Welcome to GCIU History
The Graphic Communications International Union represents more than 150,000 active and retired members in Canada and the United States. We've been around for more than 100 years,protecting our member's rights, improving their working conditions and standard of living, as well as ensuring pension benefits for them when they retire.
Our members are employed in all facets of the Printing Industry: Newspapers (The Edmonton Journal), Commercial Web (Quebecor World And Ed Web Printers) Sheet fed (ABC Press and Quebecor World) Specialty (Corporate Graphics and Union Shop). Their jobs include work in prepress, electronic pre press, stripping, press, bindery, shipping and receiving, delivery services and maintenance.
The Graphic Communications International Union is the result of mergers of many great Unions having jurisdictions in the Printing and Communications field.
Our Story
Graphic Communications Union Local 255-C, Edmonton's involvement in Unions and Unionism began on May 10, 1910, when we received a Charter from the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders of America and designated Local 188. Unfortunately, the only information we have on our involvement with this Union, is the Charter itself, which hangs on the wall in our office. What happened to them? We can only speculate. Our records are incomplete and go back only as far as 1921, at which time there was no mention of the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders.
On April 3, 1911, we received a Charter from the International Printing Pressman and Assistants Union of North America and given the Local number 255, which we hold to this day. We remained proud members of this great organzation for more than 67 years.
On July 27, 1978, as a result of merger with Stereotypers/Electotypers International Union, Local 255 of the International Printing Pressman and Assistants Union became Local 255 of the International Printing and Grapic Communications Union.
On July 1, 1983, we became Local 255-C Edmonton, of the Graphic Communications International Union as a result of another merger with the Graphic Arts International Union. We now had all the great Unions in our industry under one roof and were well positioned to take on the twenty-first century,
This has been a brief outline of who we are and where we've been. Where are we going? That's up to us, but with your continued support and participation in Union activities, such as Organizing, we can look forward to another successful 100 years.
For more information about our Union, you can contact Ray Wade -
Telephone - (780) 426-0624
E-Mail: [email protected] |
