Founding Convention of the CIO
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Near here on Nov. 14, 1938, the first convention of the Congress of Industrial Organizations was held. 34 international unions were represented. Pittsburgh's Philip Murray was president from 1940 to 1952.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
As the Great Depression reshaped American industry, thirty-four international unions sent delegates to Pittsburgh in November 1938 for the first convention of the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Breaking from the older craft-based model, the CIO organized entire industries—steel, autos, rubber—bringing millions of mass-production workers into the labor movement. Pittsburgh's own Philip Murray led the organization as president from 1940 to 1952.
Why it matters
The CIO's founding brought industrial workers into organized labor on a massive scale, transforming the balance of power in America's factories and its politics.
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Related people
- · Philip Murray
Related events
- · Founding Convention of the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Themes & tags
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