1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010
1888: 19 machinists meeting in locomotive pit at Atlanta, GA,
vote to form a trade union. Machinists earn 20 to 25 cents an
hour for 10-hour day.
1889: 34 locals represented at the first Machinists convention,
held in Georgia State Senate Chamber, elect Tom Talbot as Grand
Master Machinist. A monthly journal is started.
1890: First Canadian local chartered at Stratford, Ont. Union is
named International Association of Machinists. Headquarters set
up in Richmond, VA. Membership at 4,000.
1891: IAM Local 145 asks $3 for a 10-hour day.
1892: First railroad agreement signed with Atcheson, Topeka &
Santa Fe.
1895: IAM joins American Federation of Labor (AFL), moves
headquarters to Chicago.
1898: IAM Local 52, Pittsburgh, conducts first successful strike
for 9-hour day.
1899: Time-and-a-half for overtime has become prevalent.
Headquarters moved to Washington, D.C.
1903: Specialists admitted to membership. Drive begins for
8-hour day.
1905: Apprentices admitted to membership. There are 769 locals.
Railroad machinists earn 36 to 43 cents an hour for 9-hour day.
1908: Metal Trades Department established within AFL with IAM
President James O'Connell as president.
1911: Women admitted to membership with equal rights.
1912: Railway Employees Department established in AFL with
Machinist A. O. Wharton as President.
1914: Congress passes Clayton Act limiting use of injunctions in
labor disputes and making picketing legal.
1915: IAM wins 8-hour in many shops and factories. IAM
affiliates with International Metalworkers Federation.
1916: Auto mechanics admitted to membership.
1918: IAM membership reaches 331,000.
1920: Headquarters moved to first Machinists Building, at 9th & Mt.Vernon Pl., N.W., Washington, D.C. British Amalgamated
Engineering Union cedes its North American locals to IAM.
1920: Machinists earn 72 to 90 cents an hour for 44-hour week.
1922: 79,000 railroad machinists pin shopmen's strike against
second post-war wage cut. Membership declines to 148,000.
1924: IAM convention endorses Robert M. LaFollette, Sr., for
President.
1926: Congress passes Railway Labor Act requiring carriers to
bargain and forbidding discrimination against union members.
1927: IAM urges ratification of Child Labor Amendments to U.S.
Constitution; 2,500,000 children under 16 are working at
substandard wages.
1928: 250 delegates at 18th IAM convention urge 5-day week to
alleviate unemployment.
1929: Depression layoffs cut IAM membership to 70,000.
1932: Congress passes Norris LaGuardia Act banning use of court
injunctions in labor disputes.Wisconsin adopts first
unemployment insurance act. Nearly 30% of union members are
jobless.
1933: IAM backs National Recovery drive and 40-hour week. FOR
picks IAM Vice President Robert Fechner to head new Civilian
Conservative Corps. Membership sinks to 56,000.
1934: IAM establishes Research Department.
1935: Congress adopts National Labor Relations Act establishing
right to organize and requiring employers to bargain in good
faith. IAM opens drive to organize aircraft Industry.
1936: First industrial union agreement signed with Boeing,
Seattle. IAM convention endorses FDR for President. Membership
climbs to 130,000.
1937: Social Security and Railroad Retirement Acts now in
operation. IAM negotiates paid vacations in 26% of its
agreements.
1939: IAM signs first union agreement in air transport industry
with Eastern.
1940: Machinists rates average 80 cents an hour. IAM pledges
full support to National Defense program. IAM membership climbs
to 188,000.
1941: IAM pledges hail support to win the war including
no-strike pledge.
1944: 76,000 IAM members serve in armed forces. Total membership
now 776,000.
1945: First agreement with Remington Rand. IAM convention votes
to establish weekly newspaper, education department. Widespread
layoffs follow end of World War II.
1946: 88% of IAM agreements now provide for paid vacations.
1947: Congress enacts anti-union Taft-Hartley Act. Machinists
Non-Partisan Political League founded. IAM Legal Department
established. Machinists average $1.56 an hour.
1948: IAM membership opened to all regardless of race or
color.IAM convention endorses Harry Truman for President.
1949: Railroad machinists win 40 hour week. Membership down to
501,000.
1950: IAM joins International Transport Workers Federation.
