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Labor History and IUEC History
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CopyrightŠ 2009 National Elevator Industry Educational Program Trust Fund. The material contained herein may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the Board of Trustees of NEIEP. This unit, like all other National Elevator Industry Educational Program publications, is intended to further the job-related education of each student enrolled in a NEIEP course. While recognizing that other procedures may produce like results, the NEIEP text material is intended to provide the student with tested procedures which have become standards within the elevator industry. The NEIEP writers and staff strive for accuracy and authenticity in this unit and in all their publications. However, NEIEP neither claims nor accepts legal responsibility for absolute accuracy in its publications. NEIEP recognizes that the information presented in this unit must be used only in conjunction with the applicable manufacturer’s instructions, the Standard Agreement, and national, state and local codes. NEIEP thanks Kevin Sullivan and the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund for providing us the text for this course.
Overview:
This first section of this Course acquaints apprentices with the basics of the history of organized labor in the United States from its inception up to the present time. Topics covered include the circumstances of labor in early, colonial America, the introduction of the factory, early attempts at establishing Unions, various important events in the shaping of labor in this country, and some of the vital rights and privileges hard-won by unions that now generally applies to all workers in our nation. The second section of the Course describes the birth and evolution of the International Union of Elevator Constructors. Apprentices are introduced to IUEC Officers and are given information on the Purpose and Objective of our International as well as the difficult but successful trials that early IUEC members had in winning and maintaining the jurisdiction over the work that we presently have.
Table of Contents Labor History..................................................................................... Early American Labor History ....................................................... The Factory System ..................................................................... Early Trade Unions....................................................................... National Trade Union.................................................................... National Labor Union.................................................................... Knights of Labor ........................................................................... Industrial Expansion ..................................................................... Ludlow Massacre ......................................................................... Union Defeats and Decline ........................................................... Rebirth Under the New Deal ......................................................... History of Labor Hours.................................................................. The 8-Hour Day............................................................................ The 5-Day Week ..........................................................................
1 2 2 4 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 9 10
IUEC History ..................................................................................... Introduction of IUEC Officers......................................................... Dana Brigham, General President............................................ Dana Brigham, Career History ................................................. James H. Chapman, Jr., Assistant to the General President ..... James H. Chapman, Jr., Career History ................................... Kevin P. Stringer, General Secretary-Treasurer ........................ Kevin P. Stringer, Career History .............................................. Purpose and Objectives of the IUEC ............................................. Birth of the IUEC........................................................................... NUEC Becomes the IUEC ............................................................ Elevator Operators and Starter’s Union......................................... IUEC Jurisdictional Disputes......................................................... Early Negotiations ........................................................................ IUEC Support of Locals ................................................................ Past IUEC Leaders....................................................................... Early Working Conditions.............................................................. Wage Stabilization Board.............................................................. Taft-Hartley Act.............................................................................
10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 14 14 16 17 17 18 18 19
Table of Contents (cont.) Work Stoppages........................................................................... Strike of 1967 ............................................................................... Lockout of 1972............................................................................ Selective Strike of 1977 ................................................................ Local 1, NYC Strikes..................................................................... Canadian Strike of 1972-73.......................................................... Local Union Numbers ................................................................... OSHA .......................................................................................... NEIEP/CEIEP.............................................................................. EINRTP........................................................................................ Hours and Wage History............................................................... Vacation History ........................................................................... Holiday History ............................................................................. Medical Benefit History ................................................................. Pension Benefit History ................................................................ ASME Code ................................................................................. EIWPF ......................................................................................... IUEC Addresses........................................................................... IUEC Website............................................................................... IUEC Presidents...........................................................................
20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 23 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 26 26 26 27
Appendix A – Labor History ...............................................................
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Glossary of Terms .............................................................................
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campaign or become non-union again in a decertification campaign. These consultants are skilled in the use of every legal loophole that can frustrate union organizing, the winning of representation elections, or the negotiation of a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement. The increase in the number of these consultants threatens the future stability of labor-management relationships.
LABOr HiSTOrY Throughout American history working people have had to unite in struggle in order to achieve both social and economic gains in the workplace. These improvements did not come easily. Working men and women of America have built a solid union movement by organizing unions, winning the right of union representation and using the collective bargaining process as the core of their activities to negotiate better wages and working conditions from employers.
A group of organizations generally described as the “new right” encourages their followers to develop an antiunion atmosphere in the nation. They seek to repeal or cripple various social and economic programs that have brought a greater degree of security and peace of mind to the millions of American wage earners in the middle and lower economic brackets. The use of lie detectors and electronic surveillance in probing the attitudes and actions of employees are a reminder that opposition to unions is still alive.
Labor in America has been a stabilizing force on the national economy and a supporter of our democratic society. Social and economic gains achieved by unions, both directly and indirectly, have greatly benefited all Americans. It was labor that spearheaded the drive for public education for every child, it was labor that helped create the social security system and it was labor that fought for minimum wage laws. The labor movement, indeed, has served as a force for all Americans to progress.
One need remains constant: the need for individual employees to have the power to band together to achieve equal collective status in dealing with billion dollar corporations. In other words, unions are needed today as much as they were a hundred years ago.
American labor has played a central role in the elevation of the American standard of living. Benefits negotiated by unions for their members are, in most cases, widespread in the economy and enjoyed by millions of Americans outside the unionized labor movement. Workers of today take for granted paid vacations, pensions, health plans, grievance and arbitration procedures and holidays; however, these benefits never existed on a meaningful scale until unions fought for and won them at the bargaining table. Union wages and benefits have forced non-union employers to provide some benefits to their employees, although they are seldom comparable to union packages. The non-unionized worker who thinks that he or she would still receive paid vacations, holidays and 401K plans if unions did not exist, is sadly mistaken.
AFL-CIO past President Lane Kirkland expressed the following union concept in his formal statement on labor’s centennial in 1981: “Labor has a unique role in strengthening contemporary American society and dealing adequately and forcefully with the challenge of the future. We shall rededicate ourselves to the sound principle of harnessing democratic tradition and trade union heritage with the necessity of reaching out for new and better ways to serve all working people and the entire nation.”
The labor movement has successfully reached out to blacks, Hispanics and other minorities in American society who are seeking to improve their lives. Labor has also reached out to women and their battle for better jobs with equal or comparable pay. Labor fights for better schools, affordable health care and dignity for the elderly. The labor movement supports the pillars of the American Bill of Rights: freedom of speech, press and assembly. In the last two hundred years the labor movement has seen the death of some industries and the birth of others. The American workforce, once predominantly “blue collar,” now consists of “white collar” employees such as doctors, teachers and engineers as well. The workforce in mass production manufacturing industries has shrunk, and new industries require employees with different skills. Recently labor has had to deal with an increase in the number of management/union busting consultants. These consultants are hired by management to ensure that a workplace either remain non-union during an organizing IUEC History
Figure 1 Lane Kirkland
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early American Labor History When unsuccessful in recruiting American Indians as a work force in the 17th century, the sponsors of the American colonies looked elsewhere. The early labor force of our nation consisted of indentured servants. These workers were from Western Europe, England, Northern Ireland and western Germany. Agreement existed stating that after a set period of time, usually several years, the worker would receive his freedom, and possibly land. These workers would live and work with their employers, and instead of being paid wages they would receive room and board. This is how the employer was reimbursed for costs associated with training the worker and bringing the worker to the new country. Often times, convicts, debtors, stranded seamen and African slaves were also brought to the colonies as involuntary laborers. Some workers were even kidnapped and brought to this country to be indentured servants.
The cottage industries that began to develop in colonial America were small businesses run by craftsmen working primarily out of their own homes. These businesses, usually dominated by men, included the production goods such as furniture, pottery, baked goods, clothing, glass and shoes. In general, the goods produced were limited to only what was ordered by local townspeople and farm families who lived in the immediate vicinity.
The roots of today’s trade unions extend deep into the early history of America. Many Pilgrims arriving at Plymouth Rock in 1620 were working craftsmen. Captain John Smith, who led the ill-fated settlement in 1607 on Virginia’s James River, pleaded with his sponsors in London to send him more craftsmen and working people. In the early days of colonialism, primitive unions or guilds of carpenters and cordwainers, cabinetmakers and cobblers made their appearance, often temporarily, in various cities along the Atlantic seaboard of colonial America. Workers played a significant role in the struggle for independence; carpenters disguised as Mohawk Indians were at the Boston Tea Party in 1773. The First Continental Congress met in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia, and there the colonies voted to enact a trade embargo against England, one of the earliest challenges to the power of the British Crown in America.
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, journeymen were beginning to form some local trade societies that would later become the organized labor movement. At about this time, however, the type of work was also beginning to change. As settlers moved westward and the cities in the east began their rapid expansion, there was a considerable increase in the demand for goods. The production of goods had to be expanded to supply a growing force of salesmen, known as “Yankee Traders,” who began to carry goods to western settlers. These middlemen not only drove an increase in production but an increase in competition among craftsmen. Yankee Traders looked for the lowest price for the goods they purchased. These salesmen were the original middlemen, buying goods at the lowest possible cost from producers in the cities and selling them on the frontier for as much as the market would bear.
In “pursuit of happiness” seeking shorter hours and more pay, printers were the first to go on strike in New York City in 1794; cabinetmakers struck in 1796; carpenters in Philadelphia in 1797; cordwainers in 1799. By the early 1800s negotiations and strikes over working conditions became more common in the union vs. management relationship. By the 1820s, several unions involved in efforts to reduce the workday from 12 to10 hours began to show interest in the idea of joining together to pursue common goals for working people.
While the demand for goods was increasing, the available pool of workers was increasing even faster. Immigrants, seeking to escape poverty in Europe, came to American shores. Increased competition between craftsmen to sell their goods to the Yankee Traders caused prices to fall.
Eventually, the apprenticeship system replaced the indentured servitude system. Under the apprentice system, a young man was accepted by a master craftsman to live with his family and learn a trade. The apprentice worked for the master craftsman for several years in exchange for his training, room and board. After a designated number of years, the apprentice became a journeyman and was then paid wages. Journeymen who were able to save enough money were then able to open their own shops as master craftsmen.
The availability of a large pool of immigrant labor resulted in fierce competition for jobs and a lowering of wages. Master craftsmen began to expand their shops in what was the beginning of the factory system in America. The close family type of relationship that had characterized the colonial workshop, where apprentices learned a trade and became journeymen and eventually master craftsmen, began to rapidly fade into history.
Early efforts to organize may have been unsuccessful but they reflected the desire of working people to achieve economic and legal protections from abusive employers. With inventions like the steam engine and the increased use of waterpower to operate machinery, a trend toward the factory system of England, which had produced misery and slums for decades, was starting to develop in America.
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The Factory System As the factory system developed, great numbers of people left their rural homes to compete for the relatively 2
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ments that housed them. Whole families often lived in one or two rooms. The names given to these slums often characterized their living conditions: Hell’s Kitchen, the Bottoms, and Shantytown.
few jobs available in urban centers. This labor surplus made the working classes increasingly dependent on their employers. To offset this dependency and to help workers gain a measure of control over their economic lives, the earliest unions were formed among skilled artisans. These groups encountered great opposition from employers and government and were considered illegal associations or conspiracies in the restraint of trade. Over the years many of these legal barriers to trade unionism were eliminated as a result of court decisions and favorable legislative action, but the early unions failed to survive the economic depressions of the first half of the 19th century.
The factory system became known as the Industrial Revolution. The way in which Americans worked and lived changed drastically during this time. The new economy created by the Industrial Revolution was more complex than the farm economy and it was about to go through a series of growing pains on its way to the Great Depression of the 1930s. The “Panic of 1837” was a major economic recession that saw a drop in workers wages while prices for essential goods increased rapidly. During this time, large numbers of immigrants were arriving in the U.S. By the mid1800s half a million new immigrants were coming to America every year. As wages dropped and prices for essential goods like food increased, every able-bodied member of the family had to work in order to survive. Child labor continued to grow. Children worked in the factories, they worked in the mines.
It was the rise of the factory system that resulted in the real beginnings of the American labor movement. Factories had larger numbers of workers employed as compared to the apprenticeship guilds of years past. This made organizing workers into a union easier. At the beginning of the 1800s, workers often labored 80 hours a week for pitifully low wages. As the factory system began to emerge, conditions for workers worsened. The first factories in the United States were textile mills, the first of which was built in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1790. Early factories employed large numbers of children and young women. During the early 1800s, it is estimated that as many as half of the workers in the mills were children, who worked the same hours as adults but for lower pay. Life in 1800s America was a harsh existence. The living conditions for most new immigrants, living in eastern cities, were particularly bad.
Factory workers found that their job didn’t end when they left the factory. Workers, particularly in the garment industry, would often take their work home with them. It was common for families, after a twelve-hour day in the factory, to continue to work at home after dinner. While most workers suffered a life of hard labor, low wages and an unstable economy, the nation continued to grow. In the second half of the nineteenth century huge waves of immigration continued, including large numbers of Chinese immigrants. These immigrants provided the labor that built the railroads across the country.
