Happy Labor Day. 

Me::

I joined the Lithographers and Photoengravers International Union (LPIU) as an apprentice. I worked for 2 years. Then I joined The International Printing Pressmen and Assistants’ Union of North America (IPPAU-NA). I worked in both pre-press and as a journeyman press operator, on and off for over 35 years.

"The union has been very, very good for me." 


Just one of thousands of union stories.

I was working in a small family-owned map publishing and printing shop. The owner passed away, and the sons sold the co. The new owner was under a 5-year contract with the union. He tried every way to bust the union. The contract was solid. So one day he stopped paying us, about 15 people. I was the shop steward, so it fell to me. After a few hours of yelling, I went and pulled all the circuit breakers out for the whole plant. 

These were old and very hard to replace. I shut it down and went to the bar. About ½ an hour later, the police showed up and asked me if I stole some electric equipment. I said yes. I told them the story. The sergeant said, “Give me the breakers, and I will keep them in my squad car till you guys get paid.”  So that's what happened. 3 days later, the new boss called me and said he had the checks. I called the sergeant, and we all met at the plant. An hour later, everyone was making money again.

Now, the union was not perfect.

Petty corruption was rampant. As a journeyman, I could travel to any city that had a union local and get hired. The local did all the hiring and relief work assignments. I did that a lot. I got to Chicago, walked into the local, and got my name up on the "extra" board. 3 days no call, no work.

I went to the local bar where all the pressmen hung out, asked around, and found out one had to buy the local hiring man a bottle of the "right" brand of whiskey. No one would tell me the brand. It took three tries, and I finally got it right. I went to work that night. Turns out it was not Jameson, nor Bushmills, it was some fancy Japanese stuff I had never heard of...