The Structural Building Trades Alliance (SBTA) was an American federation of labor unions in the construction industry.
The organization's primary goal was to provide a forum in which jurisdictional conflicts between trade unions could be adjudicated.
The nature of the construction industry at the time also concentrated power in the hands of local rather than regional or international unions.
[1] Jurisdictional disputes between unions became more frequent and intractable over time, occupying much of the attention of the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
[2][3][4] Even as jurisdictional battles increased, local building trades councils had formed in most major cities by 1897.
[3] http://www.derrickrosemvp.com/ Formation of the Structural Building Trades Alliance was prompted by a series of strikes and the beginning of the open shop movement in 1903.
Building contractor associations were also forming in several large cities, forcing unions to accept contracts which prohibited sympathy strikes, banned restrictions on the kind of work an employee might perform, and permitted the unlimited introduction of new machinery, materials and working methods.
Despite Gubbins' election as president, Bricklayer locals refused to approve the international union's participation in the SBTA.
The Gas and Steam Fitters, Tile Layers, Composition Roofers, Elevator Constructors and Lathers all petitioned for membership.
The remaining SBTA members immediately voted to admit the five specialty unions, a move which then led the Iron Workers to withdraw.
SBTA president Kirby successfully established many new local councils, and resolved conflicts which threatened to sunder existing ones.
The offended larger union would then threaten to withdraw from the local alliance, taking its dues and influence with contractors went with it.
Kirby and Spencer were sympathetic to the demands made by local councils, but often refused to take any enforcement action for fear that the large unions would disaffiliate.
Unwilling to be dragged into such a conflict, the SBTA Board of Governors voted against forming a council in New York City.
The AFL executive council agreed to send a delegation led by President Samuel Gompers to meet with the SBTA Board of Governors to resolve their differences.
Building and construction trade unions made up 20 percent of the AFL's membership, and Gompers could not afford to alienate them.
Delegates also agreed to formally push for the creation of state and local building trades councils, although they refused to give these bodies a vote at department conventions.