Chapter 2
The Birth Of Our Union
Across the nation, determined leaders emerged to challenge the status quo and inspire change. In Chicago, George W. Geary worked to organize ironworkers and build solidarity among a fragmented workforce. In New York City, Sam Parks became a prominent figure advocating for improved wages and safer working conditions. Their efforts, along with those of countless others, were often met with resistance and sacrifice, yet they laid the essential groundwork for collective action. These early organizers demonstrated that meaningful change was possible when workers stood together with resolve and purpose.
This growing movement reached a defining milestone in February 1896, when representatives from Pittsburgh, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and New York gathered in Pittsburgh. Traveling on their own time and at their own expense, these Ironworkers came together with a shared vision for a better future. On February 4, 1896, they formally established the International Association of Bridge and Structural Ironworkers of America, creating the foundation of the union we know today. This chapter follows that historic beginning through the first nine international conventions, documenting the early growth, challenges, and enduring commitment that shaped the future of the Ironworkers.
Book Recommendations
High Steel
Jim Rasenberger
The best overall history of Ironworkers and the development of the trade.
Skywalkers: Mohawk Ironworkers Build the City
David Weitzman
Excellent background on Native ironworkers and bridge construction.
Skywalkers: A History of Indian Ironworkers
John K. Brown
More detailed and scholarly.
Iron Men and Steel
William A. Starrett
Early construction practices and steel erection.
Labor History
Labor’s Untold Story
Richard Boyer & Herbert Morais
Classic union history.
Labor in America
Melvyn Dubofsky
Excellent overview of organized labor’s growth.
There Is Power in a Union
Philip Dray
One of the best books on the American labor movement.
Samuel Gompers and Organized Labor in America
Steven Fraser
Important for understanding the AFL relationship with Ironworkers.
Workingmen’s Democracy
Leon Fink
Excellent study of late nineteenth-century labor organization.
Steel Industry History
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller Sr.
Ron Chernow
Background on industrial America.
Andrew Carnegie
David Nasaw
The steel industry environment that gave rise to Ironworker organizing.
Sites
1. Williamsburg Bridge
New York City
Completed: 1903
https://maps.google.com/?q=Williamsburg+Bridge
2. Manhattan Bridge
New York City
Completed: 1909
https://maps.google.com/?q=Manhattan+Bridge
3. Queensboro Bridge
New York City
Completed: 1909
https://maps.google.com/?q=Queensboro+Bridge
4. Flatiron Building
New York City
Completed: 1902
https://maps.google.com/?q=Flatiron+Building
5. Singer Building
New York City
Completed: 1908
https://maps.google.com/?q=Singer+Building+Site
6. Metropolitan Life Tower
New York City
Completed: 1909
https://maps.google.com/?q=Metropolitan+Life+Tower
7. Pennsylvania Station (Original)
New York City
Completed: 1910
https://maps.google.com/?q=Pennsylvania+Station+New+York
8. Michigan Central Station
Detroit
https://maps.google.com/?q=Michigan+Central+Station
9. Quebec Bridge
Quebec City
https://maps.google.com/?q=Quebec+Bridge
10. Blackwell Island Bridge (Queensboro)
https://maps.google.com/?q=Queensboro+Bridge
11. Broad Street Station Expansion
Philadelphia
https://maps.google.com/?q=Philadelphia+Broad+Street+Station
12. Chicago Federal Building
https://maps.google.com/?q=Chicago+Federal+Building
13. Pittsburgh Steel Mill Expansions
https://maps.google.com/?q=Homestead+Steel+Works
14. Union Station Washington DC
https://maps.google.com/?q=Union+Station+Washington
15. Biltmore Estate Steel Projects
https://maps.google.com/?q=Biltmore+Estate
16. Victoria Bridge Improvements
Montreal
https://maps.google.com/?q=Victoria+Bridge+Montreal
17. Windsor Station
Montreal
https://maps.google.com/?q=Windsor+Station+Montreal
18. Royal Alexandra Hotel
Winnipeg
https://maps.google.com/?q=Royal+Alexandra+Winnipeg
19. Empress Hotel
Victoria BC
https://maps.google.com/?q=Empress+Hotel+Victoria
20. Canadian Pacific Railway Bridge Projects
https://maps.google.com/?q=Canadian+Pacific+Railway
Sites to Visit
United States
Iron Workers Founding Site
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The birthplace of the International Association.
https://maps.google.com/?q=Pittsburgh+Pennsylvania
Homestead Strike Historic Site
Pennsylvania
One of the most important labor sites in American history.
https://maps.google.com/?q=Homestead+Pennsylvania
Haymarket Memorial
Chicago
https://maps.google.com/?q=Haymarket+Memorial
Pullman National Historical Park
Chicago
https://maps.google.com/?q=Pullman+National+Historical+Park
American Federation of Labor Historical Sites
Washington DC
https://maps.google.com/?q=AFL-CIO+Headquarters
Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory
Quebec
Home of generations of bridge and high-steel workers.
https://maps.google.com/?q=Kahnawake+Quebec
Quebec Bridge Memorial Sites
https://maps.google.com/?q=Quebec+Bridge
Winnipeg Labor Heritage Areas
https://maps.google.com/?q=Winnipeg+Labour+Temple
Victoria Bridge
Montreal
https://maps.google.com/?q=Victoria+Bridge+Montreal
Videos
The Manhattan Bridge: History
New York City Subway System – Historical Look from 1904 through 2004
The Race to Construct the First Subway
Queensboro Bridge Under Construction: From Blueprint to Reality in Early 20th Century New York City
The Story of Queensboro Bridge History NYC – Rare Historical Photos
Nerves of Steel: The Men Who Built the Queensboro Bridge
Inside Michigan Central Station: The Rise and Fall of America’s Greatest Train Station, Detroit
Victoria Bridge: The 8th Wonder
Framework of tube and staging no.8, Victoria Bridge, Montreal, QC
Home Insurance Building by William LeBaron Jenney
Why Chicago Razed The First Skyscraper | The Field Building
Charlie’s Monday Markers ~ Episode 11: The Founding of the Ironworkers Union, 1896
