On February 23, 1889, Henry J. Skeffington led a dissident faction of shoemakers who were part of National Trade Assembly 216 of the Knights of Labor, to split off to establish a new organization called the Boot and Shoe Workers International Union.[1] Skeffington would serve as its National Secretary-Treasurer in 1889, and as Secretary and Treasurer from 1890 to 1894. This new union affiliated almost immediately with the American Federation of Labor (AF of L),[1] a federative organization which united many specialized craft unions into a single entity.
In an effort to avoid jurisdictional disputes with another member of the AF of L, the Lasters' Protective Union of America, the two shoe workers' unions joined forces in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1895, establishing the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union (BSWU).[1]
The BSWU included members from both the United States of America and Canada, including French-speaking workers from the Canadian shoe producing center of Montréal, Québec.[2] In an effort to retain ties with these workers, the BSWU published a section in each issue of its monthly journal in the French language.[3]
According to the preamble of an early BSWU's constitution, the union was to be organized for the following purposes:
"To thoroughly organize our craft; to regulate wages and conditions of employment; to establish uniform wages for the same class of work, regardless of sex; to control apprentices; to reduce the hours of labor; to abolish convict and contract labor; to abolish child labor, prohibiting the employment of children under the age of 16; to promoted the use of our 'Union Stamp' as the sold and only guarantee of 'Union Made' footwear; to support the Union Labels of all other bona fide trade unions, and to assist them in every other way to the full extent of our power."[4]
The Boot and Shoe Workers' Union was regarded as a "radical" union in its earliest days, with John F. Tobin, the General President of the BSWU from its foundation until his death in 1919, regarded as a socialist and an opponent of conservative AF of L President Samuel Gompers.[5]
Development
In 1925 the 16th convention of the BSWU raised per capita dues from 25 cents to 35 cents per week.[6] The organization also doubled its initiation fee to $2.00 at that time.[6]
Official organ
The official organ of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union was a monthly magazine called The Shoe Workers' Journal.[7] The periodical was launched in Boston on January 15, 1900, as the Union Boot and Shoe Worker, changing its name to the more familiar Shoe Workers' Journal effective with the July 1902 issue.[7]
The magazine was irregularly produced, twice suspending publication for protracted periods during the Great Depression — from the start of 1934 through March 1935 and again from July 1937 through the end of 1940.[7] The publication continued into the decade of the 1970s.
^ abcStuart R. Kaufman, Peter J. Albert, and Grace Palladino (eds.), The Samuel Gompers Papers: Volume 4, A National Labor Movement Takes Shape, 1895-98. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1991; pp. 540-541.
^Bryan D. Palmer, "Boot and Shoe Workers Union," The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Foundation of Canada, 2012.
^See, for example: Shoe Workers Journal, Vol. 7 (1906), passim.
^Constitution of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union, as Revised at Sixth convention Held in Cincinnati Ohio, Jan. 11 to 20, 1904. Lynn, MA: J.F. McCarty & Co., 1904.; pg. 4.
^Kaufman, Albert, and Palladino, ''The Samuel Gompers Papers: Volume 4, pp. 99, 555.
^ ab"Boot and Shoe Workers' Union," in Solon DeLeon and Nathan Fine (eds.), The American Labor Year Book, 1926. New York: Rand School of Social Science, 1926; pg. 147.
^ abc"Boot and Shoe Workers' Union," in Bernard G. Naas and Carmelita S. Sakr, American Labor Union Periodicals: A Guide to Their Location. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1956; pg. 107.
^"Our History". The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
Publications
Report of Proceedings of Fourth Convention of Boot and Shoe Workers' Union: Held in New Osborne House, Rochester, NY, June 13 to 19th, inclusive, 1899. Lynn, MA: J.F. McCarty & Co., 1899.
"Proceedings of the Ninth Convention of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union, Syracuse, NY, June 21-28, 1909," in The Shoe Workers' Journal, vol. 10, no. 7 (July 1909), pp. 1–136.
The Shoe Workers' Journal.
Vol. 7 (1906) | Vol. 17 & 18 (1916-1917)
Boot and Shoe Workers Union, Edgemakers and Heelers Local (Brockton, Mass.) records, 1895-1930
Further reading
Fink, Gary M. ed. Labor unions (Greenwood, 1977) pp. 37–39. online
Hazard, Blanche E. "The organization of the boot and shoe industry in Massachusetts before 1875." Quarterly Journal of Economics 27.2 (1913): 236-262. online
Palmer, Bryan D. "Boot and Shoe Workers Union," The Canadian Encyclopedia, (Historica Foundation of Canada, 2012) online.