With production by hand decreasing and production in the factories increasing, having a certain skill set or knowing a trade was no longer a requirement to get work. A new class of unskilled laborer, called “free workers,” worked 80 or more hours a week for low wages. After working long hours in the factories or on the docks, men, women and children would return to the run-down tene-
Building railroads was a dangerous occupation. Many immigrants died from injuries and illnesses caused by the deplorable working conditions that existed on the railroads. Through the mid-1800s, unions and worker protection laws were non-existent. Working conditions at
Figure 2 Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
IUEC History
Figure 3 Chinese Workers Building Railroad
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the factories, mines and on the railroads, were usually quite hazardous. With the constant flood of immigrants (3 million arrived between 1846 and 1855) and no laws to protect workers, employers had little incentive to pay attention to their concerns. Things began to change for workers in the 1850s when trade unions and the labor movement, much as we know them today, started to take shape.
Hunt, 1842) that said strikes to improve labor conditions were not criminal conspiracies but they were in fact lawful. Local unions again tried to combine with one another, but instead of trying to set up a federation like the National Trade Union, they concentrated on forming national unions of workers in the same craft. During this time, the typographers (organized in 1852), the stonecutters (1853), the hat finishers (1854), the blacksmiths and the machinists (1857), and the iron molders (1859) all established national unions. Once again union growth suffered a setback caused by the economic crisis of 1857. Membership declined drastically and several national unions failed.
early Trade unions The trade union movement in the U.S. originated during the early years. In America just like in other countries, skilled workers were the first to organize and form unions. During the 1790s the carpenters and shoemakers of Philadelphia, the tailors of Baltimore, the printers of New York City and groups of craft workers in other large cities formed unions. These early unions, usually small and short-lived, were organized to conduct strikes, after which they dissolved. Strikes and other Job Actions were not common in the 18th century, although journeyman printers did occasionally strike in New York City and Philadelphia in the late 1700s. Work stoppages occurred a little more frequently during the early decades of the 19th century. During this time, strike leaders frequently were fined and imprisoned for what was termed “conspiracy to raise wages.�
Before the American Civil War, several influences conspired to limit the growth of trade unionism. Perhaps most important of those was the lack of large-scale industry in the U.S. before the war. Most laborers were employed by small firms, in which they generally enjoyed close personal relationships with their employers. Most employees dreamed of establishing similar businesses of their own someday. This absence of barriers between employer and employee minimized classconsciousness and class conflict. This absence made it natural for workers to oppose trade unionism and refrain from organizing. Furthermore, the existence of an open frontier in the U.S. meant that any enterprising worker could become a farmer.
In 1827 several trade unions in Philadelphia joined together to form the Mechanic’s Union of Trade Associations. This was the first known labor organization to unite workers from different crafts in America. Similar local federations started popping up in other cities in America. These federations not only worked to raise wages and improve working conditions they also fought for social reforms. Social reforms like free public education, the elimination of imprisonment for debt, and the adoption of universal manhood suffrage were initiated by these organizations. Perhaps the most important aspect of these early unions was their influence on politics and politicians.
National Labor union The Civil War changed industry drastically. During and especially after the conflict, the industrialization of the country accelerated. This period was marked by the development of large businesses employing thousands of workers. The wages and working conditions of these businesses made it almost impossible for workers to even dream of escaping their class or socioeconomic status. As a result, unionization advanced rapidly. More than 30 national craft unions were established during the 1860s and early 1870s. Particularly significant was the formation in 1863 of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The BLE was the first of the railroad brotherhoods.
National Trade union The first national labor federation, founded in 1834, was the National Trade Union. Unfortunately, the NTU was short-lived. During the following few years the NTU was unable to affiliate with other labor federations due to the economic crisis of 1837 and the ensuing depression. This failure of the NTU coupled with the worsening economy led to a sharp decline in union membership, temporarily halting the movement.
In 1866 several national unions including the printers, machinists and stonecutters sent delegates to a Baltimore meeting that brought forth the National Labor Union. The NLU was a federation of local and national unions as well as city federations. Under the leadership of William Sylvis of the Iron Molders Union, the NLU emerged with a reform agenda that included reducing work hours. Sylvis and the NLU have been credited with establishing the eight-hour workday for federal employees in 1868. In two years the NLU had more than 600,000 members. The NLU leadership emphasized a political action agenda that eventually alienated many of the individual unions,
After the business revival in the 1840s and early 1850s union membership once again began to increase. Unions and organizing efforts were strengthened by the favorable ruling of a Massachusetts court case (Commonwealth v. Trade Skills 160
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order but later became an inclusive organization, embracing workers in all trades including common laborers. The ambitious agenda of the Knights of Labor included an eight-hour workday and an end to child labor. Like the NLU, the Knights of Labor was a relatively weak organization in spite of its 700,000 members. The Knights were committed to creating a cooperative society. Membership was not limited to wage earners. Membership was available to farmers and small business people as well. Excluded from the Knights were Lawyers, bankers, stockbrokers, professional gamblers and anyone involved in the sale of alcoholic beverages. The Knights’ leadership was generally opposed to strikes but had little control over its regional organizations. After a successful strike against the Wabash Railroad in 1885, the Knights suffered a series of setbacks.
Figure 4 Arresting Miners
The most serious setback suffered by the Knights of Labor was the “Haymarket Riot.” In 1886 police at the McCormick International Harvester Company plant in Chicago shot four workers. The victims had been at a labor rally calling for an 8-hour workday. The next day workers gathered in Haymarket Square to protest the shooting. A bomb exploded killing a policeman. A panic followed and the police opened fire on the crowd. Seven policemen and several protestors were killed. An official count of the number of protestors killed does not exist. Branded as anarchists and socialists, public opinion turned against unions. As a result, membership in the Knights of Labor began a rapid decline. In 1893, Terrence Powderly resigned, marking the end of the Knights of Labor. The labor organization that followed the Knights of Labor was the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
whose membership believed that economic struggles were the most important function of labor organizations. With the death of Sylvis in 1869 and the departure of several national unions, the NLU collapsed in 1872. The decade of the 1870s saw widespread labor unrest. Much of this unrest was caused by the disastrous economic crisis of 1873. Workers’ wages and working conditions were particularly affected by the crisis. Several unions went on strike over wage cuts and worker displacement caused by the implementation of laborsaving machinery. Most employers vigorously opposed trade union activity. The resulting struggle between workers and employers often took violent forms. In 1874 a group of coal operators in Pennsylvania broke a contract with coal miners by ordering a wage cut. The coal miners responded by walking out of the mines. This strike became known as the Long Strike of 1875. In retaliation to the strike the coal operators brought in strikebreakers and a paid security force to open the mines by force if necessary. In the days and weeks that followed, the dispute turned violent. It was believed that a group of Irish immigrants, known as the “Molly Maguires,” were responsible for the violence. Eventually, 24 men were arrested and convicted for committing violence against the coal operators. Sadly, ten of these men were hanged. The convictions and hangings severely dampened the miner’s spirit and broke the strike. It would take many years for the mineworkers to regain any power in the mining industry. Knights of Labor Prior to the NLU collapse, another attempt to form a national federation of unions began in the 1870s. By the early 1880s, the Knights of Labor, led by Terrence Powderly of Pennsylvania, boasted over 700,000 members. The Knights of Labor started out as a secret fraternal IUEC History
Figure 5 Terrence Powderly of the Knights of Labor
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assuring that labor issues would receive top-level consideration. In 1914, the Clayton Antitrust Act became law. This act limited the federal government’s use of federal injunctions in labor disputes. In 1916 the railroad workers won a victory with passage of the Adamson Eight-Hour Act. This law limited the working hours of railroad labor only, but its passage strengthened the position of all unions struggling for shorter hours. During World War I the federal government recognized the contributions of organized labor and placed it’s representatives in key positions in the war production agencies of the government. These achievements contributed to a sharp rise in union membership. By 1920 trade unions had about 5.1 million members.
industrial expansion The expansion of industrial activity after the SpanishAmerican War (1898) led to renewed growth of trade unionism. By 1904 more than 2 million workers were members of trade unions. Almost 1.7 million belonged to the AFL. Although most employers remained bitterly hostile toward unions, employers in some industries, including construction, publishing, glass, ceramics, coal, and railroads, began to accept collective bargaining with unions. In 1905 in Chicago the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was organized. The IWW publicly adopted the revolutionary trade union principle of alliance. The IWW never had more than 100,000 members. Despite it’s size, the IWW conducted numerous strikes and exerted a major influence on the American labor movement. Unfortunately, violence and bloodshed tainted most of the strikes conducted by the IWW.
In the early 20th century women started joining unions. The most notable being the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU). Thousands of women living in big cities worked in the manufacturing industry. Wages and working conditions for women in the textile and garment industries were deplorable. The pay was low, the hours were long and speed-ups were common. In 1909, these conditions led to a strike called “The Upris-
In the years immediately preceding the United States’ entry into World War I, organized labor won several important gains from the federal government. In 1913 the Congress created the Department of Labor, thereby
The police followed the retreating anarchists and sent deadly volleys into their midst
Figure 6 Chicago’s Haymarket Riot
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In 1912 textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, organized a strike to protest working conditions and wages in the mills. Here, members of the Massachusetts National Guard and local police officers hold the crowd of demonstrators back with bayonets. During the twomonth strike, law enforcement officials engaged in numerous scuffles with demonstrators, limiting their freedom to assemble and organize collectively.
Figure 7 Lawrence, Massachusetts Textile Strike of 1912
ing of the Twenty Thousand.” Under the banner of the Ladies’ Garment Workers’, these mostly women strikers of Eastern European decent conducted the first largescale protest in the needle trades industry. These women struck against shirtwaist and dress manufacturers. The strike enjoyed widespread public support, and because of that support the Ladies Garment Workers were able to secure a 52-hour workweek and wage increases.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies, quickly converged on Lawrence to help organize the strike. The strikers wanted not only decent pay, but also a chance to enjoy the good things of life. They carried signs saying, “We want bread and roses too!” As conditions in Lawrence worsened, arrangements were made for hundreds of children to be sent out of state to the homes of sympathizers. The police decided that no youngsters could leave town so they went to the railroad station and attacked women strikers and their children. An enraged public protest followed these attacks forcing the mill owners to not only restore the pay cuts, but also increase the worker’s wages to more realistic levels. The Lawrence strike broke new ground in two ways. Women led it, and there was a conscious effort to unite workers of all nationalities. Every union meeting was translated into 25 different languages.
In 1910, 50,000 New York City Cloakmakers went out on strike. This was another successful strike for the labor movement and for all workers. Due to the efforts of Attorney Louis D. Brandeis the dispute ended on a constructive note. A “protocol of peace” designed by Brandeis established procedures for reparation and arbitration of future grievance disputes. This plan also called for the elimination of homework, the free use of electricity, and 10 paid holidays a year. Also, rates for piecework would be fixed by joint union-management committees. Brandeis was later named to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ludlow Massacre On April 20, 1914 twenty innocent men, women and children were killed in the Ludlow Massacre in Ludlow, Colorado. Coal miners in Colorado had been trying to join the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) for years. The coal operators, led by the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company were bitterly opposed to the workers desire to join a union. The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company was owned by John D. Rockefeller. At the time Rockefeller also owned the massive Standard Oil Corporation, making him one of the richest and most powerful
The 1912 Bread and Roses strike at the textile mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts was another historic industrial conflict that took place prior to World War I. This strike began when mill owners, responding to a state legislative action reducing the workweek from 54 to 52 hours, cut workers pay rates by 3.5 percent. Workers received no notice of the impending cuts. The move produced predictable results. A spontaneous strike of 23,000 textile workers, arrests, attacks by the police and the National Guard on people in peaceful meetings, and broad public support for the strikers. IUEC History
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men in the world. In American history Rockefeller is referred to as a “Captain of Industry.”
caused drastic losses of membership in many unions, including those of the coal miners, metal miners, and garment workers.
Once the strike began the miners and their families were evicted from their company-owned houses and moved into a cluster of tents on public property. Colorado militiamen, coal company guards, and thugs hired as private detectives and strikebreakers were brought in to suppress the Colorado miners. At night these thugs fired bullets into the tent colony. The miners dug holes and caves under the largest tent in order to protect their women and children. On the day of the massacre the company thugs poured oil on the coal miners tents and set them on fire. As the frantic miners and their families ran for safety, they were fired upon by machine guns. Some people were shot to death while others burned to death in the tents.
Taking advantage of the weaknesses in American trade unionism, many employers vigorously opposed union organizing efforts. Capital flight was common; employers moved their businesses to regions of the country that lacked trade union traditions. Employers abolished existing collective bargaining agreements and refused to make new ones. They required their employees to sign socalled yellow-dog contracts binding them not to join unions and instead forced workers to join companycontrolled employee associations. They engaged in “kindhearted” practices, such as the establishment of health and welfare plans, as a means of making unionism seem less desirable. Union membership dropped from the peak of 5.1 million in 1920 to fewer than 3.5 million in 1929. During the same period membership in companysponsored employee associations rose from an insignificant number to about 1.5 million.
