Very Brief History of the International Brotherhood of
Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and
Helpers was born on September
1, 1893. On that day, at a meeting in Chicago, 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 in May of 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.
Two and a half years later, on the ninth of June 1896, the Brotherhood
affiliated with the American Federation of Labor.
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.
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,
The Boilermakers affiliated with the National Building Trades Department 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, the Boilermakers numbered over 350,000.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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 ten thousand 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.
On October 1, 1994, a merger was
consummated with the Stove, Furnace and Allied Appliance Workers International
Union - a skilled trade 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 the coal miners within that
Division. The Division had its members employed primarily in the manufacturing
of stoves and various types of appliances.
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 pits, signed a merger
agreement with the Boilermakers effective December
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, skill 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 United States and Canada.
On July 24, 2003, International President Charles W. Jones
resigned his office, and the International Executive Council elected Newton B.
Jones to complete his unexpired term.
Also see A Timeline for the
Boilermakers Union with photos of the official seal as it has changed over
time (may take a while to load).