42 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [] 1 74 



ciation controlling the same classes of workmen and operat- 

 ing within the same territory." The Association has never 

 experienced any serious disputes over demarcation. 



The tendency of the national union has been to widen the 

 gcope of its territorial jurisdiction. When the Puddlers 

 formed a permanent organization and adopted a constitu- 

 tion in 1862, they gave it the title, "Grand Forge of the 

 United States, United Sons of Vulcan." Thus, at the very 

 outset, the union claimed the right to organize in all the 

 territory embraced in the United States. An identical 

 claim was made by the Heaters in 1872, and the Roll Hands 

 in 1873. The three unions, when they combined in 1876, 

 called themselves the "Amalgamated Association of Iron, 

 and Steel Workers of the United States." In 1882 Canada 

 was included within the jurisdiction of the Amalgamated 

 Association.*' Again, in 1908, the national union extended 

 its jurisdiction to include all of North America. This ac- 

 tion was taken to preclude the possibility of another organi- 

 zation in Canada. Local unions have been organized in 

 Canada and in Mexico from time to time, but most of these 

 have been short-lived. Jurisdiction beyond the confines of 

 the United States has been potential rather than actual.^ 



Similarly, the membership jurisdiction of the union has 

 been constantly widened. The Vulcans admitted none but 

 " puddlers and boilers." The Heaters included in their 

 number rollers and roughers, as well as heaters, but refused 

 admission to all other classes of workmen. Partly as a 

 reaction against tiie undemocratic Heaters' Union, which 

 granted membership only to the highly paid men. the Roll 

 Hands' Union was organized, and its membership consisted 

 of practically all men working around the trains of rolls- 

 catchers, hookers, buggynien and straighteners, as well as 

 rollers and roughers. Both the Heaters and the Roll Hands 



« Proceedings, 1882, p. 956. 



"^ In 1885 the Association lost the only lodge it then had in Canada, 

 Ontario Lodge, located at Hamilton ; Canada was considered " more 

 expense than gain" (Proceedings, 1885, pp. 1574, 1669). Its read- 

 mission was left to the discretion of the president (Proceedings, 

 1887, p. 21 18). 



