Who or What Is A Boilermaker?
The simple definition of a boilermaker is a craftsman who
constructs and/or repairs containment vessels: all types of
boilers, pressure vessels, iron ships, electric power utilities,
various types of tanks and water towers, refineries, chemical,
paper-pulp and steel making plants. Blast furnaces, hydro-electric
components, nuclear plant, breweries, distilleries, and in our past
railroad history the classic steam locomotive.
In addition, some also say "a shot and a beer."
Who Are the Boilermakers?
The International 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.
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,
"Boilermakers."
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 serving
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 1, 1994.
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. |