332:. Strangely, George Perkins and the CMIU leadership declined to organize semi-skilled and unskilled machine workers despite overwhelming evidence that traditional cigar-making was in steep decline; an estimated 56,000 jobs were lost between 1921 and 1935. Scores of union factories went out of business, while the remainder declared an open shop. By 1928, the CMIU lost much of its influence; the average CMIU member was now sixty-four years old. In that year, CMIU's leadership finally agreed to unionize machine cigar workers and permit the union label on machine-finished cigars, but it was too late. The Great Depression resulted in additional industry cost-cutting. By 1933, CMIU membership had declined to 15,000 members, many of them unemployed. In 1931, the American Cigar Co., the only USA-based cigar factory still using hand-rolling techniques, ceased manufacture.
53:
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106:"In every community where the demand for cigars was sufficient to warrant, the cigar maker worked and sold his own cigars direct to the consuming public. Rarely did he employ helpers and then not more than one or two journeymen. If the journeyman became dissatisfied for any reason, he needed but small capital to become his own employer."
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In the end, the decisive blow to cigar maker unions came from technology and changing consumer preferences. As early as 1880, continued strikes, walkouts, and the steadily rising costs of labor and tobacco leaf caused U.S. tobacco companies to invest in mechanized methods of producing cigarettes and
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in 1865, it reversed this decision two years later and came to be a forerunner in the representation of workers of various ethnic backgrounds. The Cigar Makers' International Union in 1867 became one of only two national unions to accept females to membership. This policy was sometimes openly defied
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As of 1925, the CMIU included 13,463 men and 3,186 women out of an
American national work force in the industry of 28,293 men and 50,648 women. Of some 10,320 cigar-making shops known to the union, an impressive 7,180 used union labor, but of these 3,246 consisted of shops in which the owner was the
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chartered the Cigar Makers in 1887. George W. Perkins became president of the CMIU in 1892, a post he held until 1927. Perkins disdain for machine-made cigars and manufacture was reflected in his dogged refusal to extend CMIU membership to the semi-skilled and unskilled workers employed in machine
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The CMIU created a standard blue "union made" label in 1880 to reflect the fact that the cigars inside were made by a skilled labor union member. Union stamps underwent frequent changes and are an excellent help to collectors in the dating of cigar boxes. A "Sept. 1880" date was added top center to
95:
of 1861-1865, cigar makers were typically independent proprietors. Before 1889, all cigars were made by hand. The cigar roller or craftsman worked for himself, buying tobacco in small quantities as he needed it, using only his hands and a cutting blade to fabricate finished cigars in the place in
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The CMIU concentrated its efforts on publicizing the abuses inherent in the so-called "tenement house system," ultimately forcing the New York Board of Health to take notice of the situation. The report of the Board of Health whitewashed the tenement system, making it seem as though the tenements
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During the Civil War, the revenue-starved federal government instituted an internal revenue tax on cigars and established a system of permits for employers and employees. As the tax system tightened its embrace, this system of so-called "turn-in jobs" was eliminated; henceforth the employer would
328:, while the cigar-making machine first appeared in 1889. As demand for cigarettes increased, consumption of hand-rolled cigars declined, which directly affected CMIU members. Mechanization and unskilled cigar workers (known as "bunch breakers") increasingly replaced skilled cigar workers after
115:
supplied. The cigar makers would then carry their stock home and make the cigars in their own rooms, bringing back completed cigars to the manufacturer for payment. Defects in workmanship would result in the manufacturer refusing to take the cigars, which would be left in the possession of the
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After 1880, Cigar manufacturers who negotiated labor contracts with the CMIU affixed blue labels to boxes of "union made" cigars made exclusively by a "First-Class
Workman", i.e. hand-made. Previously, local chapters issued their own stamps including white labels, used by the Cigar Makers'
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parties. The two sibling unions were in a position of competing with one another and they engaged in a bitter and destructive four year war, undercutting one another's contracts in order to gain recognition, until they once again reunited in 1886. This is a well-studied example of the
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The defeat proved temporary, as in 1859 another New York union was established in response to complaints about the business behavior of one manufacturer named Tom Little. About 250 cigarmakers were brought into the union before it, too, collapsed in a failed strike 10 months later.
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Association of the
Pacific Coast to show that their cigars were made by white labor, in response to the growing use of low-wage, Chinese immigrant labor. In 1875, the cigar makers' local in St Louis tried to encourage consumers to buy union-made cigars by using a red label.
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of cigar manufacturers putting 7,000 workers out on the street in a lockout lasting four months. Only 131 of the union's approximately 6,000 members remained in the union after the strike and the CMIU did not again exceed the 1,000 member mark until a full year later.
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In New York City, one of the leading hubs of cigar production in the 1860s, it was typical for cigar manufacturers to furnish the raw material to the cigar makers they employed, who would pay a deposit of nearly double the value of the
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further limited the size of the unionized workforce. English-speaking Local 15 of the CMIU in New York City evaporated to fewer than 50; German-speaking Local 90 to just 85; and the union as a whole to only 3,771 members in 1873.
