The Laundry Workers' International Union (LWIU) 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 laundry workers in the United States. The union was founded in November 1900 at a congress in Troy, New York, as the Shirt, Waist and Laundry Workers' International Union. It was chartered by 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 ...

to represent both makers and launderers of shirts. In 1909, its shirt makers were transferred to the

United Garment Workers of America The United Garment Workers of America (UGW or UGWA) was a United States labor union which existed between 1891 and 1994. It was an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor. History The UGWA was formed in New York in April 1891 and lead a ...

, but it began representing all workers in laundries, and became the LWIU. In 1925, the union had 6,500 members, but this figure grew to 100,000 in 1953. It became part of the new AFL-CIO in 1955. In 1956, it absorbed the

International Association of Cleaning and Dye House Workers The International Association of Cleaning and Dye House Workers (CDHW) was a labor union representing workers in laundries and the dyeing industry in the United States. The union was founded and chartered by the American Federation of Labor Th ...

, changing its name to the Laundry, Cleaning and Dye House Workers' International Union. This merger occurred without the consent of the AFL-CIO, and in 1957, the federation expelled the union, on charges of corruption. In March 1962, the union merged into the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.{{cite book , title=Directory of National and International Labor Unions in the United States , date=1961 , publisher=United States Department of Labor , location=Washington, D.C. , url=https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1320_1962.pdf , access-date=19 September 2022

Presidents

:1900:

John J. Manning John J. Manning (February 2, 1842 – September 13, 1911) was an Irish American frontiersman, lawman, gold prospector, rancher and saloon owner in the American West during the latter part of the 19th century. He was a prominent citizen in Deadwo ...

:1902: :1912: James F. Brock :1932: Robert Roy Burt :1935: Bill Donovan :1943: Ray Nickelson :Sam J. Byers :1957: Ralph Thomas Fagan

References

Laundry workers' trade unions Trade unions established in 1900 Trade unions disestablished in 1962