In 1946 a group of highly skilled table ware glassworkers in the state of West Virginia began to notice their market being flooded with cheaply made imitations of their ware from foreign countries. It wasn't long before this imported ware had a damaging effect upon their companies and consequently upon their jobs by decreasing demands for their products. Those affected workers decided the only way to combat the situation was by having tariffs high enough to compensate for the difference in wages between the foreign glass worker and the American glass worker.  The only way to get the required results was by political action. Thus was born the first State League. The League members contacted their State Legislators and explained the problem they were facing, the remedy they sought.

        Other glass workers in the surrounding states were soon having the same problems; rising imports and decreasing orders. They heard about the effort being made in West Virginia and soon the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana joined, thereby becoming the "Four State Glass Workers' Protective League". Delegates from the four states entered seriously into the political arena and informed the politicians on the local, state and national levels what these imports were doing to the glass industry. At first, very few people paid any attention to their pleas because, at the time, "big labor" leaders believed in "free trade". Our tax money was even being used to rebuild war-torn countries with the most modern production equipment to produce a product in direct competition with our own. Even today many of their factories are more modern than ours. this, coupled with the lower pay scale of the foreign worker, is a combination the American worker cannot bear without tariff protection.

        Although the glass industry was the first to feel the brunt of imports, various other industries are now almost wiped out or are being badly hurt by imports. All one has to do is look at the practically nonexistent camera industry, the dying shoe industry, as well as the sick clothing industry. Look around at the foreign automobiles on our highways and you can see a good part of the reason for the recession in the automobile in industry. Our highly sophisticated electronic industry has gone overseas or is situated on the Mexican side of our South-Western border, producing radio, TV's, and surgical equipment, where they take advantage of certain import laws. These moves by multinational companies are results of the breaks thy get from our government for building outside the United States and the recently enacted Trade Bill of 1974 makes this even more attractive for big business. This is the type of thing we have fought against and are still fighting against.

        The Illinois-Wisconsin League was formed in 1970 because it was seen by their states that their jobs were in jeopardy also. The Avon Company was threatening to send mould equipment into the United States from West Germany and even talked of shipping bottles in. They decided they had better lend a hand while there was still time. There are leagues now in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida: the Midwest including; Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan; the Southwest including Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma; and on the West Coast including California and Oregon. 

        Each state meets in the Spring and Fall (except Indiana which meets quarterly) where they discuss any problems within their state that could have an effect on their industry and their job opportunities. If any proposed action in the state will help our industry and our people, we support it. If it is detrimental in our opinion, we oppose it. Environmental Protection Agency laws are also adding to the financial burden in the glass industry. Some glass producing plants may be forced to close down because of the high costs involved in installing the anti-pollution hardware needed to meet state and federal standards. Our people work hard on the local, county, state and national levels to prevent these things from happening. The dues that are paid into the leagues are used for this purpose only. The officers receive no salaries for their work.

        In summary then, we exist to work for those things that will help us and prevent any action being taken anywhere that might harm our jobs or our industry.