156:, and elsewhere to a preliminary convention in Philadelphia. This gathering decided to move forward with the establishment of a national union and called a foundation convention for the group for June 21, 1864, in New York City.
287:, it restricted its organizing efforts to the skilled cigar roller or craftsman, requiring factory owners to reject any production of cigars by machine or to use non-union semi-skilled or unskilled labor, i.e. a closed shop.
172:. This new group of arrivals provided manufacturers with a ready source of low-cost labor. A simplified system of cigar production was also emerging at the same time, assisted by the appearance in 1867 of a wooden
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One of the early challenges faced by the CMIU related to a new system of manufacture established in the first years of the 1870s. The years 1871 and 1872 saw the arrival of a substantial wave of immigrants from
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The union formed at this New York meeting was initially known as the
National Union of Cigar Makers of America, before changing its name to the Journeymen Cigar Makers' International Union (CMIU) in 1867.
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or form, which decreased assembly time during the bunching process by eliminating one step in the manufacture of cigars by hand. Cigar manufacturers, seeking to realize larger profits from
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cigar makers were consequently driven out of business, forced to work in the employ of bonded cigar manufacturers. This accelerated the trend towards unionization of the industry.
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After World War II, the consolidation of cigar manufacturing in the United States continued; many of the remaining larger manufacturing concerns moved cigar production to
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In 1882, bitter disagreement over the question of political endorsements lead to a split of the union, with about 1,800 New York City cigarmakers seceding to form the
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Samuel
Gompers, perennial President of the American Federation of Labor for more than three decades, was an important leader of the Cigar Makers' International Union.
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represented superior living quarters, an action which enraged the unionized cigar makers and mobilized other unions of the city to the cigar makers' cause.
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942:. 1856-1974. 30 reels of microfilm and 5.50 linear feet. University of Maryland Labor History Collection, Special Collections and University Archives,
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the apartments to cigar makers and their families — thereby technically fulfilling the government requirement of maintaining a physical facility.
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or
Germany. This group quickly expanded in size to include about 160 of the city's 800 or so cigar workers before collapsing in an unsuccessful
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The years 1879 to 1883 were a period of dramatic growth, with the number of union locals increasing from 35 to 185, with about 10,000 members.
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Although the Cigar Makers' Union initially barred black and female cigar makers from membership at its 2nd
National Convention, held in
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About one-half of all cigar workers were represented by the CMIU in 1916, when its membership peaked at 53,000 members.
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and were unwilling to see the national union work hand-in-glove with established, sometimes corrupt, politicians of the
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590:"Union labels and boycotts: Cooperation of the knights of labor and the cigar makers international union, 1885–6"
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In 1863 came the first effort to establish a national union of cigar makers, bringing delegates from New York,
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431:, longtime President of the AF of L, was a National Vice President of the CMIU and President of Local 144
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CMIU labels were affixed to boxes of union-made cigars as a means of informing consumers of their origin.
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While the CMIU pressed for higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions, and the right of
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The economic crisis of 1877 was very nearly fatal to the organization, with a coordinated
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Once a Cigar Maker: Men, Women, and Work
Culture in American Cigar Factories, 1900-1919.
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Once a Cigar Maker: Men, Women, and Work
Culture in American Cigar Factories, 1900-1919
629:"Cigarmakers' International Union of America," in Solon DeLeon and Nathan Fine (eds.),
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Traditional craft skill was thus devalued and the cigar makers demoralized. High union
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includes papers, photographs, and manuscript drafts among others concerning her book
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in 1851 by craftsmen who were opposed to the importation of low-cost laborers from
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102:, himself a skilled cigar maker, echoed similar sentiments in his memoirs:
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Part of the reason for the failure of cigar maker strikes was the lack of
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In 1974, the remaining 2,000 members of the CMIU voted to merge with the
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425:, Communist Party Central Executive Committee member and union organizer
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68:. This was followed two or three years later by the establishment of a
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cigars. The first cigarette rolling machine was introduced in 1880 by
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238:. Many of the members of this new organization were members of the
437:, Secretary of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions
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32:
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Chicago: Cigar Makers' International Union of
America, 1921-1923.
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Chicago: Cigar Makers' International Union of America, 1918-1920.
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Chicago: Cigar Makers' International Union of America, 1908-1911.
488:
John B. Andrews, "The Cigar Makers," in John R. Commons, et al.,
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Cigarmakers' Union of about 70 members, mostly emigrants from
168:, a region which now comprises the western two-thirds of the
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have to have some sort of physical facility. Many previously
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the label design in 1888 and appears on all CMIU cigar (not
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using the new assembly methods would buy or rent a block of
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New York: Rand School of Social Science, 1926; pp. 161-162.
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New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1925; vol. 1, pp. 106-107.
