After the Wagner Act was passed in ...

After the Wagner Act was passed in 1935 direct organizing of workers was usual Unions like the Steelworkers and the Auto Workers were able to gain membership simply between the sides of offering the service of collective bargaining. Before this period, however, unions varied in emblem recruitment method, and offerings. single in kind relatively common type of labor organization which preced the traditional trade union was the "benevolent association," or "brotherhood." These arranges were based or mutual aid and insurance, either alone or coupl with "protective" issues (wages, hours, and bargaining in general).

In the late 1800 particularly toward the extremity of the century when economic conditions were unstable, benevolent functions of labor organization became more important, the one and the other as services themselves and as a mechanism for maintaining stability and building the toughness of the unions. while there was a blow up of enthusiasm for unionism between 1830 and 1880 it lacked staying power, benevolent associations appeared to retain their members into the late 1800 however, and they oftentimes developed into effective bargaining agents.

Benevolent associations, first, proffered the worker significantly useful services. They were frequently organized around the workplace or around a craft, like the Cigar Makers or the Carpenters, and presented benefits that were often otherwise beyond the reach of the worker. For example, death benefits were offered--the Iron Molder plant up a system of death benefits in 1859 as did the Granite Cutter in 1873 including payments to the wife and family after the burial of the members. The death and permanent disability benefit was a major rallying point for the Railway Carmen, which began forming in 1888 for many of their members lacked the wherewithal to pay for funerals, or for their families to survive after their deaths. As late as 1943 the Amalgamated Clothing Workers wager up their own insurance stock which was cheaper and better administered than many private insrurance permanent funds Though non-members could not use this insurance, the supply was important in keeping union membership stable.

The above-mentioned were all union-(or association-) administered funds; they were paid for by the and of dues and initiation fees and managed by means of the union. Some craft associations proposeed tool insuranceurance, and the Sailors guaranteed tobacco while the same was in the hospital. "Taking care of our brothers" and maintaining the quality of the craft were everyday themes of benevolent associations like the Carpenters and the Machinists. yet some unions did begin bargaining for insurance and pension provisions toward the [i]finale[/i] of the 19th Century, benevolent associations generally administered or organized their have funds.

In addition to constituting a service in themselves, benevolent-type services were important in building up the membership of labor associations which later became unions. For example, the Railway Carmen began forming huts in 1888, organizing along railroad lines. The first objective of the cluster stated at the 1888 convention [of seven lodges] was to "spread the Brotherhood and gain numeric force before seeking to solve the riddles of the car repairmen." They roganized mainly around death and disability benefits and the ne for dialogue about the quality of the craft and cooperation in work. They were also troubleed with safety, and in 1892 they fortunately lobbied Congress for regulation. However, it wasn't until 1892-3 that the Railway Carmen felt they were sufficiently large and powerful to effectively consider issuers of wages, hours, and grievances. calm after this point, these matters were dealth with largely by means of the locals (with support from the national). although the national union was oriented towards issues of wages and hours, the locals retained significant autonomy; sick benefits, for example, remained their exclusive provision.

The California educate Employees Association also organized around mutual aid; in 192m it was a arrange of seven janitors interested in setting up a pension plan. The organization grew train by school statewide, and the union formed around the construction of his mutual aid association.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen began in 1873 as benevolent association; it proffered sick and accident insurance as well as death and disability insurance. In 1885 it began acting as a labor union, concerning itself with protective issues. The benevolent functions, however, were instrumental in keeping the number of members high when the union was not lucky in its bargaining. Helen Marot of the aF of L observ in 191j that "the large membership of the [railway] brotherhoods is unquestionably proper to the insurance features of the organization, rather than to the collective bargaining...." Mutual aid and insurance services were the central incentives to join these groups

A benevolent association constituted a conformation which could easily become a union at this time, especially since members were bondageed to the association t]rough the suitables and benefits system, and lines of communciation were place up. Even when an association had assumed the function of bargaining, as the Carpenters did, the same could potentially join for the benevolent functions. For example, the Grand Division of the Order of Railway Conductors maintained a voluntary mutual insurance association into the 1900 equable after they began bargaining, and as earlier noted, the haunts of the railroad organizations maintained a fit deal of autonomy.