The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers is a diverse union representing over 60,000 workers in the construction, shipbuilding, railroad, manufacturing, metalwork, cement and mining, and health, hospitality and service industries throughout the United States and Canada.
The Boilermakers union is made up of local construction and industrial lodges. Local lodges are the most important structural component of our union. Lodges are formed when workers organize themselves in order to bargain collectively with their employer. Each local lodge, within the framework of the Brotherhood’s Constitution, adopts by-laws specifying the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the local lodge. Local lodge members elect the officers of their lodge and vote on contracts and other important matters.
Local Lodge Divisions
- Construction lodges
- National Transient Division
- Ship building and marine
- Cement, Lime, Gypsum, and Allied Workers Division
- Stove, Furnace, Energy, and Allied Appliances Workers Division
- Railroad Division
- Health, Hospitality & Service Division
District Lodges
District lodges are made up of a group of local lodges in close proximity and involved in the same industries.
The district lodge is an administrative, servicing, and coordinating body. It provides mutual protection and harmonious relationships between affiliated lodges and coordinates and assists them in their efforts. The district lodge can assist affiliated lodges with organizing, collective bargaining, and grievance and dispute settlement, as well as establish training programs and engage in legislative activities if its by-laws so provide.
The Constitution authorizes the International President and Executive Council to form district lodges when two or more local lodges represent members in the same industry. The International President and Executive Council will determine which lodges shall affiliate or remain in affiliation with a district lodge.
Currently, the Boilermakers union has five district lodges:
- Cement District Lodge D11
- District Lodge #57
- Lone Star District Lodge
- Mississippi River District Lodge 5
- Southeast District Lodge 3
Industry Councils and Conferences
Because local lodges whose members work in the same or similar industries experience similar challenges, the Constitution empowers the International president to establish industrial councils and conferences.
Industrial councils allow local lodges in particular industries and in close geographic proximity to coordinate their collective bargaining, organizing, training, and other activities. Councils elect officers and hold regular business meetings, which often include training as a major component.
Currently, the councils and conferences within the union are:
In addition to these groups of local lodges, the International Brotherhood has organized workers in the nondestructive testing division under quality control councils in the United States and Canada:
Construction
The Construction Division of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers, AFL-CIO, was created through convention action in 1977. The Construction Division provides information and services to local lodges, international representatives, and signatory employers. The following represents some of the categories of services provided by the Construction Division offices.
The Kansas City Construction Division office primarily deals with:
- Craft Jurisdiction
- Jurisdictional Disputes
- Local Lodge Election
- Grievance Tracking
- Construction Division Meetings and Conferences
- Annual Local Lodge Field Dues Review
- Administration and Processing of Construction Lodge By-Laws
- Administration of Signatory Contractor Database and Files
- Jurisdictional Dispute Arbitrations
- Tracking of Pre-Job Conferences and Equipment Markups
- Administration and Processing of Local Lodge Referral Rules
- Negotiations and Collective Bargaining Assistance
- Track and Distribute Wage and Fringe Benefit Information
- Construction Staff with Training
- Local Lodge Steward Training
- Printing and Distribution of Area Agreements
The Washington D.C. area office works more with the administration and processing of National Agreements, including:
- National Construction Agreement (NCA)
- National Maintenance Agreement Policy Committee (NMAPC)
- National Presidents Agreement (NPA)
Contact Information
Anthony Howell
12200 N Ambassador Dr, Suite 303
Kansas City, MO 64163
Phone: (913) 371-2640
National Transient Division
The National Transient Division provides information and services to local lodges, International Representatives, and signatory employers. Services include contract negotiations, contract administration, grievance processing, grievance arbitration, assistance to local lodges processing membership required under NTD collective bargaining agreements, membership job search (although members solicit their own work) and providing MOST safety training.
Boilermaker members work under collective bargaining agreements in industries that manufacture tanks, water towers, spheres, hydrocrackers, metal swimming pools, heaters, stacks, nuclear containments, and any work requiring steel plate fabrication that jurisdictionally belongs to the Boilermakers.
Contact Information
Shon Almond
Director - National Transient Division Services
Assistant Director - Construction Sector Operations
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
100 Country Club Drive, Suite 203
Hendersonville, TN 37075
Phone: (615) 824-2523
Ship Building and Marine Repair
The Ship Building and Marine Division of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers, AFL-CIO, represents workers at shipyards, both federal and private, throughout the United States and Canada. This division has been assigned by the International President as the primary point of contact for all Metal Trades Department issues.
Cement, Lime, Gypsum and Allied Workers
The Cement, Lime, Gypsum, and Allied Workers (CLGAW) Division was created in April 1984, as a result of the merger between the Cement, Lime, Gypsum, and Allied Workers Union and the Boilermakers Union. The Division represents over 7,500 members in 176 bargaining units and 118 lodges.
Our members are employed by the following industries.
- Building Materials
- Cement
- Lime
- Quarry
Stove, Furnace, Energy and Allied Appliance Workers
The Stove, Furnace, Energy, and Allied Appliance Workers (SFEAW) Division was created in October 1994 as a result of the merger between the Stove, Furnace, and Allied Appliance Workers International Union of North America and the Boilermakers Union. The Division represents nearly 7,500 members in 52 lodges, including former members of the Western Energy Workers, an independent union that merged with the Boilermakers union in December 1994, and nearly 4,000 members of the Metal Polishers, Buffers, Platers and Allied Workers Conference, as a result of the Boilermakers’ October 1996 merger with the Metal Polishers, Buffers, Platers and Allied Workers International Union.
Railroad
The US Railroad Division was formed in 1969 at the Boilermakers Twenty-Third Consolidated Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The Division was formed to service solely those members employed in the Railroad industry in the United States.
Our members are employed by major Class I U.S. railroad companies, several commuter railroad companies, Amtrak, and several short line railroad companies. Railroad Boilermakers & Blacksmiths perform work on cars and locomotives, maintenance of way, and facilities. They service and repair locomotives, including wreck repair, and manufacture parts for locomotives and cars, including building snow plows, gear pans, and hundreds of other items used every day in the railroad industry. They also perform welding on tracks, work in reclamation plants, and perform general maintenance work.
The Railroad division provides service to its members through a division director and division staff. Currently, the Railroad Division has 13 Lodges that are exclusively railroad lodges, plus ten lodges which are combined lodges, having both railroad members and members who work in other areas. The division has approximately 800 members employed in the craft and class of Boilermakers and in the craft and class of Blacksmiths. These members work for every major Class I Carrier.
The services provided to Railroad Division local lodges include assistance to Local Lodge secretary treasurers, as needed; appealing all claims and grievances through second, third, and fourth levels; negotiating all collective bargaining agreements; and arbitrating all issues, as required, to all members employed in the railroad industry in the United States.
The Railroad Division also negotiates collecting bargaining agreements for its members on a national basis with the National Carriers Conference Committee and with individual carriers, in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act.
Contract disputes are resolved in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act. We utilize the Second Division of the National Railroad Adjustment Board and Public Law Boards to expedite arbitration of these disputes. Expedited arbitration is sometimes handled through what is called “party pay boards,” with each party sharing in the cost.
The Railroad Division participates in the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO, in TTD’s Railroad Division. The TTD works closely with the Boilermakers Legislative office in Washington, D.C., on all legislative issues affecting Railroad Division members. TTD may be contacted at:
TTD
888 16th St. N.W., Suite 650
Washington, D.C. 20006