Lloyd McBride
Encyclopedia
Lloyd McBride was an American
labor
leader and president of the United Steelworkers of America from 1977 to 1983.
, in 1916. His father was a painter at a St. Louis
steel fabricating mill. When he was 14 years old, he quit school to support his family at a 25-cents-an-hour job in the same plant.
In 1936, he became a member of Steel Workers Organizing Committee
Local 1295. The local struck
in 1937. McBride organized a sitdown strike
which was broken by police after only seven days. The broader strike continued for seven more weeks, and the workers were successful in winning a contract on their terms. McBride was elected president of his local by acclamation afterward.
McBride married Delores Neihaus in 1937. They had a son and a daughter.
McBride was elected president of the St. Louis Industrial Union Council in 1940, and president of the CIO Council for Missouri in 1942.
McBride served in the United States Navy
from 1943 to 1945.
After World War II
, McBride returned to Missouri and his union position. In 1958, the Steelworkers hired him to be director of the USW Sub-District based in Granite City, Illinois
. In 1965, he was elected director of District 34.
, the Steelworker president.
In 1977, Abel retired and McBride ran for the union presidency. McBride's opponent was Edward Sadlowski
, the young president of USW District 31. Sadlowski contended that McBride was too close to employers and not in touch with steelworkers. The campaign was a bitter one. McBride received the support of Abel and AFL-CIO
president George Meany
, while Sadlowski won the backing of Ralph Nader
, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith
and General Motors heir Stewart Rawlings Mott
. McBride filed a lawsuit alleging that Sadlowski had received illegal campaign contributions, and Sadlowski filed a libel suit against McBride. McBride went so far as to imply that Sadlowski was a communist
: "I don't really know whether he is or isn't a Communist. But I do know he's in bed with left-wingers," McBride told supporters.
In the end, McBride defeated Sadlowski 3-to-2 (328,000 to 249,000).
McBride strongly supported the Experimental Negotiations Agreement (ENA), a contract negotiated with steelmakers by President Abel which included a provision preventing the union from striking over economic terms—whether the contract was in force or had expired. But high inflation drove wages much higher under the ENA, and steelmakers unilaterally canceled the agreement (as was their right) as the 1980 contract talks approached.
McBride was unable to negotiate strong national contracts for his members. He had a difficult time convincing steelworkers that the contracts reaches were the best he could achieve, and restive union members twice rejected contracts in 1983. Under McBride, the union agreed to cut wages and benefits for the first time since 1936. The average wage of $14.33 an hour was cut 8.7 percent in the first year, although a provision in the 1983 contract would restore that cut over the term of the 41-month agreement. He did not participate in the negotiations for either the 1980 or 1983 contract renewals.
McBride also presided over the union at a time of greatly diminishing membership. During his presidency, the Steelworkers lost nearly half its 1.4 million members due to offshoring and plant closings. McBride was a moderate who successfully resisted members' calls for militancy in the face of widespread steel industry unemployment and sharply increased pressure on wages and benefits. He also refused to collude with employers and implement a "business unionism" policy in order to secure high wages and job security for a limited number of members.
McBride had a history of heart disease. He was hospitalized three times from 1980 to 1983 for heart disease. A pacemaker was installed in February 1983. McBride underwent heart bypass surgery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, on October 18, 1983. He was discharged from the hospital on November 1, and died in his sleep in the night of November 5 or early on November 6 at his home in Whitehall, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labor
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...
leader and president of the United Steelworkers of America from 1977 to 1983.
Early life and union work
McBride was born in Farmington, MissouriFarmington, Missouri
Farmington is a city in St. Francois County located south of St. Louis in the Lead Belt region in Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 16,240. It is the county seat of St. Francois County. The Farmington Micropolitan Statistical Area embraces St...
, in 1916. His father was a painter at a St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
steel fabricating mill. When he was 14 years old, he quit school to support his family at a 25-cents-an-hour job in the same plant.
In 1936, he became a member of Steel Workers Organizing Committee
Steel Workers Organizing Committee
The Steel Workers Organizing Committee was one of two precursor labor organizations to the United Steelworkers. It was formed by the CIO in 1936. It disbanded in 1942 to become the United Steel Workers of America....