Following the massacre there was nationwide protest against the killings. An investigation revealed that kerosene had intentionally been poured on the tents. Sadly, not a single company thug was ever punished; however, many of the miners were arrested and blackballed from the coal industry.
The economic depression of the 1930s led to a tremendous rise in unemployment and to a corresponding further decline in union membership. The unions, attempting to offset the adverse effects of the depression on wages and working conditions, launched numerous strikes, but few were successful. The widespread use of the injunction by employers contributed to the defeats sustained by labor. In 1932 Congress, coming to the aid of the unions, enacted the Norris-LaGuardia Anti-Injunction Act, which banned yellow-dog contracts and curtailed the use of injunctions far more effectively than had the Clayton Act of 1914. The Norris-LaGuardia Anti-Injunction Act proved to be the forerunner of the large body of pro-labor legislation enacted after the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to the presidency in 1932.
union Defeats and Decline Throughout history organized labor has experienced several serious defeats. One of the worst setbacks for the union movement was the failure of the 1919 strike of iron and steelworkers. Despite the fundamental importance of the iron and steel industry to the national economy, a significant effort to organize its workers had never been attempted until 1918. In 1918, the AFL set up the National Committee for the Organization of the Iron and Steel Industry. The workers, many of whom worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, welcomed the arrival of unionism. The iron and steel companies refused to bargain with the union, and fired large numbers of workers. An industry-wide strike was called in September 1919. The strike involving almost 370,000 workers was one of the largest strikes in U.S. history. Unfortunately, the inflexibility of the employers and the lack of unity among the strikers forced the workers to abandon the strike without winning any concessions. As a result, the iron and steel industry remained for almost two decades an openshop industry, in which union membership was not required.
rebirth under the New Deal The first of the many laws sponsored by Roosevelt’s New Deal and passed by Congress was the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of June 1933. This law was designed to ease effects of the depression and to stimulate the growth of the trade union movement. One of the most controversial sections of this law stipulated that “employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and shall be free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers…in the designation of such representatives.”
The trade union movement declined again during the 1920s. A major influence in the decline was the severe postwar depression of 1921-22. Unemployment rose sharply. Competition for jobs was so high that unions were unable to prevent wage reductions. Speedup was imposed, workers were forced to work faster and produce more than they did previously in a certain period of time. Employment in certain industries continued to decline even after the return of general prosperity. These declines Trade Skills 160
Unions during the next 22 months reacted by carrying out successful organizing campaigns in many industries. Membership in the AFL, which had dropped to about 2.5 million in 1932, rapidly rose to more than 3 million. In May 1935 the Supreme Court declared the NIRA uncon8
IUEC History
itarians and reformers, shortened the hours of labor for children and women. During the 1840s the political reformers, known as Chartists, led British workers in a series of militant struggles for a 10-hour day. Thereafter in Great Britain the pressure of workers organized in trade unions was the principal factor in effecting a reduction of the workday and the workweek. In the U.S. workers began to fight for shorter work hours in the 1820s. At the time of the American Civil War, however, the average number of hours worked in a week was 72 in agriculture and 64 in industry and commerce. During the industrialization of the country following the Civil War, pressure by workers for a shorter working day increased. By 1890 the 10-hour day and the 60-hour week were common in industry, while the average number of working hours per week in agriculture was about 70.
Figure 8 National Recovery Act Bluebird
stitutional, but two months later Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which provided even stronger government support for organized labor. The NLRA not only reaffirmed the right of labor to organize freely and to bargain collectively, but also applied the designation “unfair” to certain practices designed by employers to obstruct unionization and made those found guilty of such practices subject to penalty. One of the most significant provisions of the NLRA made domination or financial support of unions by employers illegal. This virtually eliminated the company-dominated employee associations.
The struggle for shorter hours continued, and at the end of the 19th century the legal system began to support legislation limiting the workweek and workday. The courts declared that the health of workers was a matter affecting the public welfare and that laws intended to preserve it were a legitimate exercise of governmental powers. This attitude made possible the later enactment of important laws establishing normal standards and legal limits for the workday and workweek. The 8-Hour Day The movement for an 8-hour workday originated among Australian workers in 1856 and was taken up in 1866 by a socialist organization, the International Workingmen’s Association, led by Karl Marx. The National Labor Union in the U.S. in 1866 and the Trades Union Congress in Great Britain in 1869 publicly advocated an 8-hour day. In the U.S., workers on federal government projects were put on an 8-hour day by a congressional enactment in 1868, and in 1892 Congress extended the 8hour day to all federal government employees. In 1886 a nationwide workers demonstration for the 8-hour day was climaxed by the Haymarket Square Riot.
History of Labor Hours Determining standard hours of work constitutes one of the principal issues in labor-management relations and is a major subject for social legislation in virtually all countries. Before the development of factories and the factory system of production in Europe in the 19th century, most industrial work consisted of handicrafts and was conducted by artisans in small shops. The number of daily and weekly hours that artisans worked was regulated by the guilds in the interests of the guildmasters and was regarded as a matter to be determined exclusively by the guild. Serfs, peasants, farmers, and agricultural laborers normally worked from dawn to dusk.
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) joined with other labor groups in pressing for a general 8-hour law. During the 1890s several AFL unions, including the printers and the building trades workers, achieved the 8hour day. The first national law establishing an 8-hour day for a private industry was the Adamson Act, covering railroad workers, which was passed by Congress in 1916 under threat of a general railroad strike.
The number of hours of labor became an important social issue only after the Industrial Revolution, which began about 1760 in Great Britain and in the latter part of the 19th century in the United States. The Industrial Revolution created a large class of people who were dependent for their existence on paid employment and were subject to exploitation by the owners of industry. In 1800, both in Great Britain and the U.S., a 14-hour working day in industry was commonplace for men, women, and even children, and longer hours prevailed in some industries, particularly textile mills. In Great Britain a number of acts of parliament, called Factory Acts sponsored by humanIUEC History
In the U.S., as in Great Britain, however, the 8-hour day was achieved primarily not through legislative enactment but through collective bargaining by labor unions and employers. By the end of World War I, the 8-hour day and the 48-hour week prevailed in most industries in the 9
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eral government in 1938 established a 40-hour week for workers employed by firms in interstate commerce. The practice of limiting the maximum period of work to 5 days and 40 hours or less per week was almost universal in the U.S. by the beginning of World War II. By the middle of the 20th century most countries had legislation limiting the basic workweek in nonagricultural industries to 40 or 48 hours. In 1967, for example, the Soviet Union announced that it would reduce its standard workweek from 6 days to 5 but keep the numbers of hours at 41 per week. In the U.S., the standard workweek is generally 40 hours, but many industries have shifted to a 35hour week. Standard workweeks of even fewer hours have been granted to some workers under the provisions of union contracts. Figure 9 Attention Workingmen! Great Mass Meeting To-night
iueC HiSTOrY
U.S. and Great Britain. An important factor influencing the trend toward the shorter workday was mounting evidence that productivity tended to increase when working hours were shortened.
The 26,000 members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors throughout the United States and Canada take pride in the fact that they belong to one of the strongest unions within the Building Trades of the AFLCIO.
The 5-Day Week During the economic depression of the 1930s, agitation for a 5-day workweek was widespread, particularly in the U.S., where labor leaders demanded that unemployment be relieved by spreading available work to more employees.
introduction of iueC Officers Dana Brigham, General President The duties of the General President are specified in the Constitution and by-laws for the IUEC in Article VI Section 1. He/she presides at all conventions and meetings of the International Union and General Executive Board.
In 1933, as part of the New Deal legislation under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the federal National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) was enacted, creating the National Recovery Administration (NRA). The hours of work in many industries were reduced to 40 per week, the working day was established at 8 hours. Although the U.S. Supreme Court later invalidated the NRA, the fed-
Figure 11 Dana Brigham General President
Figure 10 Franklin D. Roosevelt
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The General President appoints regional directors and committees. For complete details review the Constitution and by-laws of the IUEC Article VI Section 1. Dana Brigham, Career History General President Brigham started in the elevator industry on October 31, 1966, as a probationary helper in Local 10, Washington, DC. President Brigham worked for Horner Elevator Company in construction until the 1967 strike. At the conclusion of the strike President Brigham went to work for Armor Elevator Company in construction. He left the trade for a two-year term with the U.S. Marine Corps serving our country in Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour of duty in 1970 he returned to Armor where he worked in maintenance and modernization. He became a mechanic in 1971 and stayed with Armor until 1972. He spent 1972 to 1975 at Westinghouse in construction. In 1975 he entered the maintenance department at Westinghouse. In the mid 1970s he was elected to the Executive Board, then Vice President, then President of Local 10. In 1985 he was elected a Business Representatives for Local 10. In 1991, President Brigham was elected Business Manager of Local 10 and 7th Vice President of the IUEC. In 1996 he was reelected as 2nd Vice President of the IUEC. He held that office until the International Executive Board elected him to fill the un-expired term of Edward C. Sullivan in February 1998 as the Assistant to the General President. In July of 2000 he succeeded Edward C. Sullivan as President of the IUEC. At the August 2001 convention President Brigham ran for reelection unopposed. He was re-elected to the office at the convention in 2006. For more information about the IUEC General President, please contact the International Office.
Figure 12 James J. Higgins, Jr. Assistant General President
ticeship and training program which made his transition to NEIEP director in 2001 a natural fit. As director of NEIEP, Jim worked to establish national apprenticeship standards for all of the IUEC local unions in the United States. He served with distinction on the National BCTD Training Directors Committee, working side by side with training and apprenticeship representatives from our fellow building trades unions. By sharing ideas and lending support, the committee sought to strengthen the construction industry as a whole by creating a corps of the most highly skilled workers.
James J. Higgins, Jr., Assistant General President The duties of the Assistant General President are specified in the Constitution and By-Laws for the IUEC in Article VI Section 2. In the absence of the General President, the Assistant General President will exercise the powers and duties of the General President except for filling office vacancies and making appointments. The Assistant General President performs all duties assigned to him/her by the General President. For complete details, review the Constitution and By-Laws of the IUEC Article VI Section 2.
As director of NEIEP, Jim also served as the IUEC’s representative on the Helmets to Hardhats Advisory Board. As NEIEP director it was Jim's job to ensure that our union ranks would be filled with talented, highly trained and dedicated mechanics and the Helmets to Hardhats program was the perfect connection to just the kind of people who would thrive in our trade while serving our union with great distinction. Jim was honored to be the recipient of the program’s Tip of the Spear Award.
James J. Higgins, Jr., Career History James Higgins, Jim, started in the IUEC in the late 1980’s with Local 1, New York, working as a helper with the Peelle Company. He moved on to construction work with Fujitec of America and eventually to the modernization department of General Elevator. Jim became a NEIEP instructor in 1993 and five years later, was appointed NEIEP administrator for Local 1. In this capacity, he established the standards for the Local 1 apprenIUEC History
In addition to Jim's on-the-job-training, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Villanova University, a Masters of Business degree in business management from Dowling College and has pursued labor studies at Cornell University School of Industrial Labor Relations. Upon the retirement of brother Tim Smith in 2008, Jim was appointed to his current position as Assistant General President of the IUEC. 11
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Kevin P. Stringer, General Secretary-Treasurer The duties of the General Secretary-Treasurer are specified in the Constitution and By-Laws for the IUEC in Article VI Section 3, 4 and 5. He/she is responsible for recording all proceedings of the International Union and the General Executive Board. He/she is responsible for all monies received or spent by the IUEC. For complete details review the Constitution and by-laws of the IUEC in Article VI Section 3, 4 and 5.
Advisory Committee in 1998. Kevin has served as a Trustee for the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund since his appointment in 1997. President Brigham assigned Kevin to focus on the implementation of continuing education programs for Elevator Constructors in the United States and Canada, working in conjunction with EIWPF National Director Jesse L. Bielefeld. General President Brigham appointed Kevin in April 2001 to serve as the IUEC General Secretary-Treasurer filling the unexpired term of Richard Scariot who had retired. The IUEC General Executive Board confirmed Kevin’s appointment. At the August 2001 convention Kevin was elected to the office of General SecretaryTreasurer. General Secretary-Treasurer Stringer also serves as the Co-Chairman and Trustee for the National Elevator Industry Benefit Plans, administering the national health plan, the pension plan and the 401(k) plan for the IUEC membership. Kevin was re-elected to his position at the 2006 convention.
Kevin P. Stringer, Career History General Secretary-Treasurer Kevin P. Stringer began his career in the elevator industry in 1971 in Local 1, New York City. Kevin served as the Union Area Representative for the New York Housing Authority for Local 1 members from 1975 to 1978. In 1979, Kevin relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania. He then began his career in union administration at the local level when he was elected and served on the Executive Board of Local 76, Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1982, he was elected Local 76’s President, and in 1984 was elected as Business Agent for Local 76 prior to Local 76’s merger into Local 84, Reading-Allentown, Pennsylvania. In 1987 Kevin was elected as the full-time Business Representative for Local 84. He served four (4) consecutive terms until 1998.
