THE HISTORY OF THE IUOE

1926 - 1939

The year 1926, marking the thirtieth year in the history of the organization, proved a fitting milestone
in progress for the International Union. At the close of the year, membership stood at 40,000, and
assets in property and money in all funds totaled over $200,000. The International Union made a
larger gain in membership in 1926 than in any previous year. With this gain in membership, it
obtained better conditions for members, more agreements entered into between locals and employers
than ever before. Each agreement brought more wages for the engineer, as well as shorter hours and
better working conditions. It became common to include in agreements for stationary engineers,
provisions for vacations of two weeks with pay.

Further progress for the International Union came when the union absorbed the Brotherhood of
Steam Shovel Operators and Dredgemen. By virtue of the amalgamation effected in 1927,
approximately 7,000 affiliated operators of excavating and dredging machinery in various parts
of the country and Canada transferred their associated allegiance to the International Union.

Since the members now worked with internal combustion engines, electric motors, hydraulic
machinery, refrigerating systems, steam boilers and engines, the official name of the International
Union became “The International Union of Operating Engineers,” (IUOE) on July 1, 1928,
with the elimination of “steam and” from the title.

Although in 1929, as the stock market crash brought on The Depression, engineers continued
employment on many large construction projects. They helped to build the great Cascade Tunnel,
the hydraulic development of the San Leandro River to supply water for Oakland, California, and
the Pit River Hydroelectric project, which could draw energy from the immense chain of power
projects developing in the West. Engineers also worked on the “world’s greatest coal stripping
enterprise” in Illinois, in which a central feature of the project was “a monster electrically driven
power shovel, which takes huge bites in stripping the coal from the beds.” And in the East,
engineers were building the Newark airport and a new suspension bridge across the Hudson.

Engineers of Chicago in 1933 were at work on the Century of Progress International Exposition. The
engineers were employed in building miles of highways and walks, constructing bridges, and
erecting buildings for huge exposition. The beginning of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,
the most spectacular of all bridges, drew the attention of engineers in 1933, as did the plans for a
program of extensive public works. Members were urged to acquaint themselves with developments
in their areas of the Public Works Program. Billions of dollars were appropriated under President
Roosevelt’s program in efforts to reduce unemployment, and engineers planned to take full
advantage in securing work under the program.

Huge public works programs continued to provide work for engineers and add strength to the union.
Boulder Dam was described as “the greatest of engineering undertaking since the Panama Canal,”
and the four great dams of the vast Tennessee Valley Authority promised development of natural
resources of the region.

The year 1938 witnessed growing use of diesel engines, requiring engineers to become proficient in
their operation. In order to aid members in keeping abreast of mechanical progress and becoming
engineers qualified to operate diesel engines, the International Operating Engineer magazine began
a series of instructions on this type of power equipment.

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