In the 1940s, the Boilermakers’ union, along with other unions, faced pressure to dismantle their auxiliary lodge systems which segregated Black members into separate locals. While not all unions were segregated during this time, the majority were, reflecting wider societal norms.
Union leaders such as International Vice President Charles J. MacGowan and Local 72 Business Agent Thomas Ray denied any discrimination within their ranks. However, both the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) and the California Supreme Court concluded otherwise, demanding an end to the segregationist system.
A significant case in this struggle involved Joseph James, an African American Boilermaker at Marinship in San Francisco. He sued both the International union and his employer, arguing that the auxiliary system was discriminatory. His legal team was led by Thurgood Marshall, then an attorney for the NAACP and later a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of James, declaring the system unconstitutional and ordering its abolition.
The FEPC also mandated Local 72 to dismantle the auxiliary system. These rulings increased legal and political pressure on Boilermakers’ leadership to address racial equality within their organization.
At a 1944 convention, MacGowan used a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to persuade delegates to vote against the system. Roosevelt commended the Boilermakers for their wartime contributions and appealed for racial equality so that “every worker capable of serving his country… [could] serve regardless of creed, race, or national origin.” This appeal led to changes in how auxiliary locals operated.
The convention passed a resolution allowing auxiliary locals more autonomy by electing their own delegates to union conventions and affiliating with local Metal Trades Councils. Despite these changes, meetings still required attendance by a business agent from supervising white locals. The relationship between supervising and auxiliary locals remained ambiguous.
MacGowan advocated for voluntary integration, predicting gradual resolution over time. In 1945, the International Executive Council agreed to stop forming new auxiliary locals and opened all job classifications to Black workers while equalizing insurance benefits between Black and white members.
Despite these reforms, change was slow; by 1948 only a few locals had integrated while most remained segregated. The transformation of Boilermakers from a segregated organization reflected broader social struggles in America.
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s brought decisive change with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawing segregation and discrimination—effectively ending the auxiliary system permanently. Following this period, efforts were made within unions like Boilermakers to integrate fully and encourage participation from Black workers who were subsequently elected at every level within their organization.
This journey from segregation mirrored America’s broader path toward racial equality—a gradual process leading ultimately towards full participation across races within labor movements reflecting changing societal values.
