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 Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...

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, 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 The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...

, 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, 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