Switchmen's Union of North America Records

The Switchmen's Union of North America is among the older of the railway brotherhoods. Beginning in 1877 with the formation of a local Switchmen's organization in Chicago, the movement became national when the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association of North America held its first meeting nine years later.

This association was destroyed, as a result of a disastrous lockout by the Chicago Northwestern and the 1888 strike against the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy which had equally unfortunate results. Building on what was left of the S.M.A.A., several lodges met in Kansas City in October of 1854 and formed the Switchmen's Union of North America.

By the time of its merger into the United Transportation Union in 1969, the single Chicago labor organization of 1877 had grown to international status with 275 lodges in the United States and Canada having a combined membership of 12,000.

CHRONOLOGY

1877 Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association of North America organized

1886 Switchmen's Association organized

1889 Switchmen's Association affiliated with the Supreme Council of United Orders of Railway Employees

1894 Switchmen's Association dissolved in July

Switchmen's Union of North America organized on October 13

1906 Switchmen's Union of North America affiliated with the American Federation of Labor

1926 Switchmen's Union of North America becomes charter member of the Railway Labor Executives Association

1935 Switchmen's Union of North America affiliated with the Canadian Labor Congress

1969 Switchmen's Union of North America joined with the B.R.T., B.L.F. and E., and O.R.C.B. to form the United Transportation Union