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1908-1914 The Third Revolution

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Prior to the Reid-Murphy Split, as the event was later to be called, the IBEW was prospering. Under the strong, full-time leadership of Grand President Frank J. McNulty and Grand Secretary Peter W. Collins, the Brotherhood had expanded its membership and consolidated and centralized its structure. But lingering problems stemming from the growing rift between inside wiremen and outside linemen, combined with personal differences, led to a call in 1908 for a special convention. Rumors, speculation and outright lies were printed in letters circulated around the IBEW by dissident forces.

During the Reid-Murphy Split, those IBEW members who remained loyal to the NcNulty-Collins leadership held a convention in Rochester, New York, in 1911. The Reid-Murphy group also held a convention in Rochester that year. Brother T.O. Drummond is seated in the third row,fifth from the left, directly behind Secretary Collins.

Without following procedures set out in the IBEW Constitution, these dissident forces called a special convention to be held in St. Louis. President McNulty refused to recognize this unconstitutional convention and called on members not to attend. A good number of members, however, did attend; and they elected J.J. Reid as president and J. W. Murphy as secretary Both President McNulty and the Reid-Murphy group followed by filing suit against the other to prevent the taking of’ IBEW property and assets they both claimed as their own.

President McNulty appealed to Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor, which gave the original union its blessing and support. On several occasions President McNulty arranged to have the AFL sponsor mediation for the Brotherhood. But the Reid-Murphy group refused to abide by the agreements reached through arbitration. And despite the difficulties caused by the act that neither side had access to the IBEW treasury, and therefore no operating money, both sides tried to carry on the normal functions of the electrical union. Both called their own conventions in 1911 and reelected all principal officers. But the division was hurting both sides very badly.

Finally, on March 21, 1912, Judge Phillips in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Court decided the claim to IBEW assets in favor of the AFL-recognized, McNulty-led group. The judge held that the special convention called by the Reid-Murphy faction was unconstitutional, and therefore all actions taken by that rival group were neither legitimate nor proper. By the 12th Convention held in Boston in 1913, most of the dissenting Reid-Murphy members had rejoined the Brotherhood. President McNulty was reelected; and he worked with the newly elected Secretary, Charles P. Ford, to mend the wounds caused by the split.

John Adams said in order for a revolution to be successful the revolutionaries must win the hearts and minds of the people. In the 18th century the American Revolution, and again in the 19th century the Industrial Revolution, transformed the American political and economic landscape. But not until the social revolution of the 20th century did labor leaders and social reformers begin to win the hearts and minds of the American working public and begin the real fight for workers’ rights and social justice.

The IBEW, now known as “The Union of Hearts and Minds,” pulled itself through a difficult and divisive time. By 1914 it was again a union whole and prosperous. Adams lived to see the gains of his political revolution. Today, organized labor is still fighting the social revolution begun 70 years after Adams’ death. America’s third revolution is not over yet.

Page 3 of 3
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1908-1914 The Third Revolution