The Graphic Arts International Union (GAIU) 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 printing workers in the United States and Canada. The union was founded on September 4, 1972, when the

International Brotherhood of Bookbinders The International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (IBB) was a labor union representing bookbinding workers in the United States and Canada. The union was founded on May 5, 1892, as a split from the International Typographical Union. In 1898, it received ...

merged with the

Lithographers' and Photoengravers' International Union The Lithographers' and Photoengravers' International Union (LPIU) was a labor union representing printing workers in the United States and Canada. The union was founded on September 7, 1964, when the Amalgamated Lithographers of America merged with ...

. Like both its predecessors, it affiliated to the

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 ...

. By 1981, the union had 115,000 members. On May 25, 1983, it merged with the

International Printing and Graphic Communications Union The International Printing and Graphic Communications Union (IPGCU) was a labor union representing printing workers in the United States and Canada. The union was established on 1 October 1973, when the International Printing Pressmen and Assistan ...

, to form the

Graphic Communications International Union The Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) was a labor union representing printing workers in the United States and Canada. The union was founded on May 25, 1983, when the Graphic Arts International Union merged with the International Pr ...

.{{cite web , title=Inactive Organizations , url=https://umdlabor.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/3/9/29397087/inactive_organizations.pdf , website=UMD Labor Collections , publisher=University of Maryland , access-date=18 April 2022 Throughout its existence, the union was led by president Kenneth J. Brown.

References

Trade unions established in 1972 Trade unions disestablished in 1983 Printing trade unions