THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF JOURNEYMEN AND ALLIED TRADES
Established on April 27, 1874 as the International Union of Journeymen Horseshoers, the IUJAT ranks among the oldest labor organizations in the United States. Pre-dating the American Federation of Labor (AFL) itself by 13 years, the IUJAT is the oldest union in the United States retaining its original charter. The IUJAT has survived and thrived for over 150 years.
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TODAY
Though the IUJAT has a proud tradition and a long history, the key to our longevity and success is that we are also a forward-thinking organization with a growing membership as diverse as the industries we represent. The IUJAT is unique among international unions in that we have a streamlined operation with minimal bureaucracy.
The IUJAT prides itself on being an innovative, modern organization with the ability to react quickly and adapt to the dynamic, challenging environment in which we operate. The principles that guide our decisions continue to be putting the interests of our members first, providing support and autonomy to our Local Unions, structuring our union to provide for the greatest level of democracy, and operating as efficiently as possible.
STRUCTURE
With over 100,000 members and growing, the IUJAT is comprised of over 40 subordinate bodies. These include directly affiliated Locals and those that are affiliated through a National Union. There are currently four National Union affiliates in the IUJAT: the United Service Workers Union (USWU), the National Organization of Industrial Trade Unions (NOITU), the United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU), and the Home Healthcare Workers of America (HHWA).
The great success of the IUJAT’s Local Unions has been the driving force behind our growth. While there has been a shift within the labor movement to trustee or consolidate memberships into mega-Locals where there is little democracy or opportunity for members to be heard, the IUJAT continues to promote the true spirit of union democracy and membership participation through autonomous locals.
Independence
In 2003, with the support of its affiliates, the IUJAT chose to disaffiliate from the AFL-CIO. Time has proven that this was the right move. Not only has our departure from this moribund organization resulted in a major cost-savings to our members, but it has also freed us from the politics and bureaucracy that hinder those who still belong. Following our lead, many other unions have subsequently left the AFL-CIO. The Teamsters, Carpenters, SEIU, and UFCW are just a few of the international unions to emulate our independence.
FORGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER UNIONS
All IUJAT affiliates are covered by the IUJAT’s No-Raid agreements with other unions. In addition to helping protect the IUJAT’s jurisdiction, these agreements facilitate future cooperative arrangements and joint organizing projects. The IUJAT is continuously expanding the group of unions that it counts as allies and looks forward to working with these and other labor organizations in the future.
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THE FUTURE
The IUJAT has a clear vision for remaining a strong, vital organization. In these uncertain times, we must always plan ahead and be prepared for the unexpected. It is our goal to build on our great successes over the past years and seek out new areas for growth. Our strength lies in our diversity. We are proud to represent hard-working men and women from a variety of backgrounds working in a wide range of industries and occupations.
This allows us to give a voice to all those who deserve representation and allows us to have the widest impact and do the most good. This diversification also makes us stronger and provides the most stability to our organization. The IUJAT constantly strives to expand our membership into new and untapped areas, and we are always working to extend our outreach and influence in established industries.
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