149] HISTORY 17 



It is difficult to trace the beginnings of unionism in other 

 branches of the iron industry. Mr. Fitch refers to an an- 

 nouncement in the Boston " Weekly Voice " of August 2. 

 1867, of the " seventh annual " convention of " Nail Makers 

 of the United States and Canada " in New York City. The 

 correspondent referred to it as " one of the strongest and 

 most permanent organizations of mechanics in this coun- 

 try." In 1876 there were a few local lodges of nailers, but 

 no national organization. 



The main reason for consolidation of the unions in the 

 iron trade may be briefly stated, in time of strike, it was 

 a source of weakness that the various trades were in no 

 position to act in concert. If, for example, the puddlers 

 had a grievance, bar already puddled was purchased and 

 the heaters and rollers would continue at work. The forma- 

 tion of the Amalgamated Association was one of the ear- 

 liest attempts in American trade-unionism to substitute in- 

 dustrial unionism for separate organization by trades. 



Impressed with the necessity of organizing the separate 

 factors into one large union, the members of Columbus 

 Lodge no. 11 of Iron and Steel Roll Hands at Columbus, 

 Ohio, began to agitate the amalgamation of all men work- 

 ing in iron and steel rolling-mills into one body. The three 

 local organizations in Columbus formed an amalgamated 

 association and put their theory into practice in the settle- 

 ment of disputes in the works. The matter was discussed 

 in the columns of the National Labor Tribune"* and edi- 

 torial comment served to crystallize sentiment in favor of 

 the movement. The mill men of Louisville. Kentucky, and 

 New Albany, Indiana, met in Louisville December 10, 1874, 

 and framed an appeal to the mill men all over the country, 

 which was published in the Tribune.-" 



At first the Roll Hands were jealous of their independ- 

 ence, due to the fact that most of the trades represented in 

 their organization were not admitted to the Heaters' and 



^» The National Labor Tribune is a labor paper, established in 

 Pittsburgh in 1873, devoted chiefly to the interest of the iron, steel 

 and miiiiii)4 industries. 



-"National Lal)or Tribune, December 26, 1874, vol. ii, no. 51, p. i. 



