INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES, LOCAL NO. 693

Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades, Local No. 693. The union that became IUPAT was organized originally as the Brotherhood of Painters and Decorators of America in 1887. Within a year, the union had grown to more than 100 locals and 7,000 members. By the turn of the century, the Brotherhood was publishing "The Painter and Decorator" to provide news on the industry.

In 1921, the union opened its first real home, a four-story office building, in Lafayette, Indiana. Most of the offices of the union remained in that location until 1967, when its headquarters was moved to Washington, D.C. Over the years, IUPAT members have worked on many notable projects, with a highlight being a facelift of the White House before the inauguration of President Richard Nixon. In 1970, expanding membership led to a new name, the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades. (1)

The growing female membership of the union led General President Michael Monroe to rebrand as the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. In 2010, IUPAT moved its international headquarters to a new home in Hanover, Maryland. The new headquarters building was part of a campus that included a residence hall and an international training center. Local unions belong to district councils. District councils perform most of the services of the union. IUPAT was affiliated with the AFL-CIO in the United States. (2)

The union represents over 160,000 active and retired men and women in the United States and Canada. Members work in the finishing Trades as industrial and commercial painters, drywall finishers, wall coverers, glaziers, glass workers, floor covering installers, sign makers, display workers, convention and show decorators. (3)

Recognized as one of the most active unions in the labor movement, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through commitment to service, fighting passionately for workers’ rights that benefit all working families, and through effective and aggressive political mobilization. (4)

The 1937 Dubuque Consurvey Directory listed the Labor Temple.

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Sources:

1. "Get to Know the AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Painters and Allied Trades," Online: https://aflcio.org/2019/9/30/get-know-afl-cios-affiliates-painters-and-allied-trades

2. Ibid.

3. "International Union of Painters and Allied Trades," Wikipedia, Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Painters_and_Allied_Trades

4. "About the Union," IUPT, Online: https://www.iupat.org/about-us/about-the-union/