[1][2] He joined the Order of Railroad Telegraphers of North America, and in 1891 became chair of its Denver and Rio Grande local.
[1] That year, he employed a Canadian member of the union in its head office, and was charged with breaking the alien labor law.
However, a federal grand jury ruled in his favor, setting a precedent for international organizations based in the United States.
[3] In 1900, Perham came into conflict with the union's president, Walker V. Powell, who he believed was pursuing an unconstitutional fiscal policy.
[5] By the late 1910s, much of the union's membership was dissatisfied with Perham's leadership, believing that he was doing little to improve their pay or working conditions.