention consisted of delegates form Boston, Chicago, Buffalo, New York City, Pittsburgh, and possibly Cleveland.
After serving one year on the Executive Board of the International (1897-1898), Parks devoted all his energies, in spite of poor health, to the New York local. It is said that Sam Parks single-handedly, as a "walking delegate," doubled the wages of the New York ironworker from $2 per day to a handsome $4 in 1896.
On June 28, 1900, 300 of their members were locked out by the Architectural Iron Workers Employers' Association.
And yet these structural ironworkers risk their lives every weekday in the year for their country’s sake.” – November 19,1900 editorial New York Evening Journal
1901, however, was the best year in Ironworker history, percentagewise at least.
The first shop local of the International, Local 40 (Newark, N.J.), was chartered in 1902 and was designated as "Inside Architectural Bridge and Structural Iron Workers."
With the 1902 Philadelphia success fresh in their minds, our small union, consisting of less than 30 locals, began to feel it was invincible.
Similarly, the 1902 Convention agreed to help inside workers organize, but it took twenty-five years before the ability to launch an effective campaign was reached.
A few days later a meeting with the newly-formed Manufacturers and Erectors Association was set up, and on April 12, 1903, Buchanan's hopes for a National Agreement were fulfilled.
63 at the 1903 Ironworker Convention in Kansas City.
In January 1904, the New York City District Council was officially formed and was composed of Locals 40 (Manhattan), 52 (Manhattan), 35 (Brooklyn), 45 (Jersey City, New Jersey) and 11 (Newark, New Jersey). The jurisdiction of the Council spanned 35 miles from City Hall and to all of Long Island.
In fact in the 1904 convention, the question of jobsite safety, which was one of the greatest concerns in founding the International Association, again was noted to be the greatest concern.
Restructuring would incorporate Local 2 into Structural Union Local 35 in 1904.
The local also boasted the International Amateur Tug War Champions, who won their first championship in 1904 at Madison Square Garden.
On January 1, 1905, the National Agreement expired.
Effective to January 1, 1905 (signed) H. F. Lofland Daniel Scanlan J.W. Johnston Frank Buchanan H. F. Donnelly Robert E. Neidig
In 1905 the First Grand Annual Picnic was held on Labor Day in Union Park on Long Island (Maspeth) while 800 men marched in the annual Labor Day parade earlier that day.
When American Bridge fabricators sub-let the erection of a local bridge to a non-union firm, the New Haven local went on strike against all American Bridge Company work on July 28, 1905.
Then, on May 1, 1906, the National Association of Manufacturers and Erectors of Structural Steel and Iron Work changed their name to the National Erectors' Association and took an equally uncompromising position.
But the tragedy of 1907 ranks as one of the worst losses of life in the history of our Union.
An investigation was conducted by a Royal Commission appointed by the Canadian government and published on March 14, 1908.
When the American Federation of Labor organized the Building Trades Department in November 1908, in Denver, President Ryan was elected Third Vice President of the new department.
In the Spring of 1908, members of Local 35 began work on the towers of the Manhattan Bridge in which 52 ton pieces of steel were carried 300 feet skyward as travelers carried an additional 64 tons of steel.
In 1909 he led to a decision a significant jurisdictional question: The Ironworkers were awarded the installation of reinforcing steel in steel reinforced concrete construction which at that time became an alternate for structural steel in the framing of a building.
On June 1, 1910, the metal trades, including the Iron Workers, united and called a strike for union recognition and the eight-hour working day in what proved to be one of Los Angeles' bitterest struggles.
On October 1, 1910, the Los Angeles Times building went up in flames and Officers of the Ironworkers were accused of "the crime of the century."
As the age of mergers, cartels and trusts began to dominate the nation’s business realm in 1910, the International struggled for survival.
In 1914, President William Howard Taft was petitioned by unions throughout the country, requesting a federal investigation of turbulent industrial relations.
Beginning in 1916, problems were rapidly developing between the AFL and the New York City District Council, particularly, the leadership at Local 35.
The bridge finally was completed and opened for traffic in August of 1918.
Echoing the sentiments of former President Flynn in 1918, are officers such as Local 361 Business Manager Ed Cush and New York City District Council President Al Simmons.
Entering the 1920’s, the labor movement was optimistic about improving working conditions due in part to America’s contribution to the Allied victory in Europe and a growing recognition of America as a leading industrial, economic and military power.
Ironworkers in the metropolitan area during the 1920’s(union and non-union) remained for the most part, unorganized and quickly gained the worst reputation of any trade.
The new directory of the New York City District Council was released in 1921.
International President Morrin began an extensive national organizing campaign, focusing on New York City in particular, which attempted to offset the dramatic drop in membership in 1921.
Dramatizing Local 361’s situation was ~he announcement of a strike by structural unions of the New York City District Council on May 1,1924 against the Iron League and National Erectors Association.
In 1925, the General Executive Council convened in New York City and decided once again to undertake an in-depth organizing plan because of the large number of nonunion members working for the Iron League and Erectors Association.
Conditions in Canada for Ironworker Locals during the Thirties President Morrin in October of 1932 reported that the conditions for Canadian workers at this time were as difficult as those in the United States.
Also in 1937, the Steelworker Organizing Committee was formed, proving to be a powerful faction, as steel companies were forced to recognize the SOC’s bargaining power.
Despite these setbacks, the economy was beginning to show signs of resurgence toward the end of the 1940’s.
Efforts to develop an effective training program met continuing frustrations and, despite the concentration of effort in those early years, was not resolved until 1948 when John H. Lyons, Sr., after assuming office, made improved apprenticeship training a major goal.
As the trade entered the 1950’s, International President John J. Lyons planned for a national apprenticeship program, the newly developed technique of welding came into practice and a welfare fund was created.
After the Korean War, in 1953 wages jumped to $3.65 per hour for structural workers and increased another $.10 by the following July to $3.75 per hour.
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the decade was the first industry-wide pension plan for ironworkers officially inaugurated on May 5, 1955 by Locals 361 and 40.
As wages climbed to $4.55 per hour in January 1959, the first formal graduating class of apprentices from Local 361 held a ceremony at the Century Dining Room of the Hotel Commodore.
Throughout 1959, members of Local 361 began construction on the passage terminal of the New York International Airport.
The 1960’s were somewhat similar to the prosperous times experienced in the 50′ s by the labor movement.
In September of 1964 with wages at $5.80 per hour, a 5% welfare fund, 4% pension fund and 6% vacation fund were allotted, based on the hourly wage scale
Scholarship Foundation was started in 1968 to provide educational funding to sons and daughters of Iron Workers' members.
The decade however, ended on two promising notes — the Mets won the 1969 World Series and Local 361 had a new office at 220-24 Jamaica Avenue, Queens with meetings taking place at VFW Post #6478 on Braddock Avenue in Bellrose.
As a result of the 1970 cease fIre in Viet Nam, the New York City labor community sponsored one of the largest parades in recent city history, praising America’s war effort.
reprinted from "The Ironworker" in 1971, written by Bill Lawbaugh as presented by Local Union 401
One of the major projects of this decade included replacing the webbing of strays and suspenders on the Brooklyn Bridge in a $52 million rehabilitation project in 1984.
An article on apprenticeship written by General President Jake West in the May, 1993 issue of The Ironworker mentioned the following:
© 2011 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE
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