 When
the Furniture Manufacturers Association (FMA) was organized in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, in 1881,
it apparently was the first furniture industry advocacy group in the nation.
Its stated purposes were to "obtain equitable freight rates from the railroads,
protect members from disreputable furniture dealers, obtain reasonable
insurance rates, protect the Grand Rapids furniture label, and set uniform
wage rates." Its primary function, however, was negotiating railroad freight
rates. At the time, fierce freight railroad competition between major
cities, like New York and Chicago, resulted in below-cost rates. Railroads
recovered these losses by charging higher rates on routes with less competition,
such as Grand Rapids and Chicago. Collective action, like the FMA's, was
a common means for industries to negotiate more favorable rates.
In 1886 the Furniture Manufacturers Association was formed in New York City, for work toward the same goals at the national level as the Grand Rapids group was doing at a local level. That same year the Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association was confronted with a new development when the Furniture Workers Protective Association (FWPA) organized. Initially, the FWPA was concerned with providing social and welfare benefits to its members, rather than collective bargaining. FWPA discussions about worker welfare, however, soon turned to calls for an 8-hour workday. This talk resulted in a one-week, unsuccessful strike, during which the factory owners utilized the FMA to answer worker demands. Just after the strike, the Sligh Furniture Co. led the way in creating the Grand Rapids Freight Bureau to focus exclusively on railroad rates. By 1889 the FMA had absorbed the Bureau's work, and had become a national model for furniture manufacturers associations. In fact, Grand Rapids hosted the first national meeting of these associations in conjunction with the January 1889 furniture market. Although the extant records from the FMA's first thirty years are scant, it appears that during the early years of the twentieth century the FMA became more of a social club. The larger and more broadly based Board of Trade (now the Chamber of Commerce), founded in 1887, took over the work of negotiating with the railroads and improving the business climate in the Grand Rapids area. During 1910 and 1911, the role of the FMA changed dramatically. During those two years skilled furniture workers asked for wage increases commensurate with the rise in the cost of living and improved working conditions. Management, speaking through the FMA, refused to accede to collective bargaining on any level, which resulted in a city-wide strike in April. During the strike, the FMA retained a staff, including legal counsel, to respond to the strikers' demands. The strike dragged into August, with several instances of violence, before the workers conceded defeat and returned to work. To ensure that their industry would be prepared to deal with any future labor complaints or other common problems, factory owners maintained the FMA staff. The group formed the FMA Warehouse Company in 1920 to again negotiate equitable rates with the various railroads. The Warehouse Company also loaded rail cars for individual member firms, and provided manufacturing supplies for FMA members at set fees. Profits generated by the Warehouse Company were used to offset FMA legal costs.
Following World War II, the FMA also began to concentrate on the problem of the dwindling number of skilled furniture makers. The association began to both recruit and train people for work in furniture factories, even establishing a continuing education program for people already employed. To promote Grand Rapids-made furniture, the FMA sponsored semi-annual markets held in Grand Rapids, as well as printing promotional literature and press releases on the local industry, personalities, and member firms. During the late 1950s the FMA arranged production of two films documenting the industry, one for "Industries on Parade" and the other for the "Arlene Francis Home Show" on television. In 1981 the FMA celebrated its centennial with an exhibit of furniture similar to those of the furniture markets which had last been held in Grand Rapids during the mid 1960's . To learn more about the history of GRAFMA, contact or the visit the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department of the Grand Rapids Public Library. The Library holds the papers and records of the association dating from 1888-1988 in manuscript collection #084, with the collection's finding aid available online in .pdf format. Staff there can also help you with questions you might have about Grand Rapids-made furniture. Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Center staff will answer research questions at the rate of $25.00 per hour, as staff are available. Copying charges are extra. Email:
localhis@grpl.org
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Associations | Historic Michigan Manufacturers |
These
costs resulted from FMA protection of the "Grand Rapids Made" trademark.
Through a series of suits, filed in courts throughout the nation, the
FMA successfully prosecuted retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers
who improperly used "Grand Rapids" in either their product names, firm
names or advertising. FMA legal counsel also successfully defended local
manufacturers against federal price-fixing charges during the 1920s.