The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union (GMPIU) 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 craft and industrial workers primarily in the ceramics,

china China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, craft metals, fiberglass, glass, insulation, and pottery industries, in the United States and Canada.

History

The union was established on May 1, 1988, when the Glass, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers' International Union merged with the International Molders and Allied Workers' Union.Kennedy, Joseph S. "In Struggle To Survive, A Union Changes, Grows." '' The Philadelphia Inquirer''. January 21, 1993. The Coopers' International Union of North America followed in 1992.Chaison, p. 169. With the Coopers merger, the GMPIU had about 80,000 members in the United States and Canada in about 435 locals. As of 1993, the GMP had 35 staff working at its headquarters. Job losses continued. As of 2009, the union had just 30,392 members. The Great Recession cut heavily into its membership, and by the end of 2012 it had just under 28,000 members. In 2016, the union agreed to merge into the

United Steelworkers The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers (USW), is a general trade union with members across North America. Headqua ...

. The merger was completed on January 1, 2018, and the union became the GMP Council of the Steelworkers.

Presidents

:1988: James E. Hatfield :1994: Frank W. Carter :1997: James H. Rankin :2004: John P. RyanPresident Ryan resigned at the union's January 2010 Executive Board meeting. International Vice President Bruce R. Smith was sworn in as president. See
"GMP Executive Board Meets, Proposed Budget for 2010 Affirmed. " ''GMP Horizons.'' January/February 2010, p. 2.
Accessed 2013-11-22. :2010: Bruce SmithPresident Smith served out the remaining two years of President Ryan's term. He was re-elected as president in 2013.

Footnotes

Bibliography

* Chaison, Gary N. ''Union Mergers in Hard Times: The View From Five Countries.'' Ithaca, N.Y.: ILR Press, 1996.

External links

* {{Authority control 1842 establishments in Pennsylvania Organizations established in 1988 Trade unions in the United States Trade unions in Canada Manufacturing trade unions Trade unions established in 1988 Trade unions disestablished in 2018