Machinists now average $1.82 an hour.
1951: IAM pledges full support of UN action in Korea.
1952: Employees on 85% of airlines now protected by IAM
agreements. 92% of IAM contracts provide for paid holidays.
1953: IAM has contracts fixing wages and working conditions with
13,500 employers. IAM Atomic Energy Conference organized.
1955: AFL and Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) merge,
Machinist Al Hayes elected Vice President and chairman of
Ethical Practices Committee. 70% of IAM contracts now have
health and welfare provisions. Machinists average $2.33 an hour.
1956: 2,000th active local chartered. New ten story Machinists
Building dedicated at 1300 Connecticut Ave., Washington, DC.
1958: IAM convention establishes a strike fund which was
approved by the membership in a referendum vote. IAM membership
now tops 903,000.
1959: Congress enacts anti-union Landrum-Griffin Act.
1960: IAM convention endorses JFK for President after personal
visits from both Kennedy and Richard Nixon. IAM convention
establishes college scholarship program. IAM establishes Labor
Management Pension Fund.
1962: IAM Electronics Conference established. JFK issues
Executive Order giving Federal employees a limited right to
collective bargaining. Machinists now average $3.10 an hour.
1964: IAM convention endorses LBJ for President, after a
personal appearance. Delegates vote to change name to
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Membership at 800,000.
1966: IAM members strike five major airlines and finally break
through unfair 3.2% limit on wage increases. First dental care
plan negotiated with Aerojet General.
1967: Railroad machinists lead shopcrafts against nation's
railroads. Congress forces return to work and arbitration.
1968: IAM membership tops 1,000,000. Machinists average S3.44 an
hour.
1969: IAM member, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, the first space mechanic
walks on the moon.
1970: Congress votes first Federal Occupational Safety and
Health law. IAM is one of 19 unions in first successful
coordinated bargaining effort against GE.
1971: IAM wins biggest back pay award in history, more than
$54,500,00 for 1,000 members locked out illegally by National
Airlines. IAM establishes Job Safety & Health Department.
1972: IAM membership drops to 902,000 as a result of recession
and layoffs in defense industries. IAM President Floyd Smith
quits U.S. Pay Board to protest unfair economic policies. IAM
convention endorses Sen. George McGovern for President.
1973: IAM and UAW hold first joint Legislative Conference with
1,000 delegates in attendance. Machinists average $4.71 an hour.
Membership rises to 927,000.
1974: Watergate scandal cast its shadow over labor unions along
with the rest of the country. When President Nixon resigned, IAM
wired President Gerald Ford, "You can count on our support and
cooperation in your efforts to bring America back to the
principles upon which it was founded."
1976: IAM convention endorses Jimmy Carter for U.S. President.,
Delegates vote to set up Civil Rights and Organizing departments
and expand community services program.
1977: William W. Winpisinger sworn in as the lAM's 11th
president.
1979: Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition launches first Stop Big Oil
day to protest obscene profits by oil conglomerates while
American workers' paychecks continue to shrink.
1980: IAM media project begins. Thousands of IAM members and
their families monitor prime time TV to determine media's
portrayal of working people and unions.
1981: Older Workers and Retired Members Department is
established at Grand Lodge.
1982: Reaganomics grips nation. Individual and corporate
bankruptcies reach epidemic proportions. IAM membership begins
drop to 820,211.
1983: IAM introduces 'Rebuilding America' act to Congress as
alternative to Reaganomics and to rebuild nation’s industrial
base.
1984: IAM convention in Seattle WA, endorses Walter Mondale for
U.S. President. Delegates vote funding for Placid Harbor
Education Center to improve the level of understanding of
workers in an ever changing world.
1987: IAM Executive Council establishes new Organizing
Department, the first ever to be headed by a Vice President.
First IAM Communications Conference convened in Kansas City, MO.
1988: IAM celebrates 100th anniversary in Atlanta, GA, on May 5.
1989: George J. Kourpias sworn in as the IAM's 12th president.
1992: IAM moves to new state-of-the-art headquarters building in
Upper Marlboro, MD, to keep pace with technological changes and
serve members' needs well into 21st Century; IAM convenes 33rd
convention at Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
1994: International Woodworkers of America ratify merger
agreement. More than 20,000 members join IAM family. Some 8,000
USAir fleet service workers say "IAM yes." Machinist newspaper
bids fond farewell, reborn as IAM Journal magazine.