Purpose and Objectives of the iueC The purpose and objective of the International Union of Elevator Constructors are to procure and safeguard the inherent right of workers to organize and work in dignity. Such implementation results in various actions; workers being able to work more securely and with greater dignity; enables members to participate actively in self-government; unites all workers eligible for membership into one International Union, regardless of religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age, or sex. Secures improved wages, hours, working conditions and other economic advantages for the members; advances the elevator union’s standing in the community and in the labor movement and provides educational advancement and training for officers, employees and members. It safeguards and promotes the principles of free collective bargaining, the rights of workers, and the security and welfare of all the people by political, educational and other community activity. By implementing this right to organize, the union protects and strengthens our democratic institutions and preserves and perpetuates the cherished traditions of democracy. Lastly, it protects and preserves the union as an institution and in the performance of its legal and contractual obligations.
In 1996 at the 27th IUEC General Convention in Las Vegas, Kevin was elected to the position of International Vice President serving on the General Executive Board. In 1998, and until 2001, Kevin was appointed an IUEC Regional Director. Kevin was appointed by the Pennsylvania Governor’s Board to serve on the Elevator Industry
Birth of the iueC The International Union of Elevator Constructors was born on July 15, 1901, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven men from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston and Pittsburgh, gathered at the Griswold Hotel to brainstorm a better, more collective way to join each local union into one stronger unit. The men were all representatives of locals in their cities and what brought them together that day was their shared belief that each local would benefit from a broader base of power and repre-
Figure 13 Kevin P. Stringer General Secretary-Treasurer
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IUEC History
sentation. It did not take them long to come up with a solid plan for this broader base of power. Their collective ideas resulted in the birth of the International Union of Elevator Constructors.
union member at this time was controversial to the employers of those days. This era was a time before labor laws could protect a worker: there were no union shops, no unemployment insurance, and no labor board. It was a time when a union card had to be carried in one’s shoe, for fear the boss might see it and fire you. Adversity created the most dedicated and determined unionists. However, becoming a union member meant protection against unfair employers.
The union representatives worked through that July night and presented their work collectively to other representatives in the morning. John Lally was appointed as temporary Secretary and later elected 1st General VicePresident. Committees were formed to draft rules of order, by-laws, and a constitution. Each item proposed was adopted, and the union’s framework was finally in place. By lunch, the officers of the new union had been nominated, elected, and installed. The first President of the fledgling national union was F. W. Doyle of St. Louis. H. McLaughlin was elected 2nd Vice-President, D.G. Barnett was elected 3rd General Vice-President, Joseph Giberson was elected 4th General Vice-President and Walter McIntire was elected 5th General Vice-President. William Young was elected General Secretary Treasurer.
The IUEC, like many of the building trades unions, came at the dawn of the modern technological revolution. Technology created the need, and members of the IUEC filled that need, becoming the most qualified and trained constructors of elevators in the world and joining forces as one. This need and the union’s answer, the IUEC, gave elevator workers their strength. NueC Becomes the iueC The third annual convention of the IUEC took place in New York City in 1903. It was an outstanding year for the young union. In their first move of international solidarity, the union committed funds to support the Canadian Defense Fund of the union, contributing to the Ottawa Defense Fund on behalf of striking constructors in Canada. As a result, the National Union of Elevator Constructors became the International Union of Elevator Constructors in 1903. This name was modified from 1934-1939 to become the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Operators and Starters. In 1940 the name went back to the International Union of Elevator Constructors and has remained there since.
Union members across the states recognized that the decisions were unanimous in their resolve and solidarity. These men saw a need, and they fulfilled that need in record time. That same day, charters were applied for; a $5 charter fee was paid, and six locals suddenly had been transformed into a national trade union. Quickly, they made application for charter and membership in the National Building Trades Council of the American Federation of Labor. After the collection of the charter fees, the newly formed National Union of Elevator Constructors was created. Before the collaboration in becoming the National Union of Elevator Constructors, these unions were recognized by their local names. New York City was founded June 7, 1894 and was called the Elevator Constructors and Millwrights of New York City. Chicago was founded on March 12, 1897 and called the Elevator Protective Association of Chicago. St. Louis was formed next on August 12, 1898 and named the United Elevator Constructors Association of St. Louis. Boston followed on March 2, 1899 and was known as the Elevator Constructors Union of Boston. Philadelphia was founded on January 10, 1900 and became the Elevator Erectors Association of Philadelphia. Pittsburgh was formed sixth in 1901 and named the Elevator Constructors Union of Pittsburgh.
Another accomplishment of the three-year-old union was establishing its official journal, The Elevator Constructor, at the 1903 convention. Henry Snow of Chicago was the first Editor and designer of the journal, and later became Secretary-Treasurer of the IUEC. The Elevator Constructor first appeared in November of 1903, and has continued without interruption since. Through the years, the journal has been a vehicle for the exchange of membership views, which carried on the union tradition of democracy and every member’s right to be heard. The central focus of The Elevator Constructor was/is to keep communication dialogs open and the sharing of ideas and concerns between members alive. Since 1904, each local has been encouraged to submit a monthly news article. Educational and safety concerns of the trade have been presented in The Elevator Constructor journal as early as 1903.
It had taken just three days to form an organization to promote and protect the interests of thousands of elevator constructors across America. They and their successors kept their promise. There are now over 26,000 workers who belong to what is now called the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC). However, simply because the international union had been formed didn’t mean that they were out of the woods yet. Becoming a IUEC History
As the IUEC advanced and expanded with creating a new name, supporting international solidarity and publishing a monthly journal, the international union collaboration began to develop and cultivate its own identity. A new emblem to represent the bringing together of unions, 13
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as well as a working card, were developed, prepared and approved.
1939, to release the Operators and Starters members from the IUEC. The IUEC received $10,000 for completing this agreement. Locals 69 and 116 were allowed to stay with the IUEC. Local 69 had been very successful being affiliated with Local 5, Philadelphia. Local 69 did transfer to the Building Service Employees in the late 1940s. Local 116 remained with the IUEC because the Building Service Employees did not operate in Canada. Eventually, automation of elevators eliminated these jobs. The cities that had Operators and Starters listed in the 1934 Journal are listed below.
elevator Operators and Starter’s union In Chicago in 1902 a committee of operators and starters gathered to draw up resolutions and to apply for a charter from the AFL. This later became known as the Elevator Operators and Starters Union, Local 66. The AFL, in 1910, defined the jurisdiction of the Elevator Operators and Starters Union “as the right to operate all passenger and freight elevators carrying passengers, furniture, freight and merchandise in buildings in the course of construction and as the building became occupied.” In 1911, the local elevator operators and starters were inducted into the Chicago Building Trades Council. The Chicago local was affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers from 1917 to 1920 and, by mutual agreement, was permitted to withdraw in 1920. In 1923 Local 66 had grown to 1507 members, and by 1928 they had 2184 members.
Local Number
66 67 68 69 72 73 87 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116
In 1910 the Elevator Operators, Conductors and Starters in San Francisco approached Local 8 (San Francisco) requesting affiliation. They were turned down and a jurisdictional dispute with the International Union of Building Service Employees over Elevator Operators and Starters began. The dispute ended in 1922 with a decision by the AFL granting the jurisdiction over these workers to the IUEC. On January 3, 1923, the executive Board of the AFL granted jurisdiction over the Chicago Elevator Operators and Starters to the IUEC. In February of 1923 the IUEC advised its locals that they planned to affiliate the Elevator Operators and Starters union with the IUEC. In 1934 the IUEC became the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Operators and Starters. In June of 1935 the IUEC began an extensive campaign to organize the Operators and Starters. In 1923-4 there was an Operators and Starters union in Chicago called Local 66; in New York City it was Local 67; in San Francisco it was Local 68, which later became Local 87; in Philadelphia it was Local 69; in Los Angeles it was Local 72, which later became Local 108; in Boston it was Local 73. Local 67 had 304 members in 1923; by 1928 they listed zero members. As late as April of 1941, the Elevator Constructor magazine listed a separate local in Philadelphia Local 5, called Operators and Starters, Local 69. Local 69 had 82 members in 1923, by 1928 they had 359 members. In 1941 the Operators and Starters union in Toronto was Local 116; they disappeared at the end of 1944. At the IUEC convention in 1939 a resolution passed that allowed the Operators and Starters to leave the IUEC for other international affiliation. Records show that they voted at the 1939 convention. Only Local 69 voted at the 1946 convention. An agreement was reached between the IUEC and the Building Service Employees on January 4, Trade Skills 160
City
Chicago New York City San Francisco Philadelphia Los Angeles Boston San Francisco Cleveland Indianapolis Los Angeles Memphis Jackson, MI Detroit Toledo Omaha Atlanta Cincinnati Toronto
iueC Jurisdictional Disputes Although the IUEC sent its first delegate to the International Convention of the American Federation of Labor in 1902, it was clear by the 1903 IUEC convention that the road ahead was to be filled with jurisdictional disputes within and without the labor movement. The stand of the union was made clear first in early discussions with manufacturers in December of 1902. “The IUEC is determined not to surrender any portion of elevator work. New techniques have been developed and elevator constructors are the only ones who can take care of them.” The early meetings with the manufacturers produced a letter of mutual agreement between the manufacturers and the union that stated that only one union, the IUEC, would construct elevators. This agreement was recognized when the AFL granted its charter to the IUEC June 1, 1903. The union was chartered in the Building Trades Department in 1908, but this did not prevent the rise of jurisdictional disputes that continued in full force until 1914. In 1910, the elevator companies began to form associations, such as the Chicago Elevator Manufacturer’s Association. 14
IUEC History
The most persistent difficulties were with the Association of Mechanics. The President of the AFL at the time, the legendary Samuel Gompers, recommended that the Association of Mechanics unite with the Elevator Constructors. The recommendation was sent to the locals involved, and it was initially rejected. The uniting did not come about. The heated jurisdictional dispute with the Association of Mechanics was not resolved until 1914 at the AFL National Convention. In a dramatic floor fight, the IUEC position had to carry the day. The IUEC had to prove itself capable of representing the rights and interests of all elevator constructors. Its jurisdictional victory would be the recognition of that fact. The union had to win against overwhelming odds. Going into the fight, the elevator constructors had only one delegate on the floor and 27 votes they could count on against 754 Machinists who also claimed over six hundred other union votes from related trades. There were four national presidents against the IUEC, a unanimous vote against them by the adjustment committee, and a ban had been instituted against the IUEC resulting from several decisions of the Executive Council of the AFL.
ers in the IUEC funneled him information. His arguments turned the tide. One by one, union officers rose in support of the IUEC. The case for the Elevator Constructors had been compelling. The critical support came from P. H. McCarthy, a former mayor of San Francisco and a member of the Carpenters and Joiners. He was persuaded of the merits of the elevator constructors’ position despite that his union stood to lose in an IUEC victory. McCarthy spoke up on behalf of IUEC: “Elevators are an absolute necessity to the highest achievement of the American building industry. Now, it may be true that elevator constructors do the work of electricians, ironworkers, ornamental ironworkers and so on. But capital, before it invests in elevators which make skyscrapers possible, has a right to the assurance that the elevators will be safe, practical, and feasible as an investment. How are you going to fix responsibility if you are going to divide up the work among five or six different trades?” IUEC’s Brother Feeney continued from the rostrum, with his union’s case picking up momentum as the debate went on. Everyone in the hall knew what the IUEC had done for building trade unions on job sites across the country, tying up jobs until building contracts were awarded to appropriate trade unions. Even the Sheet Metal Workers’ delegates confirmed the IUEC’s invaluable assistance to their fellow trade unionists.
But the IUEC had its own weapons in the floor fight: good information, records, documents, letters, telegrams and a willingness to devote a lot of plain hard work to the task. IUEC leaders also honed in on President Gompers, pressing him for fair play against the many national and international unions wanting to divide the IUEC members among themselves. Gompers responded initially by allotting to the single IUEC delegate, Frank Feeney, former IUEC President, of Philadelphia, speaking time equaling all of the opponents of the IUEC together. Frank Feeney stood before the convention while a handful of his broth-
After the convention listened to several other speakers, Feeney rose to demand the first roll call vote of the convention. The IUEC position carried the day, a victory for the International that had only one delegate on the floor! Despite its victory at the 1914 AFL convention, the problem of jurisdictional disputes did not end. In some ways, the worst was yet to come. Challenges came from all sides. In 1920, the IUEC was confronted with a major challenge from the Electrical Workers regarding electrical work for elevator construction. Again, President Feeney represented the IUEC, this time before the National Board for Jurisdictional Awards in the Building Industry. And again, the IUEC succeeded in protecting its jurisdiction. But it required constant vigilance as President Feeney made clear: “Look ahead, and having learned our lesson in the past as to the evolution of elevator machinery and controls, we will ever be on our guard, defend our jurisdiction, and see to it that we hold all the work that we now have jurisdiction over.” Around 1908 or 1909 there was a strike in Chicago that lasted about six weeks. Other trades, Machinist, Electrical Workers, Junior Steamfitters, and non-union carpenters began doing IUEC work. All work was retained except for the electrical work, which they lost until 1917 or 1918 (WWI). The war department settled that dispute for the IUEC. During the Chicago strike, Walter Snow,
Figure 14 Samuel Gompers President of the AFL
IUEC History
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third vice president of the IUEC had a bomb placed under his Chicago home. It blew out the front of his residence and damaged several adjoining buildings.
from the Building Trades Department if the IUEC refused to give up the work. In San Francisco the electricians allowed IUEC members to join their local. There was strong company support for the IUEC to do this work. The IUEC reclaimed this work February 2, 1927. Interlocking device wiring was awarded to the Elevator Constructors.
