International Molders and Foundry Workers Union of North America was an affiliated

trade 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 ( ...

of 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 ...

. The union traced its roots back to the formation of the Iron Molders' Union of North America, established in 1859 to represent craftsmen who cast

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag Inclusion (mineral), inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a ...

metal products. It is now part of the

GMP International Union The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union (GMPIU) was a labor union representing craft and industrial workers primarily in the ceramics, china, craft metals, fiberglass, glass, insulation, and pottery industries, ...

Organizational history

Formation

In the years prior to the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

existing organization of workers in the

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

industry was established on the basis of independent local groups. In 1859, there came a move to forming a national organization in the United States, and the Iron Molders' Union was established at a convention held in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

on July 5. The first national convention was attended by 35 delegates, representing local iron molders organizations located throughout the Northeast and as far west as St. Louis.James C. Sylvis, ''The Life, Speeches, Labors and Essays of Wiliam H. Sylvis''. Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger, 1872; pg. 30. William C. Rea of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

was elected the first president of the organization and a committee of five headed by

William H. Sylvis William H. Sylvis (1828–1869) was a pioneer American trade union leader. Sylvis is best remembered as a founder of the Iron Molders' International Union. He also was a founder of the National Labor Union. It was one of the first American union ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

was appointed to prepare a declaration to the iron workers of America. The Molders' Union initially took the form of a loose

federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

of already existing local organizations, each retaining almost complete autonomy.A.M. Sakolski, "The Finances of the Iron Molders' Union," in Jacob H. Hollander and George E. Barnett (eds.), ''Studies in American Trade Unionism''. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1917; pg. 83. Initial dues were set by the organization at $10 per local with an additional $10 per delegate sent to the national convention. This proved insufficient and in 1860 per capita dues were initiated at the rate of 5 cents per member per year. This still proved insufficient for the maintenance of a central office and dues were hiked in 1867 to 50 cents per quarter per member and again in 1872 to 25 cents per month. The organization grew rapidly during the years of the Civil War, with non-union

journeymen A journeyman, journeywoman, or journeyperson 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 fie ...

joining in great numbers. By 1866, the Iron Molders' Union touted 137 locals with a total membership of just under 10,000.''Iron Molders' Journal'', April 1876, cited in Sakolski, "The Finances of the Iron Molders' Union," pg. 84.

Mergers

A series of mergers led the union to change its name to the International Molders and Allied Workers Union. In 1988, the Molders and Allied Workers merged with the

Glass, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union The Glass, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers' International Union (GPPAW) was a labor union representing manufacturing workers in various industries in the United States and Canada. The union was founded on August 5, 1982, with the merger of th ...

(GPPA) to create the

Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union (GMPIU) was a labor union representing craft and industrial workers primarily in the ceramics, china, craft metals, fiberglass, glass, insulation, and pottery industries ...

(GMP).

Presidents

:1859: William C. Rea :1860: Isaac J. Neall :1861: Norman Van Alstyne :1863:

:1869: F. J. Meyers :1870: William Saffin :1879: Patrick J. Fitzpatrick :1890:

Martin Fox Martin Fox (August 22, 1848 – September 28, 1907) was an American labor union leader. Biography Born in Cincinnati, Fox followed his father in becoming an iron molder. He learned the trade at an early age, becoming a journeyman when only 1 ...

:1903: Joseph F. Valentine :1924: Michael Keough :1932: Lawrence O'Keefe :1938: A. J. Prendergast :1939: Harry Stevenson :1948: Chester Sample :1960: William Lazzerini :1971: Draper Doyal :1976: Carl W. Studenroth :1984: Bernard Butsavage

Footnotes

External links

Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union
{{Authority control AFL–CIO Foundry workers' trade unions Defunct trade unions in the United States Trade unions established in 1859 1859 establishments in Pennsylvania