Mergers Combine Strengths of Workers in Many Industries (back)

The bargaining power of  Union members has increased dramatically over the years as a result of mergers. The UFCW is, in fact, the product of a merger of Unions that served Meat Cutters and Retail Clerks.

Meat Cutters When the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen, commonly known as The Amalgamated, was chartered by the American Federation of Labor in 1897, it consisted of seven locals.

At the time, unskilled workers were the majority in meat packing plants. Of this majority, 60 percent earned less than six dollars a week.

Skilled workers were paid better, with their wages ranging from $3 to $3.50 a day.

The success of Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle, published in

1906, brought the attention of the nation to the plight of workers in the meat packing industry.

Unfortunately, two unsuccessful strikes in 1904 and 1921 severely decreased Union membership in packinghouses when most of the strikers were blacklisted for the rest of their lives.

An epic two-year strike against the Morrell Company, which ended in 1937 with a Union victory, helped to reunite and strengthen the packinghouse workers. Later that year, the Congress of Industrial  Organizations formed the Packinghouse Workers Organizing Committee (PWOC).

Through a series of mergers, The Amalgamated continued to grow in numbers and expand its jurisdiction.

In 1943, the PWOC was dissolved to form the United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA).

By 1953, the two Unions had agreed to coordinate collective bargaining with national meat packing companies. However, it wasn’t until 15 years later that the UPWA and The Amalgamated merged, uniting two strong Unions and almost half a million members.

Retail Clerks In 1888, the average retail employee earned $10 for 86 hours of work per week while receiving no holidays, no sick pay, no pensions and no insurance.

The Retail Clerks International Union, then known as the Retail Clerks National Protective Association, was chartered by the American Federation of Labor in 1890. When it was chartered, the Union consisted of workers from the Clothing and Gents Furnishings and Shoe Store in Muskegon, Mich.

Two years later, the RCNPA chartered with seven locals and its membership spread throughout the Midwest, including stores in Indiana, Minnesota, Colorado, Ohio and Illinois. By 1899, the Union officially became an international when a local was chartered in British Columbia, Canada.  

Despite many long and bitter strikes throughout its early history, the Retail Clerks Union continued to grow, representing more than 50,000 members by 1904.

Although the Retail Clerks experienced strong growth early in the 20th century, the Depression nearly wiped out the Union, dropping membership down to 5,000.

The Barbers, Beauticians and Allied Industries International Assn. merged with the UFCW in 1980.