The La Crosse Typographical Union No. 448 was organized in 1901 under the direction of a district organizer from the International Typographical Union. At an organizational meeting a unanimous vote was taken to apply for a local charter and by September 1, 1901, the charter was assured and officers elected.
One of the main functions of the union was to enforce locally the scale of wages and labor standards established by the International Union. Local 448 negotiated with La Crosse newspapers and job printers for union labor, wages and work standards. Printers who complied used the union label on their products.
The union was repeatedly called upon to patronize or boycott other La Crosse businesses depending upon their affiliations and they often contributed financially to other local and national unions. They actively celebrated Labor Day by participating in parades, maintained a sick committee, held social functions and honored their dead. In 1915 they joined other printing-related unions in La Crosse forming the Allied Printing Trades Council to coordinate local union activities.
In the early 1880’s, the International Typographical Union established the Union Printers Home in Colorado in response to a tuberculosis problem within the trade. They were also instrumental in the establishment of the 8-hour work day.
In 1980, with fourteen aged members and no new members, Local 448 decided it was impossible to keep a local in La Crosse and petitioned the International Union to accept its surrendered charter. The charter was revoked on June 30, 1980.
