In just a few years they were already organizing and negotiating well thought out contacts that would affect thousands of oil workers in only three states California, Texas, and Oklahoma.
At the end of 1933, and even through the depression, several thousands of oil workers joined and rejoined the union and dispersed into several dozen locals.
Memberships grew due to large strategic groups that were brought into the union, but soon after growth began to slowly decrease after 1946.
District 50 became a branch of UMW and its main purpose was to cover “gas, coke and chemical products” made from coal.
[7] Due to the impact that this action had on the workers of these companies, several of the division leaders from District 50 met with the CIO executive board in June 1942.
The UGCCWU had broken away from the United Mine Workers of America in September 1942, and won a charter from the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).
[7] At the time they were finally granted charter, their union officially changed their name to United Gas Coke and Chemical Workers of America.
In 1948, Lee Pressman of New York and Joseph Forer of Washington, DC, represented Charles A. Doyle of the Gas, Coke and Chemical Workers Union along with Gerhard Eisler (public thought to be the top Soviet spy in America); Irving Potash, vice president of the Fur and Leather Workers Union; Ferdinand C. Smith, secretary of the National Maritime Union; and John Williamson, labor secretary of the CPUSA).
The OCAW had one important objective and main focus of their union, the improvement of living conditions of those who work in oil, chemical and related industries.
OCAW went about achieving this by collective bargaining and participating in community activities, political action, and educational work.
[11] OCAW lost approximately 50 percent of its membership between 1980 and 1995, primarily because oil companies closed nearly half the refineries in the US.
The government agreed to seek legislation to compensate workers and their survivors for their medical care and lost wages.