In May of 1920 the Ironworkers tried to claim the work of installing door closers. The IUEC was successful in keeping that work. The Electricians tried to claim the wiring of door locks in San Francisco. In 1922 the IUEC held a special convention in New York City to discuss the possibility of a nationwide strike against all companies. The IUEC won the issue when the National Board decided it for Jurisdictional Disputes.
In that same period of the vicious twenties, the IUEC was successful in delivering to its membership the first National Agreement between the IUEC and management. Representatives of the union met with elevator manufacturers in Atlantic City in July of 1921 and created a wage rate formula that was not modified until 1967. This agreement, known thereafter as the Atlantic City Agreement, set a wage scale according to the relative position of the seven principal trades in the building industry: Bricklayers, Plasterers, Carpenters, Electricians, Sheet Metal Workers, Plumbers, Steam Fitters, and Iron Workers. The delegates to the 12th IUEC Convention, held in San Francisco in April of 1929, ratified the Atlantic City Agreement. The Atlantic City Agreement originally adjusted wages every six months until 1961. It was revised to adjust wages annually in 1962. The Atlantic City Agreement was abandoned in 1997 when the larger, stronger local unions within the United States realized the need to assist lower wage areas. The Atlantic City Agreement had not been effective in some areas due to weak building trades. These larger locals agreed to negotiate for a new agreement that would help the lower wage areas. These larger locals willingly gave up future wage increases to help their brothers and sisters in lower wage areas.
It is important to note that during the first thirty-four years of existence the IUEC operated under “right to work.” The strength of the union came from members convincing others to be members. The Wagner Act (1935) allowed us to have a “closed shop.” The installation of guided missiles in silos and towers in northern California, starting in 1954, created a new round of jurisdictional disputes over the installation of elevators in these complexes. The Millwrights claimed the work because they were awarded the work related to the launching pads. However, there were elevators for personnel and material use after the installation was completed. Regional Director Wayne Williams, later General President of the IUEC, successfully fought to keep the work for the IUEC. This provided many man-hours for a few years until the program was completed. early Negotiations Outside pressure came from employers, with it culminating in 1922 when the building industry in Local 8, San Francisco, set out to break the union. The contractors were trying to force union members to work under openshop conditions. Due to this upheaval, unfounded rumors were spread that the International Union was no longer functioning. The IUEC held a special convention in New York City on February 1st to deal with the open-shop problem. AFL President Gompers urged those gathered at the convention to seek “a greater spirit of unity, fraternity, freedom, and humanity.” The IUEC responded. The delegates to the special convention voted to aid the struggling Local 8 in San Francisco by sending $5,000 immediately to help strengthen their position. An additional $2.00 per capita was levied on all members of the IUEC to aid the embattled San Francisco local. In April of 1922 San Francisco was pushing for an hourly rate as opposed to a day rate.
Note: The earliest Standard Agreement located while researching this text is dated October 1, 1934 to September 30, 1939. But problems with anti-union employers persisted. President Gompers articulated the problems at the IUEC special convention that had been called in New York to deal with open-shop threats. He spoke of the fighting spirit that Americans displayed in World War I against the “imperialistic, militaristic, autocratic institutions of this mad man (the Kaiser) in Germany.” Then, he added: “Now we have won the war ... but after the war, there began a movement among the princes of finance and the captains of industry against the spirit of Americanism and freedom and democracy; they believed the spirit which was aroused among the working people of our country had grown too strong and that the men of labor of America were even daring to regard themselves as equal sovereign citizens with equal sovereign rights.”
Also at the New York special convention a discussion was held on electrical work on locking devices. The National Board for Jurisdictional Awards had awarded that work to the electricians. The Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had asked for the suspension of our charter Trade Skills 160
The war and then the Great Depression were two eras unmistakable in their effect on America and its workers. The unemployment of the Great Depression meant hard 16
IUEC History
times for workers and the depletion of the private savings. These were the hardest economic times our nation had known. Government assistance for some building trade unions came through subsidized housing projects. But this did nothing to help the elevator constructors. The figures of the elevator manufacturing industry show that sales of elevators reached $77 million in new sales for 1929, but by 1934, sales had dropped to only $11 million and nearly all elevator constructors were out of work. The industry suffered as much as the workers.
bership in three banks that subsequently collapsed. The investors, and the union, were liable for the banks’ debts. By the time of the 1934 IUEC convention, the Chicago local debt to the International had reached $35,000. Under the by-laws of the IUEC, locals not paying their assessments were denied access to the convention and members not paying their assessments were denied the protection of the union. However, with the Depression, the union changed its policy. The 1934 convention, realizing the strength of the organization was in direct proportion to its ability to control the supply of qualified elevator constructors, decided those in financial arrears should not face expulsion. The best way to maintain control was to have the men become and remain members of the union, and the convention so ruled.
In 1931 the Elevator Manufacturers Association came to the IUEC with a job creation proposal. A problem had developed in the industry before the Depression that had slowed new construction. Separate companies were moving into the market of elevator repair and maintenance, and these areas became the sole provinces of new industrial concerns. As a consequence, the elevator construction industry was losing the chance to maintain its own installations. With new construction possibilities remaining dormant in the depression, representatives of the industry came to the union with a proposal for performing maintenance work at an 80% pay rate. The proposal was good for the elevator construction companies and it was good for the union because it got members working again.
Men who were qualified to perform elevator constructors’ work but who were not members of the union were viewed as a “serious menace,” especially ex-members of the union. This included the unemployed who had lost their membership with their jobs. To counteract this problem, the convention by-laws and constitution allowed unemployed members of the union to remain in good standing. “They being your brothers, working with you in prosperous times, I think it is no more than right, it is only human to protect them in times of distress.” That was the statement of delegate McAuliff of St. Louis. It stated the general sentiment of the convention. The decision was both humanitarian and wise because by 1939, the IUEC locals were getting back on their feet and the unemployed were returning to work as jobs began to grow in the industry.
Note: The Elevator Manufacturers Association (EMA) became the National Elevator Manufacturing Industry (NEMI), Inc., in 1933. In 1969 it became the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII). In 1953, elevator contractors organized the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC). In support of this plan, the manufacturers had begun to make agreements with building owners that upon elevator installation; repair and maintenance work would be handled through the installing company. A special convention of the IUEC was called again in 1931 to consider the proposal. The new agreement for repair and maintenance versus new construction called for a slight reduction in wages but it opened up a considerable number of jobs. With workers across the country standing idle and non-union labor threatening implementation of new agreements across the country, the IUEC convention accepted the proposal with only minor changes. They agreed a new pay rate of 90%. Indeed, the new work was welcomed. Elevator construction locals across the country were suffering, and this plan could help.
Past iueC Leaders Throughout its history, the IUEC has been fortunate to have outstanding and committed leadership. This has been the case since1901. F. W. Doyle, one of the eleven original founders in 1901, became the first President and served in the position with distinction until 1904. Frank Feeney served from 1904-1905. William Havenstrite was elected President of the IUEC at the September 1905 Convention. In July of 1906 the President’s office was declared vacant. The Vice-President P.E. Cryder assumed the duties of the President until the 1907 election. Joseph Murphy of New York City served from 1907 to 1916. Frank Feeney of Philadelphia succeeded President Murphy and served again from 1916-1938. Feeney’s leadership led to the Atlantic City Plan and the first national standard agreement. President Feeney also organized the Elevator Inspection Bureau in his hometown and served as its chief for four years. He held the President’s position until his death in 1938. In a testament to his leadership, thousands of people as well as labor leaders from all over America, gathered to pay their respects to the IUEC leader.
Note: Persons working at the 90% rate received two weeks vacation per year plus “a limited amount of sick time.” This 10% difference ended in 1946. iueC Support of Locals The worst depression era losses of all were in Chicago, Local 2. They had invested funds on behalf of their memIUEC History
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John C. MacDonald of Boston became President upon the death of Frank Feeney. MacDonald had served as Local 4’s business agent for 33 years. He had been a Vice President of the union since 1903. He served until his death in 1955.
In July of 2000 Dana Brigham became the current IUEC President. Prior to becoming IUEC President Dana served as Assistant to the General President. In 1991, the International Union of Elevator Constructors celebrated its 90th anniversary of its founders’ commitment to the dignity, skills, and the well being of its members. The Elevator Constructors of today are equally determined to forge an even stronger union, keeping alive the spirit that was kindled at the old Griswold Hotel at the beginning of the 20th century.
Edward A. Smith of New York City was the IUEC’s next President. President Smith had been an IUEC member for 58 years until he retired in 1959 for medical reasons. The Executive Board conferred upon President Smith the title of “President Emeritus of the International Union of Elevator Constructors.”
early Working Conditions At the 1904 IUEC convention an Apprenticeship system was adopted. Apprentices had to be between 18 and 21 years of age and one Apprentice could be hired for every ten mechanics working. The Apprentice would be guaranteed three years work and after the convention approved the Apprenticeship program they also approved a motion that no local shall employ more helpers than mechanics. Helpers were not allowed to hold a local office, except warden, until becoming a mechanic. This system lasted until 1934 when the Standard Agreement was amended.
Thomas Allen of Pittsburgh filled the unexpired term of President Smith and served until 1962 when he died of a heart attack while preparing for union negotiations. John Proctor, a member of Local 10 of Washington, DC, served as President from 1962 until 1966. He had previously served as First Vice-President of the International. R. Wayne Williams, from Local 18, Los Angeles, was the next IUEC President. President Williams served as Regional Director, International Vice-President, Assistant to the President and International Secretary-Treasurer. Wayne was president from 1966-1976. Everett A. Treadway became President at the Kansas City international convention in 1976. He was a member of Local 7, Baltimore, where he served as Business Agent and Secretary-Treasurer of the Baltimore Building Trades Council. He also served the IUEC as Special Assistant to the President and Secretary-Treasurer. President Treadway served until his death in 1991.
Prior to a national Standard Agreement, wages and hours were negotiated in each local and the union would determine a fair rate of pay for days’ work, then notify each company of the new rate. When the company disagreed with the local, they would ask the International Union to intercede. The 1934-39 Standard Agreement provided that double time shall be paid for Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Holidays. This shows that the regular workweek was five and one-half days. Helpers, under the Standard Agreements, worked for 70% of mechanic’s pay until the 1962 agreement. They then worked at 50% of mechanic’s pay for their probationary period of six months and would then receive the 70% rate.
John N. Russell began serving the IUEC as General Secretary-Treasurer in 1976. In December of 1991 he was elected by the General Executive Board to fill the unexpired term of Everett Treadway. President Russell was a member of Local 6 in Pittsburgh. He was re-elected General President at the 1996 International Convention in Las Vegas. In February of 1998, Edward C. Sullivan was elected by the General Executive Board to fill the unexpired term of John Russell who had retired due to ill health. President Sullivan was elected Assistant to the General President at the1996 International Convention. President Sullivan served as Business Manager of Local 4, Boston, for fifteen years. During his years at Local 4, President Sullivan served for 10 years as Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Elevator Regulations and he served for 12 years as Vice President of the Massachusetts State Building Trades Council. In July of 2000 Ed resigned as IUEC General President to become President of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. The Building and Construction Trades Department is made up of fifteen unions representing three million workers in the United States and Canada. Trade Skills 160
Wage Stabilization Board In an effort to control costs and the flow of necessary World War II materials, the government created the Wage Stabilization Board August 1, 1941. These economic controls were lifted November 9, 1946, and remained off the books until 1951 when the economy became uncontrollable. Prices soared and wages moved in unison. Then prices were raised again to cover higher wages, creating a new spiral. To stop the spiraling, controls were imposed on the economy, directly affecting the construction industry and its employees. These controls lasted until February 6, 1953. On July 26, 1951, the Construction Industry Stabilization Commission (CISC) issued a basic regulation cover-
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ing the payment of wages, salaries, and other compensation to laborers and mechanics in the building and construction industry. The CISC was a Commission specifically for the construction industry, they reported to the Wage Stabilization Board. In August of 1956, the rules were changed again to stipulate that all increases, until controls were lifted, had to be filed with and cleared by the CISC. These restrictions were severe for the IUEC. The Commission disallowed double time as overtime pay for elevator construction work, allowing only time and one-half. The regulation, approved by the Wage Stabilization Board, prohibited wage increases above 10 percent of the “area rate plus $.15.” No wage increases were approved for elevator constructors.
