Allied Printing Trades Council records

The International Typographical Union (ITU) was a labor union founded on May 3, 1852 in the United States as the National Typographical Union. Newspapers existed in virtually every major urban center in every section of the U.S., and with them came the typographers' union.

Successful unionization in Minnesota started among the printers in 1856. Wide recognition was not obtained until 1858, the year often given as the date of the organization of the St. Paul local, probably because it marks the entrance into the National Typographical Union. The union convention of 1858, ordered the issuance of a charter to the St. Paul group and named J. M. Culver of the new Union No. 30 to the national executive committee. Neither of the printers' unions survived the strain of the Civil War period; in 1864 the national convention dropped both locals because of failure to report for at least two years. Both groups were rechartered by 1873.

Throughout the nation very few of the trades assemblies of the 1860s survived the depression of the following decade, but the years after 1876 saw a rapid growth In the number of local trade unions both In Minnesota and In the rest of the nation. The rate of growth was fairly constant until about 1884, when the Knights of Labor became exceedingly active. According to the 1880 census, Minnesota had 21 trade societies out of the 2,440 in the country.

In spite of the reorganization of 1870, Typographical Union No. 30 was unable to withstand the strain of the next few years. The present organization in St. Paul dates back to the spring of 1882. By 1884 at least seventy-three unions had been organized in Minnesota — seventeen in Minneapolis, twenty-seven in St. Paul, and twenty-nine in other centers.

The Duluth Typographical Union was formed on April 18, 1886.

International Typographical Union dissolved December 31, 1986, due to the general elimination of the typographers trade due to automation, computers and mechanization. The remnants of the union membership are in the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

In March 1911, five international unions created the Allied Printing Trades Association: International Typographical Union, Pressman, Bookbinders, Photo Engravers, Stereotypers and Electrotypers Unions. In 1955, there was a new agreement, and the following unions were included in the association: United Papermakers and Paperworkers, The Newspaper Guild, The International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers, The Plate Printers, Die Stampers and Engravers.  The Mailer unions chartered by the ITU were eligible for membership in Allied Printing Trades Councils.The Printing, Publishing and Media Workers Sector of Communications Workers of America represents women and men in a diverse range of occupations in daily newspapers, commercial printing and mailing operations, graphic design, specialty manufacturing, publishing and distribution as well as the U. S. Government Printing Office.

The union combines the heritage of the International Typographical Union-the oldest continuously operating union in America-with the Communications Workers of America.

In 1987 PPMWS merged into CWA recognizing the evolution of the information age in America.