They decided to form the Central Ironmoulders' Association of Scotland, established in April 1889 and initially having 256 members.
Its leaders supported the new unionism approach, with low membership fees and very limited financial benefits for members, but instead a focus on campaigning for better pay and conditions at work.
[1] Hugh Lyon became shop steward at the Carron Iron Works in Falkirk, where the union only had 12 members.
[2] In part due to Lyon's work, the union grew steadily, reaching 3,150 members in 1900.
[1] The union sponsored a Labour Party candidate at the 1918 UK general election:[3]