Local 1295. The local struck
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1937. McBride organized a sitdown strike
Sitdown strike
A sit-down strike is a form of civil disobedience in which an organized group of workers, usually employed at a factory or other centralized location, take possession of the workplace by "sitting down" at their stations, effectively preventing their employers from replacing them with strikebreakers...
which was broken by police after only seven days. The broader strike continued for seven more weeks, and the workers were successful in winning a contract on their terms. McBride was elected president of his local by acclamation afterward.
McBride married Delores Neihaus in 1937. They had a son and a daughter.
McBride was elected president of the St. Louis Industrial Union Council in 1940, and president of the CIO Council for Missouri in 1942.
McBride served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1943 to 1945.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, McBride returned to Missouri and his union position. In 1958, the Steelworkers hired him to be director of the USW Sub-District based in Granite City, Illinois
Granite City, Illinois
Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville...
. In 1965, he was elected director of District 34.
USW presidency
McBride became a protege of I.W. AbelIorwith Wilbur Abel
Iorwith Wilbur Abel , also known as I.W. Abel, was an American labor leader.-Early life and union career:...
, the Steelworker president.
In 1977, Abel retired and McBride ran for the union presidency. McBride's opponent was Edward Sadlowski
Edward Sadlowski
Edward Sadlowski, also known as "Oil Can Eddie", is a United States labor activist and a past Director of United Steelworkers of America, District 31....
, the young president of USW District 31. Sadlowski contended that McBride was too close to employers and not in touch with steelworkers. The campaign was a bitter one. McBride received the support of Abel and 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...
president George Meany
George Meany
William George Meany led labor union federations in the United States. As an officer of the American Federation of Labor, he represented the AFL on the National War Labor Board during World War II....
, while Sadlowski won the backing of Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth "Ken" Galbraith , OC was a Canadian-American economist. He was a Keynesian and an institutionalist, a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism...
and General Motors heir Stewart Rawlings Mott
Stewart Rawlings Mott
Stewart Rawlings Mott Born in Flint, Michigan was a philanthropist who founded the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust...
. McBride filed a lawsuit alleging that Sadlowski had received illegal campaign contributions, and Sadlowski filed a libel suit against McBride. McBride went so far as to imply that Sadlowski was a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
: "I don't really know whether he is or isn't a Communist. But I do know he's in bed with left-wingers," McBride told supporters.
In the end, McBride defeated Sadlowski 3-to-2 (328,000 to 249,000).
McBride strongly supported the Experimental Negotiations Agreement (ENA), a contract negotiated with steelmakers by President Abel which included a provision preventing the union from striking over economic terms—whether the contract was in force or had expired. But high inflation drove wages much higher under the ENA, and steelmakers unilaterally canceled the agreement (as was their right) as the 1980 contract talks approached.
McBride was unable to negotiate strong national contracts for his members. He had a difficult time convincing steelworkers that the contracts reaches were the best he could achieve, and restive union members twice rejected contracts in 1983. Under McBride, the union agreed to cut wages and benefits for the first time since 1936. The average wage of $14.33 an hour was cut 8.7 percent in the first year, although a provision in the 1983 contract would restore that cut over the term of the 41-month agreement. He did not participate in the negotiations for either the 1980 or 1983 contract renewals.
McBride also presided over the union at a time of greatly diminishing membership. During his presidency, the Steelworkers lost nearly half its 1.4 million members due to offshoring and plant closings. McBride was a moderate who successfully resisted members' calls for militancy in the face of widespread steel industry unemployment and sharply increased pressure on wages and benefits. He also refused to collude with employers and implement a "business unionism" policy in order to secure high wages and job security for a limited number of members.
McBride had a history of heart disease. He was hospitalized three times from 1980 to 1983 for heart disease. A pacemaker was installed in February 1983. McBride underwent heart bypass surgery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, on October 18, 1983. He was discharged from the hospital on November 1, and died in his sleep in the night of November 5 or early on November 6 at his home in Whitehall, Pennsylvania
Whitehall, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Whitehall is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,944 at the 2010 census.-History:The Whitehall is probably named after Silas D. Prior's tavern on Brownsville Road, which was re-named White Hall in the 1850s...
.