
The Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA, stylized as LiUNA!), often shortened to just the Laborers' Union, is an American and Canadian
labor 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 ...
formed in 1903. As of 2017, they had about 500,000 members,
about 80,000 of whom are in Canada. The current general president is
Brent Booker who was appointed general president in 2023. There are nine regions across North America; these regions are further divided into 500 local unions. One region is in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Canada, and is led by
Joseph Mancinelli, Local 183, which is the largest construction local union in North America.
History
1900–1920
LIUNA's origins stretch back to the 19th century when local construction unions began popping up across the United States.
Then, in March 1903, Samuel Gompers, the President of 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 ...
(AFL), successfully persuaded various local construction unions from across the US to unite in order to consolidate power in their fight against unfair labor practices.
As a result, on April 13, 1903, the International Hod Carriers and Building Laborers' Union (IHC and BLC) was established at its founding convention in Washington, DC. At the convention there were 25 delegates from 23 unions in 17 different cities in attendance.
During the course of the convention the delegates elected a General President, Herman Lilien, a General Secretary-Treasurer, Harold Stemburgh, and adopted a Declaration of Principles. Also, the delegates were able to produce the union's first charter, which claimed jurisdiction over:
Wrecking of buildings, excavations of buildings, digging of trenches, piers and foundations, holes, digging, lagging, sheeting of said foundations, holes, and caisson work, concrete for buildings, whether foundations, floors or any other, whether done by hand or any other process, tending to masons, mixing and handling all materials used by masons (except stone setters), building of centers for fireproofing purposes, tending to carpenters, tending to and mixing of all materials for plastering, whether done by hand or any other process, clearing of debris from buildings, shoring, underpinning and raising of old buildings, drying of plastering, when done by salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...
heat, handling of dimension stones.
Nine years later, in 1912, the IHC and BLC experiences two name changes. First, in September, the union's name was changed to the International Hod Carriers and Common Laborers of America. Then, in December, the name was changed again to the International Hod Carriers' Building and Common Laborers of America.
During the early 20th century, the union achieved considerable wage raises for members in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
,
New York City, New York
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...
and
Chicago
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 ...
, and orchestrated
strikes in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
St. Louis
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
and
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. By 1920, membership had climbed to 96,000. The union backed calls by
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
workers to be allowed full and equal status as union members, denying permission for segregated unions to be founded in
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
and
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
.
1921–1940
In 1929, the union expanded to include the
. Then, eight years later, the union expanded again to include the
International Union of Pavers, Rammermen, Flag Layers, Bridge and Stone Curb Setters and Sheet Asphalt Pavers.
However, during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
of the 1930s, membership fell to under 30,000 as more and more people lost their jobs.
In 1940, the union moved its international headquarters from Massachusetts to Washington, DC.
Also, in October of that year, union dues were suspended in support of the United States's impending involvement in WWII.
1941–1960
By 1942, despite the decline in union membership during the early years of the Great Depression, membership climbed back up to more than 400,000 – over half of which left their jobs to serve in
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 ...
. In September 1946, at the general convention in Chicago, the union created a monthly journal called ''The Laborer''. However, the first issue of ''The Laborer'' was not published until June 1947.
A few months later, in September, the union signed its first national pipeline agreement, which protected wages, benefits, and safety conditions for pipeline workers.
During the 1950s, the union made significant gains concerning health and welfare benefits. For example, in 1956, laborers in Pittsburgh were able to form pension plans.
Also, in 1955, the union helped establish the National Joint Heavy and Highway Construction Committee. The purpose of the committee was to ensure that union members could take advantage of the jobs created by the Interstate Highway Act of 1954.
1961–1980
In 1962, the Laborers met with President
John F. Kennedy at the White House to pledge not to discriminate when hiring. Later, after President Kennedy was assassinated, the union went back to the White House yet again, this time to pledge support for President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...
's "
war on poverty".
Union members even participated in
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
's 1963
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (commonly known as the March on Washington or the Great March on Washington) was held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to advocate for the civil and economic righ ...
. In 1965, the union was renamed the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). A year later, LIUNA created the Laborers' Political League in order to both influence politics and encourage its members to participate in the political process.
In 1968, the union expanded to include over 60,000 new workers from the National Association of Post Office Mail Handlers, Watchmen, Messengers and Group Leaders. Also, the
Journeyman Stone Cutters' Association of North America joined with the union as well.
During the 1970s, LIUNA continued to push for improved education and training for its workers despite a slowdown in construction projects. For instance, in 1971, LIUNA's Laborers – Associated General Contractors Fund completed a film and held its first national training conference.
In addition, LIUNA helped hospital workers organize under the AFL–CIO's Public Employee Department in 1974.
Also in that year, LIUNA signed a national agreement with Bricklayers and Masonry contractors.
In 1976, LIUNA began training women to work in construction with funds from the
Comprehensive Employment and Training Act.
Other notable achievements for LIUNA during the 1970s were newly established pension plans in central and southern states, legal services for members of Louisiana local 229, and a vision center for members in Massachusetts.
1981–2000
In 1981, LIUNA locals in New York sought to improve their benefits by offering drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.