Figure 15 Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman
The IUEC was the only union in the construction trades to have paid national holidays at that time. The Commission ultimately banned these. Seeking to retain this benefit, the IUEC was the first union to petition for paid holidays, but the petitions were continually denied. Finally, on February 6, 1953, wage controls were suspended. The Executive Order signed by President Eisenhower stated that “the production of materials and services and consumer demand in the national economy are approaching a practical balance.” With the rigid economic controls lifted, the IUEC returned to the Atlantic City Plan, which allowed for regular wage increases.
labor laws. Following the 1946 mid-term election defeats even the presidential veto could not stop the anti-union, two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress. To counter the up and down movement in the economy and bring it under control, two measures were instituted which had a significant impact on trade unionism. One was the tight control placed on wages. Then, in 1947, Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act that was aimed principally at inhibiting the activities of the building trades’ unions. It succeeded. Richard Grey, then the President of the Building Trades Department, wrote in a 1950 edition of the Constructor: “We are threatened with the destruction of our organizations if the law remains on the books for long. Already, practically every procedure and practice which we have developed through the years in dealing with our employers, and in supporting each other, has been declared illegal.”
In the early 1970s the Construction Industry Stabilization Committee (CISC) under President Richard M. Nixon was reactivated. The CISC was a government agency that monitored and approved all wage increases for the construction industry. They would not allow any wage increases during 1972-3. This policy expired on April 30, 1974. The IUEC took NEII to arbitration to recapture the wage increases due its members for 19723. The arbitrator ruled in early 1975 that the IUEC members were due the increases but decided that the increases would become effective immediately and be retroactive to September 30, 1974.
For over thirty years before the Taft-Hartley Act, local elevator constructors and elevator manufacturers had operated under a mutually agreed upon closed shop for their joint protection. Before the elevator manufacturers could employ anyone, he first had to be a member of the union. Failing that, he had to receive a work permit from the local union before he could work. Under the TaftHartley Act, such agreements were prohibited. Union shops could exist only within limited boundaries specified by the new Act. The Taft-Hartley Act fulfilled the purpose intended by its anti-union sponsors. It severely limited the strength of all unions and particularly building trades. It altered management-to-worker relationships and relationships between workers themselves. The Act was a blow to solidarity and a setback to the unions, but hardly a fatal setback as its sponsors had hoped.
Taft-Hartley Act The IUEC, AFL, and AFL-CIO have always stood at the forefront of promoting legislation that would put labor in a position to be protected from corporate giants. Union members not getting the vote out necessary to elect candidates friendly to labor’s needs caused serious long-term damage with the passing of the Taft-Hartley bill. The best pro-labor legislation in American history was enacted following the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a labor friendly Congress in 1932. After the mid-term congressional election setbacks in 1938, labor was faced with a hostile Congress until 1946. Only the Presidential veto prevented the enactment of antiIUEC History
The IUEC and the AFL were shocked by the passage of the Taft-Hartley bill. Their answer was to form the Labor’s League for Political Education. This organization contributed greatly to the successful elections of 1948. 19
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This later became COPE, the Committee on Political Education.
Strike of 1967 Negotiations with NEMI fell apart December 20, 1966, over issues of primaries, transportation expenses and a reintroduction of a lower rate for maintenance men. The IUEC instructed its locals to prepare for a strike at midnight on January 6, 1967. By December 29th NEMI had softened their positions enough that the IUEC granted them a 30-day extension of the contract and canceled the impending strike.
Work Stoppages Although there has been several work stoppages in various locals, such as Local 4, Boston and Local 5, Philadelphia (on strike on June 5, 1904), only four nationwide work stoppages have occurred in the United States and one in Canada for the IUEC. These were in1920 or 1921, 1967, 1972 and 1977. Several references in letters from the IUEC concerning the 1967 strike referenced a nationwide strike in 1920 or 1921. Presumably, this strike was needed to achieve the Atlantic City wage formula. Unfortunately, no details of that strike were found during research. In all cases the work stoppages only occurred when lengthy negotiations broke down between the IUEC and EMA or NEMI or NEII after 1969. In all of the work stoppages Federal mediators were utilized to assist in negotiations. The IUEC work stoppages utilized interim agreements for signing up companies that wished to continue normal operations. By signing they could continue to operate under the old agreement until the new one was signed; changes would be retroactive.
Negotiations again broke down on January 25th. The IUEC then called for a nationwide strike beginning February 3, 1967. This was the first strike in forty-six years. Before calling a strike, the IUEC negotiating committee offered to continue to work on projects involving national defense, projects providing maintenance for hospitals, nursing and convalescent homes, homes for the aged and the removal of persons trapped in any elevators in a building under contract service with a struck company. NEMI refused this offer in front of the Federal Mediators on February 2nd and 3rd. Some locals reported their refusal to local newspapers. The IUEC provided a form letter to all locals for distribution to local contract service customers. It explained the issues of the strike and suggested they consider changing their maintenance contract to a company with an interim agreement. They explained to the customers that every elevator constructor local has, since 1921, determined the wage rate of its members by a formula of averaging the wage rate of the five highest of seven building trades unions in their area. The seven unions are: Bricklayers, Ironworkers, Electricians, Plumbers and Steamfitters, Plasterers, Carpenters and Sheet Metal workers.
A month into the 1967 strike over 240 companies had signed interim agreements; one of them was Montgomery, a major manufacturer. The IUEC, during a work stoppage, has always offered to answer entrapment calls and hospital or military emergencies during a strike but the companies have declined their offer. The IUEC sent informational guidelines for picketing to each local for each work stoppage. Success of the three work stoppages has been due to the solidarity of the local unions and the perseverance of the individual members in supporting their international to get a fair contract. Ironically, the duration of strikes has been longer than expected due in part to the quality of work done by elevator constructors prior to the strike date. A true example of the pride elevator constructors show in their abilities to assure the equipment under their care was left in the best possible condition. Members that have never participated in a strike should remember that the sacrifices made by those who did are something to be grateful for.
On February 19th the IUEC reported that negotiations ended again. NEMI offered a package that the IUEC could either accept in its entirety or reject; no negotiation on the package would be accepted. The IUEC expected it to be a long strike. Locally, the efforts of individual locals brought pressure to bear on NEMI. In Philadelphia, Local 5, the picketing of a Sheraton Hotel resulted in the cancellation of their Otis maintenance contract. Locals, 18, Los Angeles and 36, Detroit, used licensing requirements to bring pressure on NEMI. In Local 10, Washington, DC, the GSA (General Services Administration) elevator workers were moonlighting for NEMI companies. Phone calls from the IUEC and the Construction and Building Trades to political friends ended that practice. The work situation at other Building Trades was so good during the strike of 1967 that many locals reported their members were fully employed at other trades creating further pressure on NEMI.
The three most recent work stoppages had no effect on Local 1 New York City as they sign a separate agreement with the Contractor’s association in New York. Local 1 always fully supported the work stoppages of the IUEC. When Local 1 went on strike August 1, 1960 for nineteen weeks the IUEC requested each local to request a voluntary contribution of one-hour’s pay per week for the duration of the strike. The IUEC forwarded the money to Local 1. A consideration of a nationwide strike to support Local 1 was made but determined to be illegal and therefore not implemented.
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As the pressure on NEMI increased they approached individual locals in hopes they could sign interim agree20
IUEC History
ments with each local. This was illegal and is an unfair labor practice. No locals signed.
with many jobs in a critical stage. The other companies then had a legal right to lock out their IUEC members but they did not do it. The Federal Mediator called the negotiators back to the bargaining table. An agreement was reached around 2 a.m. on July 15, 1977, in the offices of the National Mediation and Conciliation Services. The selective strike strategy was successful; the strike lasted only four days.
On March 23, 1967, an agreement was reached. The new agreement modified the wage agreement to average the four highest of the seven building trades, a third week’s vacation and $.175 to the Pension and Health Care plans and an Educational program. It had taken the IUEC membership 48 days to achieve a fair agreement, a hardship on some members, but a worthwhile fight.
Local 1, NYC Strikes Local 1, New York City, has always operated under a separate Standard Agreement from the rest of the country due to local conditions. In addition to negotiating their own agreement they also handle their own grievances, arbitration and organizing campaigns. They have had a total of five strikes in their history. Their first strike came in 1960. To assist negotiations Local 1 agreed to a 30-day extension to the agreement. On August 1, 1960 the strike began. Among the many issues, seniority was a major roadblock to the new agreement. The strike lasted five months against Otis and Westinghouse elevator companies. The other companies reached an agreement after four months. No interim agreements were used during the 1960 strike.
Lockout of 1972 When the Standard Agreement expired on March 23, 1972 the IUEC and NEII agreed to extend the agreement on a day-to-day basis while negotiations continued with either party having the right to cancel the agreement with a written 24-hour notice. This was a suggestion of the Federal Mediator attending negotiations. On March 29th, at 2 a.m., NEII exercised the cancellation option. Negotiations had only been for a day and one-half. Because NEII had ended the extension, this was not considered a strike, but rather, a lockout. This lockout began March 30, 1972. The level of construction activity at the time was the lowest in five years, although Chicago had the 110 story Sears Tower and the 80 story Standard Oil Headquarters being built. NEII wanted to use the poor work situation to their negotiating advantage. Another tool NEII used was denying extended benefit coverage to IUEC members at their April 19th meeting. In June, the Trustees approved extended benefits for members at a basic cost. The IUEC picked up the cost from their defense fund.
The strike of 1969 began on July 1st. During this strike Local 1 used interim agreements for those companies wishing to avoid the difficulties of a strike. The strike ended after four months. The strike of 1972 lasted seven months. It began July 1st and ended January 30th of 1973. Once again seniority was the major issue. Interim agreements were not permitted during this strike.
The government further complicated negotiations through the Construction Industry Stabilization Committee (CISC). Under President Richard M. Nixon the CISC was a government agency that monitored and approved all wage increases for the construction industry. John Dunlop, former Harvard Professor, was Chairman of the CISC. While he was powerless for the negotiating process, he was still influential. Whatever the IUEC won at the negotiating table could be changed by CISC.
The strike of 1981 lasted only two weeks. It was a selective strike against only Westinghouse Elevator Company. The other companies continued working. In 1998 a selective strike was called against Armor, Montgomery and Kone elevator companies. It began July 1st and ended two weeks later. Canadian Strike of 1972-73 The Canadian National Agreement expired April 30, 1972. Work went on under the old agreement while negotiations continued. IUEC negotiators were chief spokesman Leo Moore, Regional Director for Canada, Jim Hughes, Business Manager of Toronto, Local 50, and Warner Baxter, Business Manager of Local 89, Montreal. When negotiations reached an impasse, IUEC members in Hamilton, Ontario went on strike August 28, 1972. Toronto stopped working September 6, 1972. By September 8, 1972, all locals in Canada were on strike. This was Canada’s first IUEC strike in their fifty-year history. This strike was to last 7 1/2 months-affecting 2200 members. The pattern of the IUEC in Canada followed what
The 1972 lockout ended on July 8, 1972. A possible reason was that Local 1 had just gone on strike also on July 1st. Selective Strike of 1977 Negotiations in 1977 were as difficult as ever; one negotiating session with the Federal Mediator lasted 31hours. At one session NEII walked out without explanation to the IUEC or the Mediator. This time a new strategy was used. On July 10th the union committee acted to create more meaningful negotiations. It was decided to strike only one major company. Westinghouse Elevator Company was selected because of their heavy workload IUEC History
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the United States had done in the 1967 and 1972 strikes. They informed the manufacturers that they would answer calls for stuck passengers and any trouble calls at hospitals and nursing homes. The Canadian Elevator Manufacturer’s Association (CEMA) did not accept this offer. The IUEC utilized interim agreements for companies wishing to continue their operation during the strike. Picketing was in widespread use. In British Columbia (BC) the local strike headquarters had a person available from each of the five struck companies to answer trapped passenger calls. The Firemen’s dispatch service would call the strike headquarters requesting assistance for a trapped passenger. Often the elevator constructor arrived before the fire truck. Only 3 or 4 calls were responded to and they occurred in the first month of the strike. Supervisors from the United States were imported to perform emergency services during the strike. The Canadian Government required them to obtain a working permit.
arbitration. Ontario gave a date of March 21, 1973, for imposing compulsory arbitration. The BC Minister of Labor on May 8, 1973, declared that the Ontario Arbitration Award between the IUEC and CEMA would be enforced in the Province of BC. On May 19th the BC workers returned to work. The other Canadian locals had returned to work a week earlier when Ontario legislation passed a compulsory arbitration bill to settle the dispute. The other provinces also passed a compulsory arbitration law covering the elevator industry. Today, in Ontario and British Columbia labor agreements beyond three years are illegal. Note: Any member that questions the value of the above named strikes should review the current values of the health plans, the pension fund, the NEIEP, CEIEP and EIWPF, and their paychecks. Without the sacrifices of members out of work and picketing the IUEC would not have made the gains enjoyed today.
