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Our History
A Union is Born
The Turbulent Years
The Conspiracy Trials
The Beginning of the
Morrin Era
The Depression and a New
Deal For Labor
World War II
Ironworkers Grow in the
1950's Part Two Part Three
John H. Lyons Jr.
Elected President
The Tradition Continues
Pathways to the 21st
Century Under The Leadership of General President Jake West
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Part Two
Edward John Ryan was President from 1896 to 1899 when John T Butler was elected President at our Third International Convention. J. W. Pryale of Pittsburgh was elected Secretary Treasurer. The Bridgemen's Magazine was first printed in July of 1901 by James J. Kelly a member of Pittsburgh Local 3 and a bridge inspector for the Wabash Railroad. In December 1902 our International purchased the magazine from Kelly and began publishing with the January 1903 issue.
It was around this time that our first International Logo appeared.
In 1901, an editorial appeared in one of William Randolph Hearst's newspapers, The Chicago American. It was titled "The Structural Iron Workers." Part of the article reads as follows:
The year 1901 was the best year for the Iron Workers International since 1896, percentage wise at least. Membership swelled to 6,000, and by September there was over $2,000 in the International Treasury. The number receiving charters more than doubled that year. Local unions were chartered by the "International Association of Bridge and Structural Ironworkers of America" in 1896, however, in 1901 the words "Of America" were dropped from the title. The first printed Charter was issued to Local No. 1, Chicago on February 1, 1901.
Two Thirds of the delegates at the 1901 Convention were unhappy with the International's affiliation with the A. F. of L. and voted to withdraw. The disaffiliation was short lived , however. Frank Buchanan, who would assume the office of General President in October, 1901, immediately after the Convention, realized that seperation would harm the International. He strongly favored affiliation with the A. F. of L., but he bided his time and on September 30, 1903 the delegates at the Seventh Convention in Kansas City concurred with Buchanan's recommendation to return to the fold. One week later on October 6th, the International Association was granted another charter by A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers. A National Agreement was forged by President Buchanan with American Bridge who was the largest employer of Ironworkers in the United States. Many of the Locals approved of the general language of the agreement but thought the wages should be negotiated separately by each Local Union. Others thought that all negotiations should be conducted by the individual locals. The agreement provided that the employer would employ union Ironworkers on all its erection work within the United States and in territory outside of the United States preference would be given to members of the Union. The jurisdiction claims of the International which at that time were disputed by other unions, were fully recognized by American Bridge and set forth in section II of the agreement. Section 33 provided, "When the Company is the original contractor and sublets the work to another firm or company, the sub-contractor shall be subject to all the terms and conditions of this agreement." Although the agreement would have brought unionism to many parts of the country that weren't now organized the unions in the big cities were unwilling to make any concessions. The locals would eventually come to realize that their rejection of the agreement was a huge error. At the Sixth International Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 13th through 22nd, 1902, President Buchanan stated "One year ago our membership was, in round numbers, about 6,000. Today, it is about 10,000 and if, during the coming year, we will actively advance the interests of our Association, there is no reason to doubt but that we will succeed in organizing the men working at our craft." President Buchanan's report indicated that he had spent a considerable amount of time traveling form place to place, organizing and assisting local unions in adjusting their grievances and negotiating agreements. Buchanan had better luck at the Milwaukee Convention than he did with his American Bridge Agreement. He made the following recommendations:
Our International made a great step forward with the adoption of all of the suggestions of President Buchanan as the results of the next four years would indicate.
Scroll to the top and click on "A Union is Born 1880 - 1906 - Part Three"
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A
25 cent per capita tax was levied each month, but most locals did not have
the funds to pay into the International, nor was there an established
headquarters. Each year the International Headquarters moved to the
home of the elected Secretary/Treasurer, and if he would move, so would
the headquarters. All this while the local union's major concern was
their individual incessant struggles with various employers'
associations. In its first four years of existence the International
barely survived.
Frank
Buchanan of Local 1 in Chicago was elected as our Third International
President at our Fifth International Convention which was held at Paine
Memorial Hall in Boston on September 23 through October 3, 1901.
During the 1901 Convention it was reported that Secretary/Treasurer J. W.
Pryale had left Boston, which caused suspicion and concern. A
committee was named and instructed to contact Pryale and request he turn
over all monies, books and papers dealing with business of the
International. The Convention adopted the Bridgemens Magazine as the
official journal of the International and adopted a new Constitution to
become effective January 1, 1902. 