The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB) is a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It is for

boilermaker A boilermaker is a Tradesman, tradesperson who Metal fabrication, fabricates steels, iron, or copper into boilers and other large containers intended to hold hot gas or liquid, as well as maintains and repairs boilers and boiler systems.Bure ...

s and related occupations, and is affiliated with the

AFL–CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a national trade union center that is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 61 national and international unions, together r ...

. The Boilermakers union has a four-year

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

training program before becoming a

Journeyman A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee ...

. Boilermakers primarily work in nuclear and fossil power plants. However they also work in shipyards, refineries, chemical plants, manufacturing, and the rail and cement industries. The work involves welding, rigging and fabricating.

History

Formation

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers was founded on September 1, 1893. On that day, at a meeting in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, representatives from the International Brotherhood of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders, which had been organized on October 1, 1880, and the National Brotherhood of Boiler Makers, which had been formed in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, in May 1888, resolved to consolidate their organizations. It was further agreed that the new organization, to be known as the Brotherhood of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders of America, would make its headquarters in

Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City (commonly known as KCK) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As ...

. In July 2023, the union's headquarters moved to

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

Affiliation with AFL

Two and a half years later, on the ninth of June 1896, the Brotherhood affiliated with 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 mutual ...

Helpers Division

In subsequent years, the Brotherhood continued to grow, and in 1902, the Helpers division was formed. Because helpers were barred from sitting in the lodge room with mechanics, this new division had its own local unions and was entirely separate from the Boiler Makers. This would change a decade later when the Helpers Division would be consolidated with the Mechanics Division.

Name change

In March 1906, at a special Convention in Kansas City, the name of the Union was changed to the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers of America in order to incorporate the newest division. Also at this time, the term "Boiler Makers" was condensed into one word, "Boilermakers."

Affiliation with AFL–CIO

The Boilermakers affiliated with the

Building Trades Department The Building and Construction Trades Department, commonly known as North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU), is a trade department of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) with 14 affiliated ...

of the American Federation of Labor in February 1931. At the turn of the century, total membership stood at about 8,500, but by 1944, due in part to dramatic increases in the shipbuilding, railroad, and fabrication shop industries during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Boilermakers numbered over 350,000.

First merger

In 1954, the Boilermakers merged their organization with the International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers and Helpers. The International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths had been organized in 1889 and added Helpers to both their membership and their name in 1901.

Second merger and name change

A 1919 merger with the Brotherhood of Drop Forgers created the union that, on June 29, 1953, merged with the Boilermakers to create the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers. A year later, a new International seal was adopted to include all crafts.

Health and Welfare Fund

On October 1, 1954, the Boilermaker National Health and Welfare Fund was established, on November 9, 1959, the Boilermakers National Joint Apprenticeship Fund began, and the Boilermaker-Blacksmith National Pension Trust became effective October 1, 1960.

Construction Division

Delegates to the 1977 convention voted to establish a Construction Division at International Headquarters for the purpose of servicing those members with employment in, or related to, the construction industry.

Third merger

On March 15, 1984, the delegates to the Special Merger Convention of the United Cement, Lime, Gypsum and Allied Workers International Union voted to merge with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers. The merger of the CLGAW, formed in 1936, and its 10,000 members who dominate the building products and supplies industry, and the Boilermakers forged an organization with a greater ability to provide services to its members.

Fourth merger

On October 1, 1994, a merger was consummated with the Stove, Furnace and Allied Appliance Workers' International Union—a

skilled trade A tradesperson or tradesman/tradeswoman is a skilled worker that specialises in a particular trade. Tradespeople (tradesmen/women) usually gain their skills through work experience, on-the-job training, an apprenticeship program or formal educ ...

union that was organized in 1891. The Stove Workers, with 5,800 members, became a division of the International Brotherhood known as the Stove, Furnace, Energy and Allied Appliance Workers Division. The word ''energy'' was inserted to give special recognition to coal miners within that division. The division had its members employed primarily in the manufacturing of stoves and various types of appliances.

Fifth merger

During the same period, merger talks were also being carried out with an independent union known as the Western Energy Workers. This one-local union, formed in 1978 with members employed in the coal

strip-mining Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit (the overburden) are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in whic ...

, signed a merger agreement with the Boilermakers effective December 1, 1994.

Sixth merger

In October 1996, a merger agreement was made with the Metal Polishers', Buffers', Platers' and Allied Workers' International Union. This union was also an old line, skilled trade union that was organized in 1892. This merger brought 4,000 new members to the Brotherhood. These members are employed primarily in plating and polishing shops within the

and

International president

Timothy Simmons is the International President of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. The International Executive Council elected him to the position upon the retirement of International President Warren Fairley on August 20, 2024. Simmons began his Boilermaker career on a boiler outage in 1999, working out of Boilermakers Local 108 in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Alabama Power Miller Steam Plant. He has served in a variety of leadership roles including as a Local 108 Business Agent/Secretary Treasurer, District Lodge #3 Officer, Director of National Recruitment Services, Director of Construction Division Services and Assistant to the International President. In October 2022, the International Executive Council voted unanimously to elect Simmons to fill the IVP-Southeast Section vacancy, effective February 1, 2023, upon the retirement of Warren Fairley. (Fairley briefly came out of retirement to serve the union as International President during a time of transition after Newton Jones was removed from the role.)

Removal of president

Former International President Newton B. Jones was removed from office June of 2023 for multiple issues including misuse of funds. After internal disciplinary charges were filed against Jones alleging serious misuse of funds, an internal hearing in accordance with the union's Constitution was held, resulting in a decision to remove Jones from membership and his role as president, in addition to other actions. Jones attempted to stop the process in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, and three hearings were held on the matter. On August 15, 2023, Judge Eric F. Melgren issued his summary judgement decision from the bench in favor of the International Vice Presidents who had sought to uphold the decision relating to the internal charges against Jones. Judge Melgren found that the original internal action was proper and conducted in accordance with the union's Constitution.

Leadership

Presidents

:1893: Lee Johnson :1897: John McNeil :1905: George F. Dunn :1908:

Joseph A. Franklin Joseph Anthony Franklin (October 31, 1868 – February 18, 1948) was an American labor union leader. Born in Sedalia, Missouri, Franklin became a boilermaker in 1892. He joined the Brotherhood of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders of America i ...

:1944:

Charles J. MacGowan Charles J. MacGowan (June 2, 1887 – October 25, 1960) was a Scottish-born American labor union leader. Born in Argyllshire in Scotland, MacGowan emigrated to Canada with his father in 1897. In 1909, he began working as a boilermaker on the ...

:1954: William A. Calvin :1962: Russell K. Berg :1970: Harold J. Buoy :1983: Charles W. Jones :2003:

Newton B. Jones Newton B. Jones (born 1953) is an American former labor union leader. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Jones became a boilermaker in 1971. He joined the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IB ...

:2023:

Warren Fairley Warren Fairley is an American labor union leader. Fairley worked at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and joined the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB) in 1990. In ...

:2024: Timothy Simmons

Secretary-Treasurers

:1893: William J. Gilthorpe :1914: Frank Reinmeyer :1920: Joseph Flynn :1926: Charles F. Scott :1936: William E. Walter :1945: William J. Buckley :1958: Homer E. Patton :1973: Charles F. Moran :1986: Don Whan :1989: Jerry Willburn :2005: William T. Creeden :2023: Kathy Stapp :2024: Clint Penny