NOTE: Portions excerpted from the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers website (Click Here to visit their site!)

The birth of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IABSORIW) has its roots in the labor movement that was active in the United States throughout the Nineteenth Century. By the late 1880’s steel had virtually replaced wood and stone as the primary load-carrying material in the erection of bridges and buildings and this abrupt change in structural materials brought about a demand for a new type of skilled workingman. Steel erection attracted only the most daring and independent of men, and Ironworkers quickly became known as the “cowboys of the skies.” But the glamour and appeal of this new type of work had its drawbacks: the accident and mortality rates were higher than in any other trade at the time and little thought was given to safety and protection.

During the 1880’s Ironworkers throughout the country were forming local workmen’s associations.  These associations were created to ensure a decent burial in the event of death on the job, and to support one another in times of sickness and injury.  As the labor movement progressed, other issues such as the fight for the eight-hour day and fair pay became important.

During this period Ironworkers were organizing in Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, BOSTON, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.  They began to communicate with each other and decided to meet in Pittsburgh in the winter of 1896.  The choice of Pittsburgh as the founding convention city was not only practical – it was centrally located - but symbolic as well.  Where better to build a national or international bridgemen's union than in the City of Bridges?  One of the local Pittsburgh papers, The Leader, reported the day before the convention that "more bridge builders are employed here than in any city in the country." 

The Pittsburgh Press reported that representatives from six cities answered the call to convene on Tuesday, February 4, 1896.  Sixteen delegates from Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, and Pittsburgh assembled to found the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers of America. 

At the opening session of the convention President M. M. Garland, of the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers, offered congratulations to the new Bridge and Structural Iron Workers Union and recommended that the new organization affiliate as soon as possible with the American Federation of Labor.  This would give the new organization additional strength as well as solidarity with their union brothers in the building trades.

On the second day of the convention the permanent officers were selected. And during the next three days the delegates discussed many issues.  One of these issues was the prospect of establishing a uniform wage rate for all the Locals.  Sadly, this proved impossible.  While Pittsburgh Ironworkers received $2.75 for a nine-hour day, Buffalo and Cleveland workers received only $2.50.  At the same time, Chicago workers worked only eight hours per day.  For the time being they decided to drop the idea of a uniform wage scale and concentrate on organizing efforts and securing an eight-hour workday for their entire membership.

The early days of the International were fraught with difficulty.  At this time the International officers were not full-time paid officials - after a long day’s work on the steel, very little time and energy remained to focus on the affairs of the Union.  There was no established International Headquarters - every year International Headquarters moved to the home of the elected Secretary-Treasurer and if he moved during his term there was added confusion.  Each Local was asked to pay a 25-cent per member tax, but most Locals were unable to come up with the funds to pay into the International.  And of course, employers - particularly large contractors - did not like having their Ironworkers organized and they used their substantial power to try to break the Local Unions.  Determined to succeed, the founding fathers conducted International business at nights and on Sundays, but during the first four years of existence the International barely survived.