A Brief History of the Trane Company Maintenance and Production Workers Union

Abstract

A small group of the Trane Company employees of La Crosse, Wisconsin, began a labor movement in 1933. The original group became affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and was known as the Cliffwood Federal Labor Union, Local 18558. Although "Cliffwood" was dropped from the title, the organization continued to be known as F. L. U. 18558. Major accomplishments under the local organization included the right to act as the bargaining agent for the production and maintenance workers, a union shop, wage increases, fringe benefits, and a pension program. In 1958 the local body voted to join the International Association of Machinists. It became Lodge 21, of the I. A. M. The sources used for this paper include official union records, letters from the union files, questionnaires to early union members and local newspapers. The paper is not meant to be an exhaustive study, but rather to record the major achievements of the union.