The Aluminum Workers' International Union (AWIU) was a

labor union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing metal workers in the United States. The union's origins lay in Local 18356, established on August 1, 1933, by

Alcoa Alcoa Corporation (an acronym for Aluminum Company of America) is a Pittsburgh-based industrial corporation. It is the world's eighth-largest producer of aluminum. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary ...

workers in the Allegheny Valley. The local argued that the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

(AFL) should charter it as an industrial union for workers in the industry. The AFL was unwilling to do so, but compromised in May 1934 by founding the Aluminum Workers' Council. Local 18356 later transferred to the

Congress of Industrial Organizations The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. Originally created in 1935 as a committee within the American Federation of ...

, becoming part of the rival

Aluminum Workers of America The Aluminum Workers of America (AWA) was a labor union representing workers in the aluminum industry in the United States. The union was established on April 14, 1937 as a split from the Aluminum Workers' Council, under the leadership of presiden ...

, but the council remained in existence. The council was chartered by the AFL on February 26, 1953, as the AWIU. In 1955, it affiliated to the new AFL–CIO, and in 1957, it had 24,000 members. By 1980, its membership had grown to 27,000.{{cite book , title=Directory of National Unions and Employee Associations , date=1980 , publisher=United States Department of Labor , location=Washington DC , url=https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_2079_1980.pdf , access-date=3 May 2022 On August 5, 1981, it merged with the

United Brick and Clay Workers of America The United Brick and Clay Workers of America (UBCWA) was a labor union representing brickmakers, clay and terracotta workers and clay miners in the United States. The union was founded on May 18, 1894, to represent brickmakers. In 1896, it was cha ...

, to form the Aluminum, Brick and Glass Workers' International Union.

Presidents

:1953: Eddie Stahl :1967: Henry Olsen :1973: Vernon E. Kelly :1977: Lawrence Holley

References

Trade unions established in 1953 Trade unions disestablished in 1981 Metal trade unions