December 27, 2022
boot, shoe, workers, union, trade, union, workers, footwear, manufacturing, industry, united, states, canada, established, 1895, merger, three, older, unions, affiliated, with, american, federation, labor, 1977, merged, into, retail, clerks, international, uni. The Boot and Shoe Workers Union was a trade union of workers in the footwear manufacturing industry in the United States and Canada It was established in 1895 by the merger of three older unions It was affiliated with the American Federation of Labor In 1977 it merged into the Retail Clerks International Union part of the AFL CIO Union label of the Boot and Shoe Workers Union Contents 1 History 1 1 Forerunners 1 2 Development 1 3 Official organ 1 4 Merger 2 Presidents 3 Footnotes 4 Publications 5 Further readingHistory EditForerunners Edit On February 23 1889 Henry J Skeffington led a dissident faction of shoemakers who were part of National Trade Assembly 216 of the Knights of Labor to split off to establish a new organization called the Boot and Shoe Workers International Union 1 Skeffington would serve as its National Secretary Treasurer in 1889 and as Secretary and Treasurer from 1890 to 1894 This new union affiliated almost immediately with the American Federation of Labor AF of L 1 a federative organization which united many specialized craft unions into a single entity In an effort to avoid jurisdictional disputes with another member of the AF of L the Lasters Protective Union of America the two shoe workers unions joined forces in Boston Massachusetts in 1895 establishing the Boot and Shoe Workers Union BSWU 1 The BSWU included members from both the United States of America and Canada including French speaking workers from the Canadian shoe producing center of Montreal Quebec 2 In an effort to retain ties with these workers the BSWU published a section in each issue of its monthly journal in the French language 3 According to the preamble of an early BSWU s constitution the union was to be organized for the following purposes To thoroughly organize our craft to regulate wages and conditions of employment to establish uniform wages for the same class of work regardless of sex to control apprentices to reduce the hours of labor to abolish convict and contract labor to abolish child labor prohibiting the employment of children under the age of 16 to promoted the use of our Union Stamp as the sold and only guarantee of Union Made footwear to support the Union Labels of all other bona fide trade unions and to assist them in every other way to the full extent of our power 4 The Boot and Shoe Workers Union was regarded as a radical union in its earliest days with John F Tobin the General President of the BSWU from its foundation until his death in 1919 regarded as a socialist and an opponent of conservative AF of L President Samuel Gompers 5 Development Edit In 1925 the 16th convention of the BSWU raised per capita dues from 25 cents to 35 cents per week 6 The organization also doubled its initiation fee to 2 00 at that time 6 Official organ Edit The official organ of the Boot and Shoe Workers Union was a monthly magazine called The Shoe Workers Journal 7 The periodical was launched in Boston on January 15 1900 as the Union Boot and Shoe Worker changing its name to the more familiar Shoe Workers Journal effective with the July 1902 issue 7 The magazine was irregularly produced twice suspending publication for protracted periods during the Great Depression from the start of 1934 through March 1935 and again from July 1937 through the end of 1940 7 The publication continued into the decade of the 1970s Merger Edit The Boot and Shoe Workers Union merged into the Retail Clerks International Union in 1977 8 Presidents Edit1889 John F Tobin 1919 Collis Lovely 1930s John J Mara 1958 John E MaraFootnotes Edit a b c Stuart R Kaufman Peter J Albert and Grace Palladino eds The Samuel Gompers Papers Volume 4 A National Labor Movement Takes Shape 1895 98 Urbana IL University of Illinois Press 1991 pp 540 541 Bryan D Palmer Boot and Shoe Workers Union The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica Foundation of Canada 2012 See for example Shoe Workers Journal Vol 7 1906 passim Constitution of the Boot and Shoe Workers Union as Revised at Sixth convention Held in Cincinnati Ohio Jan 11 to 20 1904 Lynn MA J F McCarty amp Co 1904 pg 4 Kaufman Albert and Palladino The Samuel Gompers Papers Volume 4 pp 99 555 a b Boot and Shoe Workers Union in Solon DeLeon and Nathan Fine eds The American Labor Year Book 1926 New York Rand School of Social Science 1926 pg 147 a b c Boot and Shoe Workers Union in Bernard G Naas and Carmelita S Sakr American Labor Union Periodicals A Guide to Their Location Ithaca NY Cornell University Press 1956 pg 107 Our History The United Food amp Commercial Workers International Union Retrieved 2021 09 27 Publications EditReport of Proceedings of Fourth Convention of Boot and Shoe Workers Union Held in New Osborne House Rochester NY June 13 to 19th inclusive 1899 Lynn MA J F McCarty amp Co 1899 Proceedings of the Ninth Convention of the Boot and Shoe Workers Union Syracuse NY June 21 28 1909 in The Shoe Workers Journal vol 10 no 7 July 1909 pp 1 136 The Shoe Workers Journal Vol 7 1906 Vol 17 amp 18 1916 1917 Boot and Shoe Workers Union Edgemakers and Heelers Local Brockton Mass records 1895 1930Further reading EditFink Gary M ed Labor unions Greenwood 1977 pp 37 39 online Hazard Blanche E The organization of the boot and shoe industry in Massachusetts before 1875 Quarterly Journal of Economics 27 2 1913 236 262 onlinePalmer Bryan D Boot and Shoe Workers Union The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica Foundation of Canada 2012 online Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boot and Shoe Workers 27 Union amp oldid 1112928536, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