One strike theory suggested that CEMA was using the strike as an experiment. By having a controlled strike in Canada the manufacturers could win issues that were a future goal for the United States. Pre-assembly of equipment was a major issue. Wages varied throughout Canada, as much as $2 an hour between Vancouver and Winnipeg. This was a considerable amount as wages were in the $7 an hour range at this time.
Local union Numbers Local numbers for the IUEC extend from Local 1 New York City to Local 140 Phoenix yet the IUEC only has 76 locals today. Most of the missing numbers occurred when locals failed to grow and were merged into nearby locals thus causing their local number to no longer exist. The loss of the Operators and Starters local unions also accounts for several missing numbers. Three locals in Canada were originally chartered in the early 1900s. These locals had to surrender their charters when membership fell below the number required to sustain functioning locals with so many members going off to World War I. After the war, membership picked back up and charters were again requested. Toronto was originally Local 13 and is now Local 50. Montreal was Local 22 and is now Local 89. Vancouver was Local 26 and is now Local 82.
Government influence aided the manufacturers by declaring the strike illegal. Ontario was the first Province to pass a law forbidding national labor contracts for the construction industry in 1972. On November 27, 1972, the British Columbia Supreme Court declared the strike illegal because of non-compliance with provincial law. Since the agreement was being negotiated nationally, the British Columbia (BC) provincial government took the position that since Local 82 had not attempted to negotiate a contract just for BC with local people the local was thereby on strike illegally. All other provinces, except Ontario, declared the strike illegal for the same reason. Ontario declared the strike illegal but gave a different reason. The previous agreement with the manufacturers was also determined to be illegal since it permitted strikes and lockouts. The strike continued though declared illegal. Eliminating a national agreement was a big advantage for the manufacturers for future strikes. It would be easier to provide interim workers for one Province from Supervisors from other provinces rather than for all of Canada.
OSHA The IUEC was fully supportive when President Richard M. Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act December 29, 1970. This created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on April 28, 1971. Since its inception, OSHA’s job has been to protect American workers. To do this, the agency focuses on the following three objectives: • Improve workplace safety and health by reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
In January of 1973 the Quebec Labor Minister ordered Quebec IUEC workers to return to work. Later that month the BC Supreme Court ordered IUEC workers to also return to work. On March 14, 1973, the BC Appeals Court ruled that the strike was illegal. The workers did not consider this a “return to work order.” Also in March, Ontario and Alberta began plans to impose compulsory
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• Change workplace culture by increasing employer and employee commitment to improved safety and health. • Secure public confidence through excellence in developing and delivering OSHA services. 22
IUEC History
Establishing a safe and healthful working environment requires every employer and every worker to make safety and health a top priority. This results in every worker returning home whole and healthy every day. NeieP/CeieP Many local unions developed their own educational programs locally to serve their members prior to organized national training efforts. The minutes of the IUEC convention in 1939 noted a need for “educational programs and instructions for field employees to be completed on their own time.” Early attempts at education are evident in efforts by the IUEC and NEMI (National Elevator Manufacturing Industry). In 1941 NEMI put out a booklet on safety. It was called “Thirty Suggested Safety Recommendations for the Elevator Industry.” This booklet included subjects such as, grounding electrical tools, safety shoes, planks and chemicals. Further mutual efforts between the IUEC and NEMI resulted in an Erection Manual to train field employees in the basic field practices for the installation of elevator equipment. This soft cover book was developed in 1946 and became know as the “NEMI Manual.” Twenty-six locals had classes using the NEMI Manual in 1946. In 1962 a hard cover updated edition was produced. This book was the “bible” of our industry until 1967. In 1967, NEMI and the IUEC recognized a need for a more extensive and continuing educational program to serve the needs of our ever-changing industry. The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) was established in 1967 under Article XIX of the Standard Agreement. NEIEP administers the educational program that is the training standard for all IUEC members throughout the United States. Six Trustees, three from the union and three from the manufacturers, oversee NEIEP.
Figure 16 John J. O’Donnell, NEIEP Director with William J. Whitbourne, Assistant NEIEP Director
John J. “Bud” O’Donnell, former Business Manager of Boston Local 4, was selected to be NEIEP’s first Director. Bud was hired March 21, 1969. William J. Whitbourne, former Business Representative of Rochester Local 27, became NEIEP Assistant Director February 1, 1973. He served in that position for eighteen years. When Bud retired, James J. Higgins, Jr. from Local 1, New York City, succeeded him on April 1, 2001. John J. O'Donnell, Jr., became NEIEP's third National Director, succeeding James Higgins who accepted the position of Assistant General President of the IUEC. NEIEP was originally set up to serve the United States and Canada. To best serve Canada’s needs, it was determined that they should operate a separate educational program. In 1976 James Hughes, former Business Manager of Toronto Local 50, was named the first Director of the Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program IUEC History
Figure 17 John O’Donnell, Jr. NEIEP National Director
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tative of Indianapolis, Local 34, and George J. Dunmore of NEII. Their first year goal was to hire 300 minority employees. The program established a hiring list annually in each participating area. A Bennett Mechanical Aptitude test was used as a pre-hire exam. Vietnam era applicants that passed the exam received a ten-percent bonus in their score. The list placed the person with highest scores at the top of the list. The tutoring program was available to all applicants and performed by the local Recruitment and Training Program (RTP). Hours and Wage History Prior to national Standard Agreements each local negotiated wages and hours. Newly hired Helpers started at 70% of the Mechanic’s wage rate until 1962 when the agreement created a 50% rate for new hires. After their probationary period they would advance to the 70% rate. Wages in the early 1900s were not hourly; they used a day rate. An example would be, in San Francisco in April of 1906 a day’s pay for a Mechanic was $3.50 and $3.00 for Helpers. When they negotiated a raise they demanded Saturday afternoons off. They went from working six days a week to working five and one-half days.
Figure 18 Michael Fletcher CEIEP Director
(CEIEP). Michael Fletcher is the CEIEP Director today. CEIEP uses the same curriculum that NEIEP uses. NEIEP developed extensive courses to train our industry in both classroom and home study programs. In the early 1970’s they developed a probationary Helper training and evaluation program and a Mechanic’s exam. These programs became a requirement in April of 1975. Specific NEIEP courses must be successfully completed to be eligible to sit for the mechanic’s exam; others are elective courses that target the skilled Mechanics.
In 1920-21 about 60% of the IUEC was unemployed. Wage cuts were negotiated to try to improve employment. From 1932 to 1946 the rate of pay for mechanics and helpers performing maintenance work was 90% of the normal pay. Persons at this 90% rate after one year on maintenance would be entitled to two weeks vacation per year plus a “limited amount of sick time.” Maintenance workers would continue working during a strike or lockout. This was approved by the IUEC at their December 1931 convention in Atlantic City. The manufacturers had proposed an 80% rate for maintenance work. They cited depressed business conditions of the time plus the influx of non-union and electricians performing elevator work. Maintenance contracts had only started around 1915-17. Experience had shown the manufacturers that increased maintenance contracts would be profitable for them and offer the IUEC the opportunity to increase their membership with steady employment. At this time Otis had 135,000 electric elevators installed in the United States yet they serviced only 25% of them. In 1946 the 90% pay rate was eliminated.
NEIEP assists new hires in learning the basic skills required in our industry. They do the training, testing and evaluation of new hires entering our industry. Upon successful completion of the probationary curriculum, and time requirements, additional NEIEP courses are available. These courses are presented in over 80 local classrooms throughout the United States and Canada. eiNrTP The Elevator Industry National Recruitment and Training Program (EINRTP) was created in 1973 for the purpose of establishing a hiring list. It became effective April 1, 1974. Secretary of Labor Peter J. Brennen signed the agreement. It was the first Construction Industry Affirmative Action Program agreement. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCC) recognized it as an approved apprenticeship program. OFCC monitored the program for effectiveness. They withdrew their approval in early 1977. Program funding ceased September 30, 1977. The IUEC and NEII agreed to extend the program until June 1, 1978. Thereafter the program expired. The program was administered by National CoDirectors Harold W. Smith, former Business RepresenTrade Skills 160
The 1934 Standard Agreement’s normal working hours was 8 hours between 8AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday and 4 hours on Saturday between 8AM and noon. The regular working hours established in 1946 on contract service was 8 hours between 8AM and 5PM Monday through Friday inclusive or Tuesday through Saturday inclusive. In 1957 the workday was 8 hours between the hours of 8AM and 5PM Monday through Friday for all departments. The 1987 agreement called for contract service hours to include 8 hours between 7AM to 5PM. In 1992 this was extended to include 6AM to 6PM. 24
IUEC History
Note: A summary plan description is available that specifically details the benefits listed above.
Vacation History In 1946 the Standard Agreement called for vacations if any 5 of the 7 Building Trades negotiated vacations. As a result of the 1951 Standard Agreement a vacation plan was implemented. Vacations did not become effective until a meeting between the IUEC, Representatives of Local 36, Detroit, and the Elevator Manufacturers was held June 11, 1953. Detroit became the first local to receive a vacation benefit. All other locals thereafter became eligible. The first vacation plan provided 2% of wages for the annual hours worked for persons with less than five years in the business and 4% for those with more than five years in the business. Today’s agreement calls for 6% of wages for the annual hours worked for persons with less than five years in the business and 8% for those with more than five years in the business.
ASMe Code The IUEC has always recognized it’s responsibility to provide the public with safe transportation. As experts in the elevator industry the IUEC felt it needed to be more directly involved in the code writing process of ANSI / ASME (American National Standards Institute / American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Since the tenth edition (1981) of the Code, the A17 committee was reorganized in accordance with the ANSI Accredited Organization Method under sponsorship of ASME. With this reorganization, the National Bureau of Standards and the American Institute of Architects relinquished their roles as co-secretariats. This name has been shortened to ASME. An IUEC Regional Director was handling the responsibility for the IUEC involvement in ASME. In 1978, due to the many responsibilities of a Regional Director it was decided the ASME involvement should be transferred. In 1978 President Everett A. Treadway appointed Donald M. Winkle, Sr., Business Representative of Local 14, Buffalo, to represent the IUEC on the ASME A17 code writing committee. In 1981, the Chairman of ASME A17.1 asked Don to serve on the ASME A17 Standards Committee. President Treadway approved this extension of duties, which included serving on several sub-committees.
Holiday History The IUEC successfully negotiated for six paid holidays in the 1946 Standard Agreement. These holidays were New Year’s Day, Decoration Day (Memorial Day), the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In 1977 the day after Thanksgiving was added. Under the 2002 Standard Agreement Veterans Day was added as a paid holiday. Medical Benefit History As a result of the 1951 Standard Agreement, the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan was established for the benefit of IUEC working and retired members. Six trustees, three from the IUEC and three from NEII administer the plan. In 1952, when this plan became effective, this was the first medical plan in the building trades.
The Canadian Elevator Code is called B44. Many similarities exist between the United States and Canadian codes. B44 and A17 committees are working together to harmonize these codes. An International Standards Committee (ISO) works on a worldwide agreement.
A dental plan was added to the health plan effective July 1, 1978. Vision care was added July 1, 1980. Contact NEIHBP for additional details. Pension Benefit History As a result of the January 1, 1962, Standard Agreement a pension plan was created for the elevator industry. Eight Trustees, four from the IUEC and four from NEII, manage this trust. Our three International IUEC officers serve as three of the four IUEC Trustees. The first year’s contribution into this plan was 10 1/2 cents per hour worked. The contribution was $2.46 per hour worked in the year 2000. Today, the plan allows for early retirement at age 58 without an early retirement deduction. Retirement at age 55 is allowed with a minor reduction of benefits. Currently, the monthly benefit is $90 per month for every 1700 hours worked. Since 1962 this pension program has steadily increased benefits. Members retiring today enjoy a benefit that we can be proud of. IUEC History
Figure 19 Donald M. Winkle, Sr.
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eiWPF As a result of the July 9, 1997, Standard Agreement the elevator industry established the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF) on November 17, 1997. Harry Gilbert, Sr., 1st Vice President of the IUEC and Business Representative of Local 51, Richmond, VA, was selected to be the National Coordinator for the EIWPF. Jesse L. Bielefeld, former Business Representative of Local 81, San Antonio, was named Assistant National Coordinator on October 5, 1998. Upon the premature death of Harry Gilbert, Sr. in 2001 Jesse L. Bielefeld became the EIWPF National Director. The fund is administered by four IUEC appointed Trustees. Some of the purposes of the EIWPF are as follows: • To act as an industry wide labor-management cooperation committee. • To improve communications between representatives of labor and management.
Figure 21 Jesse L. Bielefeld National Director, EIWPF
• To improve the collective bargaining relationship between the employers and the IUEC. • To explore methods of eliminating potential problems that reduces competitiveness and inhibits economic development of the organized elevator industry.
iueC Addresses • Since 1976, the IUEC has been at its current address at 5565 Sterrett Place, Suite 310 Columbia, MD.
• To engage in public relations and public education programs to promote the organized elevator industry.
