International Typographical Union. No. 6 (New York, N.Y.)

The National Typographical Union was founded in 1852. The name was changed in 1869 to the International Typographical Union. It is the oldest trade union in the United States. The New York City local, established by Horace Greeley in 1850, was one of 14 founding locals and was designated No. 6. Among progressive reforms advanced by the ITU were the eight hour day, membership--with equal pay for equal work--for women printers, and a pension plan that became the model for the social security system. The ITU was instrumental in founding the American Federation of Labor in 1879. This collection features materials on the Local 6 Benefit Board. Local 6 ("Big Six") has suffered significant diminishment of membership in recent decades due to automation.

The National Typographical Union was founded in 1852. The name was changed in 1869 to the International Typographical Union. It is the oldest trade union in the United States. The New York City local, established by Horace Greeley in 1850, was one of 14 founding locals and was designated No. 6. Among progressive reforms advanced by the ITU were the eight hour day, membership--with equal pay for equal work--for women printers, and a pension plan that became the model for the social security system. The ITU was instrumental in founding the American Federation of Labor in 1879. Local 6 ("Big Six") has suffered significant diminishment of membership in recent decades due to automation.

During the summer of 1905, Local Six of the International Typographical Union of New York City decided that they would demand an hour day when negotiating contracts for the following year.

During the summer of 1905, Local Six of the International Typographical Union of New York City decided that they would demand an eight hour day when negotiating contracts for the following year. The Typothetae, an association of some 56 publishing houses,notified the union in early November that they would not sign a new contract when the old one expired on December 31, 1905. Meanwhile the union negotiated contracts with some 281 publishing houses employing approximately 7,000 of the union's 8,000 members which included an eight hour day. On January 2, 1906, no new agreement having been signed, the members of Local Six ceased to work for the Typothetae.

On February 28, 1906 the Typothetae appealed to the New York State Supreme Court for an injunction on the grounds that Local 6 members were using threats of intimidation and violence to persuade the non-union members of the Typothetae either to leave the job or join the union. The court issued an injunction on March 2 which restrained the union from using force but did not enjoin picketing.

In April, counsel for the Association requested the court to cite certain officers and members of the union for contempt, because the acts the injunction restrained had not ceased. The court appointed a referee to take testimony and made recommendations. The referee found that a great many of the allegations of threats and intimidation were supported by the facts, and that some of the men were not aware that this was precisely what the injunction enjoined. The referee held that Patrick McCormick and the other officiers were responsible for explaining the meaning of the injunction to the membership. A mere reading of the injunction at a meeting attended by only 1,000 of the union's members did not discharge this responsibility and they were, therefore, guilty of contempt for violating the injunction.

The court fined the officers of the union $250 each and sentenced them to 20 days in jail. It also fined two members $100 each. This was the first time that officers of a union were held responsible for the acts of members of that union. The union appealed the decision to the New York State Appellate Court.

New York Typographical Union No. 6, representing printers in New York City, was chartered by the National Typographical Union in 1852.

The union, founded in 1850 as the New York Printers Union, traces its roots to the New York Typographical Society, founded in 1809. Horace Greeley was the union's first president. The parent organization of New York Typographical Union No. 6 is the International Typographical Union, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The New York Typographical Union No. 6 was founded in 1850 for and by printers in New York City. The long history of trade unionism for printers can be traced to the printers trade unions of the eighteenth century. Union No. 6 traces its immediate origins to the New York Typographical Society that was formed in 1809. Horace Greeley was the union's first president. The parent organization of the New York Typographical Union No. 6 is the Interational Typographical Union, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The New York Typographical Union No. 6 shared the same basic objectives as many other unions. The leadership aimed to secure good working conditions, fair wages, compensation for injuries and disabilities on the job, job protection, and training in new technologies and techniques for its members. Union No. 6 has participated in various strikes over issues such as low wages and the maltreatment of union workers.

Union No. 6 developed a well organized administration around committees, including a Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Regular Committee, Discipline Committee, and Membership Committee. The Board held regular meetings regarding issues of concern to the workers. Union No. 6 kept the membership abreast of current issues through the monthly bulletins.

As Union No. 6 moved into the late twentieth century, there was a growing concern among its membership over the new typesetting technology being implemented by newspapers, such as the New York Post and Daily News . In the twenty-first century, Union No. 6's role has diminished; however, it continues to play a smaller but important role in today's emerging printing technologies.

During the summer of 1905, Local Six of the International Typographical Union of New York City decided that they would demand an eight hour day when negotiating contracts for the following year. The Typothetae, an association of some 56 publishing houses, notified the union in early November that they would not sign a new contract when the old one expired on December 31, 1905. Meanwhile the union negotiated contracts with some 281 publishing houses employing approximately 7,000 of the union's 8,000 members which included an eight hour day. On January 2, 1906, no new agreement having been signed, the members of Local Six ceased to work for the Typothetae.

On February 28, 1906 the Typothetae appealed to the New York State Supreme Court for an injunction on the grounds that Local 6 members were using threats of intimidation and violence to persuade the non-union members of the Typothetae either to leave the job or join the union. The court issued an injunction on March 2 which restrained the union from using force but did not enjoin picketing.

In April, counsel for the Association requested the court to cite certain officers and members of the union for contempt, because the acts the injunction restrained had not ceased. The court appointed a referee to take testimony and made recommendations. The referee found that a great many of the allegations of threats and intimidation were supported by the facts, and that some of the men were not aware that this was precisely what the injunction enjoined. The referee held that Patrick McCormick and the other officers were responsible for explaining the meaning of the injunction to the membership. A mere reading of the injunction at a meeting attended by only 1,000 of the union's members did not discharge this responsibility and they were, therefore, guilty of contempt for violating the injunction.

The court fined the officers of the union $250 each and sentenced them to 20 days in jail. It also fined two members $100 each. This was the first time that officers of a union were held responsible for the acts of members of that union. The union appealed the decision to the New York State Appellate Court.