475:"Cigar-Makers! Interesting History of Their Organization,"
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419:, Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America
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in 1881, and organization which later evolved into the
21:
Journeymen Cigar Makers' International Union of America
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established in 1864 that represented workers in the
662:"Archives of the Cigar Makers' International Union"
60:The first local Cigar Makers' Union was founded in
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503:Seventy Years of Life and Labor: An Autobiography.
263:cigar factories throughout his term as president.
220:The CMIU was instrumental in the formation of the
933:National Cigar Museum. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
343:, which only accelerated the loss of union jobs.
956:located at the University of Maryland Libraries.
935:—Color illustrations of CMIU labels, 1880-1974.
830:United States Tobacco Journal, 16 February 1931
222:Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions
648:Library of Congress. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
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116:cigarmaker to dispose of as he was best able.
864:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
843:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
813:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
789:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
768:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
747:, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
479:, vol. 1, no. 25 (September 20, 1891), pg. 1.
8:
940:Cigar Makers' International Union Collection
348:Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
991:Anti-German sentiment in the United States
492:New York: Macmillan, 1918; vol. 2, pg. 69.
1006:Defunct trade unions in the United States
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236:Cigarmakers' Progressive Union of America
889:Urbana: Illinois University Press, 1987.
712:The Bright-tobacco industry, 1860 - 1929
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547:History of Labour in the United States,
534:History of Labour in the United States,
490:History of Labour in the United States.
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16:Former trade union of the United States
950:Patricia Cooper's collection of papers
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7:
734:, Wheeling, W. VA 25 July 1889, p. 1
39:from 1887 until its merger in 1974.
1026:Trade unions disestablished in 1974
35:industry. The CMIU was part of the
1031:United Food and Commercial Workers
631:The American Labor Year Book 1926.
14:
1036:Cigar Makers' International Union
80:to avert a general cut in wages.
1021:Trade unions established in 1864
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944:University of Maryland Libraries
666:University of Maryland Libraries
576:Seventy Years of Life and Labor,
563:Seventy Years of Life and Labor,
521:Seventy Years of Life and Labor,
240:Socialist Labor Party of America
986:1864 establishments in Maryland
914:Cigar Makers' Official Journal.
904:Cigar Makers' Official Journal.
894:Cigar Makers' Official Journal.
862:Gender and Technology: A Reader
841:Gender and Technology: A Reader
811:Gender and Technology: A Reader
787:Gender and Technology: A Reader
766:Gender and Technology: A Reader
745:Gender and Technology: A Reader
91:of the industry. Prior to the
1:
545:Andrews, "The Cigar Makers,"
532:Andrews, "The Cigar Makers,"
730:The Wheeling Intelligencer,
260:American Federation of Labor
226:American Federation of Labor
37:American Federation of Labor
931:"Dating Union-Made Labels,"
588:East, Dennis (1975-03-01).
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280:by union locals, however.
606:10.1080/00236567508584336
1011:English-American history
1016:German-American history
970:Organized labour portal
394:1891: George W. Perkins
382:1873: William J. Cannon
1001:Czech-American history
692:Cite journal requires
668:. 2007. Archived from
645:The Trade Union Woman.
379:1872: William H. Noerr
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267:only worker employed.
214:employers' association
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57:
43:Organizational history
714:; Arno Press (1972),
312:) issues until 1974.
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285:collective bargaining
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55:
912:G.W. Perkins (ed.),
902:G.W. Perkins (ed.),
892:G.W. Perkins (ed.),
885:Patricia A. Cooper,
406:1949: Mario Azpeitia
400:1936: R. E. Van Horn
397:1927: Ira M. Ornburn
364:1864: Andrew Zeitler
326:James Albert Bonsack
776:(2003),pp. 221, 225
376:1871: Edwin Johnson
370:1867: John J. Junbo
62:Baltimore, Maryland
385:1875: George Hurst
367:1865: L. C. Walker
316:Decline and merger
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178:economies of scale
93:American Civil War
58:
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917:Volumes 45 to 47.
907:Volumes 42 to 44.
897:Volumes 33 to 36.
860:Lerman, N. (ed.)
839:Lerman, N. (ed.)
809:Lerman, N. (ed.)
785:Lerman, N. (ed.)
764:Lerman, N. (ed.)
743:Lerman, N. (ed.)
732:A Great Invention
403:1944: A. P. Bower
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795:0801872596
774:0801872596
753:0801872596
676:2012-03-10
477:The People
359:Presidents
248:Republican
244:Democratic
128:Foundation
614:0023-656X
574:Gompers,
561:Gompers,
519:Gompers,
442:Footnotes
255:problem.
184:and then
182:tenements
146:New Haven
142:Cleveland
271:Ideology
70:New York
27:) was a
212:by the
210:lockout
166:Bohemia
154:Detroit
113:tobacco
74:England
66:Germany
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388:1877:
310:stogie
186:sublet
150:Boston
138:Newark
78:strike
33:cigar
866:ISBN
845:ISBN
815:ISBN
791:ISBN
770:ISBN
749:ISBN
716:ISBN
698:help
610:ISSN
339:and
258:The
246:and
174:mold
25:CMIU
19:The
602:doi
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946:.
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