46 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [i;8 



that the tin house workmen could best serve their own in- 

 terests by having a separate organization, and arranging 

 their own scale. ^^ The organization was never large nu- 

 merically, having at the time of its affiliation with the Amal- 

 gamated about five hundred members. 



The difficulties encountered with the American Sheet and 

 Tin Plate Company, and the gradual loss of control of the 

 sheet and tin industry, lent impetus to the movement to con- 

 solidate. An invitation was extended the Tin Plate Work- 

 ers to join with the Amalgamated as early as 1906.*'* When 

 the Iron and Steel Workers became involved in the 1910 

 strike, the American Federation of Labor advised consoli- 

 dation, and the following convention of the union gave the 

 executive board full power to act.-^ 



Nothing definite was done until June, 1913, when the ex- 

 ecutive board met and outlined the terms of consolidation. 

 These were presented at a joint meeting of both organiza- 

 tions on July 30 of that year, and the arrangement was 

 agreed to. The Amalgamated Association was given " full 

 and complete jurisdiction," and the president of the Tin 

 Plate Workers was employed in the capacity of organizer. 

 Local tin-plate unions, it was agreed, should receive charters 

 and supplies free of charge, and should be required to pay 

 no initiation fee, except the regular two dollars for in- 

 surance.-' 



The Association from the beginning did not discriminate 

 against negroes by constitutional provision.^^ They were 



19 Proceedings, 1900, pp. 5718, 5762. 



20 Proceedings, 1906, p. 7761. 



21 Proceedings, 1910, p. 8843. 

 2^ Proceedings, 1914, p. 10428. 



23 The early unions out of vvliich the Amalgamated was formed 

 did not admit colored workmen. Even after the Association was 

 formed, the white workmen refused to work with them or afford 

 them any protection. Accordingly, colored men " scahhed " on the 

 strikers in the mills at Pittshurgh and Homestead. Memhership in 

 the union was oflFered the negro only after he had made himself 

 indispensahle to the organization. Recent attempts have hecn made 

 to organize the colored workmen, hut without much success (Pro- 

 ceedings, 1905, p. 7255; 1908, pp. 825c>-«26o, 8333. 8340). In general, 

 unionism has heen more of a hindrance than a help to the negro. 

 (R. R. Wright, Jr., "One Hundred Negro Steel Workers." in 

 Wage-Earning Pittshurgh, pp. 106-109.) 



