Local unions: United States — Alabama, 1; Arizona, 2; Arkansas, 1; California, 41; Colorado, 5; Connecticut, 14; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 3; Florida, 1; Idaho, 1; Illinois, 87; Indiana, 15; Iowa, 8; Kansas, 6; Kentucky, 8; Louisiana, 2; Maine, 4; Maryland, 3; Massachusetts, 27; Michigan, 3; Minnesota, 6; Mississippi, 1; Missouri, 16; Montana, 5; Nebraska, 1; Nevada, 1; New Hampshire, 1; New Jersey, 57; New Mexico, 1; New York, 54; North Carolina, 4; North Dakota, 1; Ohio, 24; Oklahoma, 13; Oregon, 6; Pennsylvania, 26; Rhode Island, 3; Tennessee, 2; Texas, 8; Utah, 1; Virginia, 2; Washington, 11; West Virginia, 1; Wisconsin, 7; Wyoming, 1. Canada — Alberta, 3; British Columbia, 2; Nova Scotia, 1; Ontario, 4. Total, 491.
Membership. — 95,000.
Lathers' International Union, Wood, Wire, and Metal
Affiliated to the American Federation of Labor.
Organized December 15, 1899, in Detroit, Mich.
Object. — "Our object shall be to encourage and formulate local unions of the craft, the closer amalgamation of locals under one head to establish the eight-hour day, to effect an equitable adjustment of all differences arising from time to time between our members and their employers, to the end that trade quarrels, strikes, and lockouts may be reduced to a minimum, to more thoroughly inculcate the principles of unionism and secure an improvement of the conditions under which we labor."
Territorial jurisdiction. — United States and Canada.
Trade jurisdiction. — "Erecting and installing of all light iron construction; furring, making and erecting of brackets, clips, and hangers; wood, wire, and metal lath, plaster board, or other material which takes the place of same, to which plaster material is adhered; corner heads, all floor construction, arches erected for the purpose of holding plaster, cement, concrete, or any other plastic material.
"The foregoing classification of work, as defined in numerous decisions and rulings since this jurisdiction was granted our organization, covers such work as—
"Light iron partitions, constructed of channels, flat iron, Knapp Berger, and other patent pronged studs, iron wall furring, all light ironwork for suspended and other metallic lath ceilings, making and erecting light iron brackets, which are used in connection with ornamental plastering for cornices, paneled ceilings, groin, elliptical, Gothic, proscenium, and all other arches of this description; the erection of metal corner beads, metal picture mold, metal base screed; and other metal specialties which are covered with plastic material, the wrapping of beams and columns, the placing of steel tile and other forms of floor reinforcement, the placing, nailing, and tying of all wire and metallic lath no matter for what purpose used — which includes wire cloth, expanded metal, all Hy-Rib, Self-Sentering, Shure-Bond, Trussit, Ferro-Inclave, Ferro-Lithic, Plate Lath, Chanelath, Rib-Centering, Kno-Fur, Corr-Mesh, Trusses-V-Rib, Truss-Metal, Key-Ridge, and all other similar forms of self-supporting lath; the fabrication and installation of all light iron erected for the purpose of receiving metallic lath, or plastic material, and all other forms of lath, including wood, plaster board, Bestal board, button lath, woven-wood lath, metallite lath, mastic board, Bishopric board, E-Cod-Fabric, welded-sheathed-lath, composite or brick lath, basket lath and lath of any other make or description erected to receive or hold plastic material."
Government. — The president "shall supervise the affairs of the international union," with extensive executive powers. General executive board, composed of the seven vice presidents, is a trial and appeal board.
2. District councils: Composed of delegates from local unions in districts having two or more locals. Affiliation compulsory on part of locals. "A district council shall have such authority within the limitations of the laws of the international union as may be delegated to it by the local unions of which it is composed."
3. Local unions: Autonomous within limits of national constitution. Constitution and by-laws subject to approval of general office.
4. Convention: Held triennially; enacts legislation and elects general officer. No referendum.