Also, in that same year, LIUNA created the New England Laborers' Training Academy (NELTA). The purpose of NELTA was to spread awareness of the dangers of asbestos and teach union members how to safely remove it.
Then, six years later, LIUNA signed a national agreement with the Asbestos Abatement Contractors Association ensuring safer working conditions for all its members.
Two years prior to that, the union won another significant victory when the Department of Labor formally recognized highway flaggers as members of LIUNA. This was important because it gave the highway flaggers better protection for their wages.
In 1988, LIUNA established the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, which was a co-venture between labor and management to help improved health and safety for workers.
One year later, LIUNA locals in Baltimore and Washington, DC, followed the example set by New York unions and instituted drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. These programs have since been expanded to unions across the rest of America.
During the 1990s, LIUNA experienced a number of new organizing initiatives to improve and expand the union. By 1994, the
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemp ...
had recognized construction as an
apprenticeable occupation, which allowed LIUNA to establish its own apprenticeship program.
In 1998, LIUNA created its Public Employee Department. As a result, LIUNA added approximately 5,200 Riverside, California County workers along members of the Canadian Licensed Practical Nurses Association.
Branches of the LIUNA were found to have been infiltrated by organized crime in the 1990s. In one particular case, the
Buffalo, New York wing of the Italian mafia controlled Local 210 of the LIUNA for decades. A protracted investigation into the union's operations over the course of a decade eventually drove the crime family out of the union by 2006.
2001–present
In 2001, members of the LIUNA participated in the clean up at
Ground Zero
A hypocenter or hypocentre (), also called ground zero or surface zero, is the point on the Earth's surface directly below a nuclear explosion, meteor air burst, or other mid-air explosion. In seismology, the hypocenter of an earthquake is its p ...
in New York following the
September 11 terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
.
In 2003, the same year the Laborers' Union celebrated its 100th
anniversary
An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded.
Most countries celebrate national anniversaries, typically called national days. These could be the List of national independence days, date of independen ...
, it also spearheaded the creation of its first construction charter school. The Cranston Public Schools Construction and Career Academy is a high school that teaches students about the construction industry and how to get into it.
At the 2011 convention, LIUNA passed several resolutions to help invest in political activism through the organization's political action committee (PAC).
On June 1, 2006, O'Sullivan announced that LIUNA had disaffiliated from 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 ...
and joined the
Change to Win Federation.
["Laborers' Announce Official Split With AFL-CIO As of June 1." ''Engineering News-Record.'' May 29, 2006; "Laborer's to Make AFL-CIO Break Official." '']Chicago Sun Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
''. May 23, 2006. However, LIUNA officials said on August 13, 2010, that the union would leave Change to Win and rejoin the AFL–CIO in October 2010.
["Construction Workers' Union to Rejoin A.F.L.-C.I.O."](_blank)
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
. August 14, 2010.
In May 2016, in the midst of the
2016 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 8, 2016. The Republican Party (United States), Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana Governor, Indiana governor Mike P ...
, LIUNA donated US$1 million to
Priorities USA Action, a SuperPAC which supports
Democratic candidate
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
's
2016 presidential campaign.
Membership
According to LIUNA's Department of Labor records since 2005, when membership classifications were first reported, the union's membership has been in a slow decline across all categories except "retired" members, which reports a slight increase during the period. The most drastic decline, by over half, has been in "mail handlers associate" members, which is the second largest category of members and the only category reported as ineligible to vote in the union. LIUNA contracts also cover some non-members, known as
agency fee payers, which since 2006 have numbered comparatively less than 1% of the size of the union's membership. Agency fee payers have also fallen by about half of its reported number, although comparatively marginal throughout.
As of 2013 this accounts for about 90,000 "mail handler associates" (16%), 68,000 "retirees" (12%) and 38,000 "mail handler regulars" (7%), plus less than 2,000 non-members paying agency fees, compared to about 362,000 "regular" members (65%).
Leadership
Presidents
:1903: Herman Lilien
:1905: Michael Knipfer
:1905: August Palutze
:1906: John Breen
:1908: Dominic D'Alessandro
:1926:
Joseph V. Moreschi
:1968:
Peter Fosco
:1975:
Angelo Fosco
:1993:
Arthur A. Coia
:2000:
Terence M. O'Sullivan
:2023:
Brent Booker
Secretary-Treasurers
:1903: Harold Stemburgh
:1907: Jacob Talezaar
:1907: Earnest Villiard
:1910: Achilles Persion
:1950:
Peter Fosco
:1968: Terence J. O'Sullivan
:1979: Arthur E. Coia
:1989:
Arthur A. Coia
:1993: James Norwood
:1994: Bud Vinall
:1998: Carl E. Booker
:2001: Armand E. Sabitoni
:2023: Michael F. Sabitoni
See also
*
LIUNA Station
*
National Postal Mail Handlers Union
The National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) is a progressive labor union representing more than 50,000 Mail Handler craft members in United States Postal Service facilities across the United States.
History
The union was founded in New Jers ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laborers' International Union Of North America
Trade unions in Canada
AFL-CIO
Trade unions in the United States
Builders' labourers' trade unions
Trade unions established in 1903
Organizations based in Washington, D.C.
1903 establishments in North America