History of Steamfitters Local 475
On August 3rd, 1904, Local 475 was
founded on Halsey Street in Newark, New
Jersey, with 15 charter members. The
Local quickly grew to 50 Steamfitters
and Helpers before the end of 1904. The
future success of the Local was
recognized by President William M.
Merrick of the United Association, in a
1904 edition of the U.A. Journal.
“On Thursday evening, September 8th, I
installed the first group of officers
for Local Union number 475, Steamfitters
and Helpers of Newark, who have rapidly
gained membership and today control the
majority of Steamfitters and Helpers in
that city.”
In the early years and throughout the
20s and 30s, the Local benefited from
the 15 breweries and bottling plants
that set up shop in our territory.
These were prosperous times for Newark,
and as the city grew with industry, the
Steamfitters Local 475 grew and
prospered as well. A boom of chemical
plants began to sprout up along the
Newark waterfront and port Elizabeth.
Plants like Reichold, American Cyanamid,
Linden Chlorine,
GAF, Dupont, and Diamond Shamrock. The
smoke stack industry that New Jersey is
famous for continued to expand along the
Route 1, New Jersey Turnpike corridor
with the construction of Newark Airport,
Standard Oil Refinery at bayway, General
Motors, Budweiser and Merck. These
plants were and still are a major reason
Local 475 is one of the best territories
in the United Association.
In 1940 the local grew in size with the
consolidation of Elizabeth’s Local 180
and Plainfield’s Local 318. The
membership took a sudden hit in 1941, as
many of our Brothers rushed off to war
after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
As World War II came to an end, the
returning G.I.’s entered the post war
economy. Local 475’s ranks swelled with
the influx of new helpers and
returning journeyman.
New labor laws from F.D.R.’s
administration, and the desire of the
GI.’s to share in the American Dream
gave greater influence to the nation’s
labor movement.
As the years moved through the 60’s,
70’s, and 80’s the local always seemed
fortunate to have a major project to
carry the work load. Jobs like Englehard
in 1974, The Natural Gas Plant in Linden
in 1971, and the around the clock task
of putting the refinery back on-line
after a violent explosion rocked Union
County in 1975.
In August of 1977, Local 475 headed
west; consolidating with Local 300 from
Bernardsville, and Local 309 from
Summit. Today, Local 475 covers the
middle of the state, from Newark to the
Delaware River.
New technology and tougher environmental
policies helped bring about new large
scale industrial projects which
continued to fuel the local. The huge
expansion at the brewery, the garbage
burners in Newark and Rahway, K-15 in
Schering, The Linden Co-gen, MSO in
Merck, and the Polypropolyne Plant for
Conoco-Phillips.
Today, Local 475 reaps the rewards of
being located in the heart of the great
state of New Jersey, which has evolved
into the Mecca of the Pharmaceutical
Industry. Over the years our
Steamfitters have logged in enormous
hours at Merck, Schering-Plough,
Hoffman-LaRoche, Aventis, Johnson and
Johnson, Ortho, Ethicon, Ciba-Geigy,
Pharmacia, Pfizer, Medarex, Organon, and
Imclone.
The landscape of our territory has
evolved over the past century, from old
chemical factories and breweries, to
pharmaceuticals and bio-techs. One thing
remains constant, Local 475 is strong
and continues to build the systems that
will power future generations.
Whether it is on Halsey Street or South
17th Street in Newark, Williams Street
in East Orange, or Mt. Bethel Road, in
Warren, The HEART of Local 475 is the
Union Hall. It is here that jobs are
dispatched, jurisdiction protected,
funds managed, Apprentices trained,
contracts negotiated, and collective
bargaining agreements enforced. The
officers of Local 475, past and present,
have always provided strong
representation within the Building
Trades, and the Pipe Trades in New
Jersey.
Here at the Union Hall’s fund office,
the benefits that we depend on every day
are managed. These benefits, that we all
take for granted, were not always in
place. The Health and Welfare Fund was
not established until 1951. The Local
475 Pension Plan was founded in 1953.
The Vacation Fund became a strike issue
in 1961, before becoming a part of our
current wage package; and it wasn’t
until 1980, after several heated
battles, that the Annuity Fund took
flight. Today the Funds Office is
responsible for managing
over 200 million dollars. One think is
certain about all of these benefits;
none of them would have been possible
without the efforts and commitment of
the Steamfitters of yesterday, to leave
behind a better Union for the
Steamfitters of tomorrow.
Thanks to our Funds Administrator, and
his hard working staff, and your Board
of Trustees, Local 475 members, and
their families, take comfort in knowing
that their security, now, and in the
future, is job number one at the funds
office.
Looking back over Local 475’s history,
its members can take pride in the
contributions the local has made to our
local industries, communities, and the
overall quality of life in North Jersey.
The attention to detail, craftsmanship
and the hard work of the steamfitters
before us is an example for all who
follow.
Although nothing remains the same as
evidenced by the technological changes
to our industry, we hope some things
never change, such as the spirit of
cooperation between Local 475 and our
Union Contractors. We share a common
interest in maintaining quality
workmanship and a satisfied construction
user.
As Union members we will always
safeguard, advance and promote the
principals of collective bargaining
while protecting the working rights of
our membership. We will continue to
share in the common bond of brotherhood,
working together to strengthen the labor
movement.
Tonight, we celebrate one hundred years
of history made possible by one hundred
years of Unionism. Each for all and all
for each, may this never change!
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