1995: IAM, Auto and Steelworker unions debate plans for
unification by year 2000. Unity plan sparks solidarity. Plan
would create largest, most diverse union in North America, with
more than 2,000,000 active members, 1, 400, 000 retirees.
Sixty-nine day strike brings major victory in new contract at
Boeing. Members air their views during first round of Town Hall
meetings.
1996: ‘Fighting Machinists' spearhead political battle for
worker rights. Union efforts provide winning edge in
Clinton-Gore presidential victory. Meeting in Chicago, IAM
Convention delegates build bridge to 21st century. Delegates
establish IAM Women's Department.
1997: On July 1, Robert Thomas Buffenbarger, 46, takes office as
13th International president in 109-year IAM history, moves
quickly to reshape Union to reflect growing diversity,
interests, concerns of IAM members. Former IAM President
Winpisinger dies Dec. 11.
1998: New Blue Ribbon Commission empaneled to provide membership
forum to voice opinions. Placid Harbor facility renamed
Winpisinger Education and Technology Center to honor visionary
union leader, who brought the facility into being.
1999 General Vice President William Scheri retires, Robert
Roach, Jr. takes over the Transportation Department. IAM Shares
mutual fund created; llows members to put money to work in a
fund that invests in IAM-represented companies. The National
Federation of Federal Employees affiliates with the IAM.
Unification effort with the Steelworkers and UAW ends because of
major philosophical differences; the three unions vow to work
together, however.
2000 The IAM endorses Al Gore for President. The AFL-CIO
launches its New Alliance campaign, Grand Lodge Convention
delegates respond with mandate that all IAM local and district
lodges affiliate with their state AFL-CIO labor councils.The IAM
meets in San Francisco for the 35th Grand Lodge Convention. The
delegates establish Communicator and Educator positions.
2001 IAM Communications revamped with relaunch of website,
online streaming of video, and repositioning of the IAM Journal
as an advocacy magazine. IAM Executive Council relected. William
W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center increases capacity
by 50%. IAM Dedicates memorial to fallen members. IAM members
perish in September 11 attack. The IAM volunteers to help in war
against terrorism and to help America rebuild.
2002 The IAM establishes the Automotive Department and sets in
place dozens of organizing blitzes. LL 2710's Gary Blanke wins
the IAM's first photography contest. Members speak out at the
2002 Blue Ribbon Commission town hall meetings. Everyday Heroes,
an IAM documentary, which tells the story of the workers who
risked their lives in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, goes on
sale. The proceeds go to treat rescue and recovery workers at
Ground Zero. The Transportation Department ignites a nationwide
Day of Action to urge passengers back onto trains and airplanes.
IAM members join with other U.S. union members for the biggest
midterm election turnout ever.
2003 The IAM creates the Department of Employment Services to
help members cope with the worst recession in years; Tony
Chapman named its director. IAM leaders meet in Cincinnati,
Ohio. IP Buffenbarger vows "No more business as usual."
Presidential candidates Howard Dean and Richard Gephardt address
the IAM leaders; Gephardt endorsed for president. GVP George
Hooper passes away. Robert Martinez named Southern Territory
GVP. ST Don Wharton Retires, Eastern Territory GVP Warren Mart
succeeds Wharton. Lynn Tucker takes over as the Eastern GVP.
James Brown takes over the Midwest Territory with the retirement
of Alex Bay.
2004 The IAM Executive Council marches with thousands of trade
unionists in Miami to protest Free Trade Area of the Americas.
President George W, Bush's "Wall of Shame " tours Iowa during
that state's presidential caucuses to bring job losses onto the
national radar screen. CyberLodge, the innovative, open-source
initiative to organize information technology workers opens for
business. Former IAM President William W. Winpisinger is
inducted into the International Labor Hall of Fame. The 36th
Grand Lodge Convention convenes in Cincinnati and salutes North
America's Might. Vice presidential candidate Senator John
Edwards from North Carolina appears at a convention rally after
a unanimous endorsement of Senator John Kerry and Senator
Edwards by the delegates.
2012 The IAM Grand Lodge Convention