• From 1936 to 1976 the IUEC was located in Philadelphia, PA, at Philadelphia Savings Fund Building, Suite 1515, 12 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA.
• To provide workers and employers with opportunities to study and explore new and innovative joint approaches to achieving organizational effectiveness. A few examples of this would be; new technologies, occupational safety and health, labor relations, job security and new methods of improved production.
• From 1927 till 1936 the IUEC was located at 12101212 Central Building, 191 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY. • From 1921 till 1927 the IUEC was located at 14-15 Borough Hall Building, 391 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY. • From 1918 to 1921 the IUEC was located at 402-404 Perry Building, 16th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA. • In 1904 the IUEC addresses showed the General President in St. Louis and the Assistant to the General President in Chicago. iueC Website The IUEC website can be reached at http://www.iuec.org/. It contains sections on; Officers, Vice-Presidents, Regional Directors and Organizers, IUEC history, Benefits, Education, IUEC news page, Agreement and by-laws, Related sites and Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF). You can E-mail the International office at info@IUEC.org.
Figure 20 Harry Gilbert, Sr. National Coordinator, EIWPF
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iueC Presidents Years IUEC President 1901-1904 F.W. Doyle, St. Louis 1904-1905 Frank Feeney, Philadelphia 1905-1906 William Havenstrite, New York* 1907-1916 Joseph F. Murphy, New York 1916-1938 Frank Feeney, Philadelphia 1938-1955 John C. McDonald, Boston 1955-1959 Edward A. Smith, New York 1959-1962 Thomas Allen, Pittsburgh 1962-1966 John Proctor, Washington, DC 1966-1976 R. Wayne Williams, Los Angeles 1976-1991 Everett Treadway, Baltimore 1991-1998 John N. Russell, Pittsburgh 1998-2000 Edward Sullivan, Boston 2000Dana Brigham, Washington, DC *William Havenstrite was elected President of the IUEC at the September 1905 Convention. In July of 1906 the President’s office was declared vacant. The Vice-President P.E. Cryder assumed the duties of the President until the 1907 election.
IUEC History
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Appendix A Labor History
YeAr eVeNT
1905 The militant Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) labor organization forms in Chicago. The organization is viewed as more radical than the AFL.
YeAr eVeNT
1827 The nation’s first labor organization combining workers from different crafts forms in Philadelphia. It is named the Mechanics’ Union of Trade Associations.
1905 The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a law that set maximum hours for bakery workers in Lochner v. New York.
1836 Massachusetts becomes the first state to enact child labor laws.
1906 The U.S. Supreme Court upholds a 10-hour law for women workers in factories and laundries in Muller v. Oregon.
1866 The National Labor Union is organized in Baltimore to push for an 8-hour workday.
1911 A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York causes the deaths of 146 women workers.
1869 The Knights of Labor forms in Philadelphia as a secret society; it becomes a national labor union in 1878.
1913 The U.S. Congress creates the Department of Labor to address labor issues.
1877 A nationwide railroad strike leads to outbreaks of violence in several cities. Workers in other industries hold sympathy strikes.
1914 Striking miners and militia members clash in Ludlow, Colorado. Thirty-nine people are killed.
1881 The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada is formed. It is a forerunner of the American Federation of Labor.
1914 Congress exempts labor unions from antitrust laws and affirms their right to strike by passing the Clayton Antitrust Act. 1914 Membership in the AFL reaches 2 million.
1882 Labor Day is first celebrated, in New York City, to honor workers. It becomes a legal holiday in 1894.
1916 Congress sets a national minimum working age of 14 for most industries by passing the Child Labor Act. In 1918, however, it is declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, which rules that it infringes on personal freedom.
1886 Police and protesters clash in Haymarket Square in Chicago, Illinois. During the protest, a bomb is thrown, inciting further violence. Seven policemen are killed, and many others are injured.
1916 Congress establishes an eight-hour day for rail workers through the Adamson Act. The move helps avert a threatened strike.
1886 The American Federation of Labor (AFL) is formed in Columbus, Ohio. The group starts out with 25 unions and about 140,000 members.
1919 About 350,000 steelworkers, led by the AFL, stage one of the largest strikes in U.S. history. Violence erupts in several cities. The strike breaks down in January 1920, due in part to a lack of unity among the workers.
1892 In Homestead, Pennsylvania, Pinkerton detectives and guards from the Carnegie Steel Company open fire on striking steelworkers, touching off a riot. Several people are killed or wounded in one of the most violent labor strikes in U.S. history.
1920 Union membership nationwide is about 5 million, with over 80 percent in the AFL. 1923 The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a minimum wage law for women workers in Adkins v. Children’s Hospital; it upholds a similar law in 1937.
1894 Workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company strike to protest wage cuts. American Railway Union workers elsewhere join them, disrupting rail service throughout the Midwest. In July, President Grover Cleveland sends federal troops to restore order.
1935 Within the AFL, Committee for Industrial Organizations is formed to organize groups not normally affiliated with the AFL, such as unskilled workers and black workers.
1900 Membership in the AFL approaches 1 million.
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YeAr eVeNT
YeAr eVeNT
1935 Congress passes an act to permit collective bargaining, called the National Labor Relations Act, or Wagner Act.
1970 Union membership declines as industrial production drops in the 1970s, most significantly in iron, steel, automobiles, rubber, and textiles. Deindustrialization continues through the 1980s and 1990s.
1936 Members of the United Auto Workers occupy General Motor’s plants in Michigan but refuse to work, staging the first so-called sit-down strike in U.S. history. The Supreme Court declared such strikes illegal in 1939.
1973 National Association of Working Women (known as “Nine to Five”) forms to organize clerical women.
1938 The Committee for Industrial Organizations is expelled from the AFL and renames itself the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).
1981 President Reagan crushes a strike of national air-traffic controllers. 1998 James P. Hoffa is elected president of the Teamster’s. He pledges to strengthen the union that his father, James R. Hoffa, led from 1957 to 1971.
1938 Congress passes the Fair Labor Standards Act, which creates laws governing working conditions and child labor. It also establishes a minimum wage. 1945 By the end of World War II union membership nationwide surpasses 14 million, up from about 8.5 million in 1940. 1947 Congress passes the Taft-Hartley Act, which bans the closed shop, curbs labor’s right to strike, and imposes other limits on unions. 1955 The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merge to create the AFL-CIO. The new organization represents about 16 million workers, nearly a third of the nation’s workforce. 1957 The Teamsters Union, the largest union in the AFL-CIO, is expelled from the organization on charges of corruption. It rejoins in 1987. 1960 The Negro American Labor Council forms to promote the interests of African Americans in unions. 1963 The Equal Pay Act, the first federal law against sex discrimination, requires equal pay for women and men doing the same work. 1964 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forms the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce the ban on employment discrimination based on sex, race, or ethnic origin. 1970 The United Farm Workers union, led by César Chávez, reaches an agreement with California wine-grape growers, organizing most of the industry. 1970 Two out of every five married women works outside the home, compared to one in seven in 1940. IUEC History
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glossary of Terms Adamson Act:
Passed in 1916 by Congress, this created the eight-hour day for railroad workers only.
Affiliate:
To associate an organization with another organization as a subordinate or subsidiary.
AFL:
American Federation of Labor.
AFL-CIO:
American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organization.
American Arbitration Association:
An impartial organization, used by both Labor and Management to resolve disputes.
ANSI: Anarchist: Arbitration:
A person that believes all forms of government are undesirable. The process used by two parties to resolve a dispute by submitting the dispute to an impartial third party for resolution.
Artisan:
A person with manual skills, a craftsman.
ASME:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Assessments:
A fee, separate from dues, owed the union from its members for a specific purpose.
Benefit Package:
Compensation other than wages, i.e. health insurance, vacation etc.
Business Agent:
See Business Representative.
Business Manager:
The local union officer responsible for the day-to-day operation of the union that has 400 or more members. Unions with 400 or more members require two Agents/Representatives. Usually, a Business Agent or Representative reports to the Business Manager.
Business Representative:
The local union officer responsible for the day-to-day operation of a union with less than 400 members or the local union officer reporting to the Business Manager when there are two agents.
CEIEP:
Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program.
CEMA:
Canadian Elevator Manufacturer’s Association.
CIO:
Committee for Industrial Organization, later this became the Congress of Industrial Organization.
Clayton Antitrust Act:
Passed in 1914, this act restricted the use of the injunction in labor disputes.
Closed Shop: Collective Bargaining: COPE:
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American National Standards Institute.
A place of work employing only union members. Negotiation between the representatives of organized labor and their employer to determine wages, hours, working rules and conditions. Committee on Political Education.
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Cordwainers: DOL:
Department of Labor, established by the US Government in 1913 to address the needs and problems of labor.
Dues:
Moneys a member pays the local union quarterly as their fair share of the local’s expenses.
EINRTP: EIWPF:
Elevator Industry National Recruitment and Training Program. Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund.
EMA:
Elevator Manufacturer’s Association, the elevator contractor’s association prior to NEMI.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):
Also called the Federal Wage and Hour law. This law was passed in 1938 to eliminate labor conditions injurious to the health and efficiency of workers. Also provided interstate commerce employees a 44-hour workweek, followed by a 40-hour workweek in 1940.
Grievance: Guilds: Hobbs Act: ILGWU:
A written complaint concerning a violation of contract language. An association of persons of the same trade. A law to make all picket line scuffles or acts of violence a federal case. International Lady’s Garment Workers Union.
ILO:
International Labor Organization that addresses labor’s international needs. Used to protect workers’ rights worldwide. This became part of the United Nations after World War II.
Indentured Servitude:
A contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified term.
Informational Pickets:
Picketing for the purpose of calling attention to labor’s campaign, pickets cannot legally request others to join campaign.
IUEC:
International Union of Elevator Constructors.
IWW:
Industrial Workers of the World.
Knights of Labor:
Labor-Management Act of 1947: Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959:
Laissez Faire: Landrum-Griffin Act: Lockout: NAEC: IUEC History
A worker in cordovan leather. A shoemaker.
Early union known as the Noble Order of the Knights of Labor, founded in 1869 in Philadelphia, it advocated one union for all workers. See Taft-Hartley. Also know as the Landrum-Griffin Act, this law guaranteed union members rights such as union meetings, free speech and assembly and secret ballot voting. A doctrine that government shall not interfere with commerce. See Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. The closing of a work facility to employees by the employer for the purpose of resolving a dispute. National Association of Elevator Contractors, formed in 1953. 31
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NAESA: NAM:
National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities. National Association of Manufacturers, founded in 1895.
National Labor Relations Act:
A federal law enacted in July 1935 to govern labor-management relations. Also known as the Wagner Act.
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):
An independent agency of the federal government created to oppose unfair labor practices.
NEIEP: NEII:
National Elevator Industry Inc., formed in 1969.
NEMI:
National Elevator Manufacturer’s Industry, formed in 1933.
NIRA:
National Industrial Recovery Act, a law passed in June of 1933 as part of the New Deal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
NLU:
National Labor Union.
NTU:
National Trade’s Union.
Norris-LaGuardia Anti-Injunction Act: OFCC:
Passed in 1932 by Congress, this act improved upon the Clayton AntiTrust Act. Office of Federal Contract Compliance.
Open Shop:
A place of work employing workers without regard to union membership.
Operator:
The person that operated an elevator prior to elevators having automatic operation.
OSHA:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an agency of the US Department of Labor, established by an act of Congress in 1970 for the purpose of reducing workplace hazards.
Per Capita:
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National Elevator Industry Educational Program, formed in 1967.
Income or expense to the union equally per member.
Public Contracts Act:
Passed by Congress in 1936. This law required an 8-hour day for contractors’ employees on federal jobs.
QEI:
Qualifications for Elevator Inspectors Main Committee. The code committee responsible for certifying elevator inspectors.
Regional Director:
An officer of the IUEC, that reports directly to the IUEC president, that is responsible for interacting with local unions in a specific geographic area.
Secondary Boycott:
A boycott that exerts pressure upon parties other than the employees to join in the boycott.
Sherman Antitrust Act:
A law passed by Congress in 1890 to regulate corporate trusts. Superseded by the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914.
Socialist:
An advocate of socialism. The whole community exercises a social system in which the means of producing and distributing goods are owned collectively and political power.
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IUEC History
Standard Agreement:
The written contract between union and companies that specifies the work rules and benefits agreed to by both parties.
Starter:
A person stationed in the lobby of a group of elevators for the purpose of supervising and directing operators.
Strike:
A refusal of labor to work for an employer until a dispute is resolved.
Taft-Hartley:
A federal law passed in 1947 to curb the power of organized labor.
Trade Union:
A union established for, and restricted to, members of only one trade.
UFW:
United Farm Workers.
VOC:
Volunteer Organizing Committee, a group of local unionist created for organizing purposes.
Wagner Act: Wobblies: Yellow Dog Contract:
IUEC History
See National Labor Relations Act. Members of the Industrial Workers of the World. A contract signed by potential new hires requiring them to not join a union.
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IUEC History