Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers Union
Encyclopedia
The Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW) was a trade union
in the United States
. At the time of its dissolution and merger in 1999, the International represented 80,000 workers and was affiliated with the AFL-CIO
.
The union was founded as the International Association of Oil Field, Gas Well, and Refinery Workers of America in 1918 after a major strike in the Texas
oil fields in late 1917. It affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
(AFL). Its membership grew to 30,000 as the oil industry grew rapidly in the United States, but the Great Depression
reduced its ranks to just 300 in 1933. In 1937, the union changed its name to the Oil Workers International Union (OWIU). The union affiliated with the Committee for Industrial Organization
in early 1938, and AFL President William Green
revoked the union's AFL charter. The OWIU extended its membership into Canada
in 1948.
OWIU and the United Gas, Coke, and Chemical Workers' Union (UGCCWU) merged in February 1955 to form the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW). The UGCCWU had broken away from the United Mine Workers of America in 1942, and won a charter from the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(CIO). When the AFL and CIO merged in 1955, so did the two oil workers' unions.
In the 1970s, OCAW's Canadian locals broke off to form their own union. OCAW tried to absorb the United Rubber Workers several times in the 1970s and 1980s, but the talks collapsed due to internal union politics within the Rubber Workers and no merger ever occurred.
OCAW lost approximately 50 percent of its membership between 1980 and 1995, primarily because oil companies shifted refining off-shore. OCAW sought a merger with larger unions in an attempt to survive. A planned merger with the United Mine Workers of America was rejected on February 24, 1988, just two hours before the unions planned to announce the merger agreement. OCAW finally merged with the 250,000-member United Paperworkers International Union on January 4, 1999, to form the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union
(PACE).
OCAW scored a final victory as an independent union seven months after the merger when the federal government acknowledged for the first time that nuclear weapons production during the Cold War
likely caused the illness and even deaths of thousands of atomic mining, refining, and production workers. The government agreed to seek legislation to compensate workers and their survivors for their medical care and lost wages. The admission of complicity and legislative relief had long been sought by OCAW.
PACE merged with the United Steelworkers
in 2005 to form the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers International Union (although the merged union is still more commonly known as the United Steelworkers). OCAW members are scattered throughout several "bargaining conferences", the industry divisions internal to the United Steelworkers. These include the Chemical Industry, Energy and Utilities, Manufacturing, Mining, and Pharmacies and Pharmaceuticals conferences. James K. Phillips, president of OCAW from 1980 to 1999, is currently Vice President at Large for the United Steelworkers.
Notable members of OCAW included Karen Silkwood
and Tony Mazzocchi
. President Alvin F. Grospiron
was on the master list of Nixon political opponents
.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the time of its dissolution and merger in 1999, the International represented 80,000 workers and was affiliated with the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
.
The union was founded as the International Association of Oil Field, Gas Well, and Refinery Workers of America in 1918 after a major strike in the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
oil fields in late 1917. It affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
(AFL). Its membership grew to 30,000 as the oil industry grew rapidly in the United States, but the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
reduced its ranks to just 300 in 1933. In 1937, the union changed its name to the Oil Workers International Union (OWIU). The union affiliated with the Committee for Industrial Organization
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
in early 1938, and AFL President William Green
William Green (labor leader)
William Green was an American trade union leader. Green is best remembered for serving as the President of the American Federation of Labor from 1924 to 1952.-Early years:...
revoked the union's AFL charter. The OWIU extended its membership into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1948.
OWIU and the United Gas, Coke, and Chemical Workers' Union (UGCCWU) merged in February 1955 to form the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW). The UGCCWU had broken away from the United Mine Workers of America in 1942, and won a charter from the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
(CIO). When the AFL and CIO merged in 1955, so did the two oil workers' unions.
In the 1970s, OCAW's Canadian locals broke off to form their own union. OCAW tried to absorb the United Rubber Workers several times in the 1970s and 1980s, but the talks collapsed due to internal union politics within the Rubber Workers and no merger ever occurred.
OCAW lost approximately 50 percent of its membership between 1980 and 1995, primarily because oil companies shifted refining off-shore. OCAW sought a merger with larger unions in an attempt to survive. A planned merger with the United Mine Workers of America was rejected on February 24, 1988, just two hours before the unions planned to announce the merger agreement. OCAW finally merged with the 250,000-member United Paperworkers International Union on January 4, 1999, to form the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union
Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union
The Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union was an international union that represented workers in the United States and Canada...
(PACE).
OCAW scored a final victory as an independent union seven months after the merger when the federal government acknowledged for the first time that nuclear weapons production during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
likely caused the illness and even deaths of thousands of atomic mining, refining, and production workers. The government agreed to seek legislation to compensate workers and their survivors for their medical care and lost wages. The admission of complicity and legislative relief had long been sought by OCAW.
PACE merged with the United Steelworkers
United Steelworkers
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, U.S., the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United...
in 2005 to form the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers International Union (although the merged union is still more commonly known as the United Steelworkers). OCAW members are scattered throughout several "bargaining conferences", the industry divisions internal to the United Steelworkers. These include the Chemical Industry, Energy and Utilities, Manufacturing, Mining, and Pharmacies and Pharmaceuticals conferences. James K. Phillips, president of OCAW from 1980 to 1999, is currently Vice President at Large for the United Steelworkers.
Notable members of OCAW included Karen Silkwood
Karen Silkwood
Karen Gay Silkwood was an American labor union activist and chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee plant near Crescent, Oklahoma, United States. Silkwood's job was making plutonium pellets for nuclear reactor fuel rods...
and Tony Mazzocchi
Tony Mazzocchi
Anthony Mazzocchi was an American labor leader. He was a high elected official of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union , serving as vice president from 1977 to 1988, and as secretary-treasurer from 1988 to 1991...
. President Alvin F. Grospiron
Alvin F. Grospiron
Alvin F. Grospiron was president of Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union from 1965 to 1979. He had been Secretary-Treasurer of the international union under the O. A. Knight, who had led the union since its founding merger in 1955...
was on the master list of Nixon political opponents
Master list of Nixon political opponents
A master list of Nixon political opponents was compiled to supplement the original Nixon's Enemies List of 20 key people considered opponents of President Richard Nixon. The master list was compiled by Charles Colson's office and sent in memorandum form to John Dean. Dean later provided this...
.
For further reading
- Rothbaum, Murray. The Government of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1962.
- Weber, Arnold R. "Competitive Unionism in the Chemical Industry." Industrial and Labor Relations Review. 13:1 (October 1959).