Labor unions--Jurisdictional disputes

AFSCME Education and Leadership Training Department Records

mcourtney — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:11:27 -0400

The 1960s began a period of significant growth for AFSCME, which meant an increased need for knowledgeable members and staff. AFSCME began an education program around 1962, and by 1966 the International Union had established the Education and Leadership Training Department, later known simply as the Education Department.

Part one of this collection contains materials produced during the union's efforts to organize local organizations into AFSCME, including member education on matters of negotiating and enforcing a contract. Records were created between 1970 and 1973, and illustrate the functions of the Education and Leadership Training Department as an entity that worked closely with the Organizing Department and the Office of the President. Much of the material in part one of this collection makes the case for organizations to affiliate with AFSCME, both through policy and legislation as well as training for individual workers on matters of organizing, contract negotiations, and contract enforcement. A majority of the material in part one was produced in relation to the organizing work of Al Bilik, who served as AFSCME Assistant to the President.

Part two relates to the operation of the education department as well as specific programs, such as the AFSCME Staff Intern Program, which recruited members of AFSCME locals for staff training. Participants attended classes in Washington, DC, and then worked in the field. Some successful participants were offered staff positions at headquarters, councils, or locals at the conclusion of the internship. Materials include field education staff reports, correspondence, staff and member training materials, and meeting notes.

AFSCME Office of the Secretary-Treasurer: Gordon Chapman Records

jruss — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:29:03 -0400

The records in this collection were created during the tenure of AFSCME's first and founding president Arnold S. Zander. The Secretary-Treasurer for most of Zander's presidency was Gordon Chapman. The Office of the Secretary-Treasurer during this time period oversaw the general financial health of the international union and kept records for its locals, councils, and the headquarters staff. The Office also maintained the records on dues payments.

The records in this collection relate to the chartering, organizing, placement under trusteeship, and disbanding of thousands of locals and councils in all the United States, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Canada. There is also historical information on some locals and councils, and a small amount of documentation on the financial operations of the Office, with data on salaries and payroll matters.

Irwin L. Deshetler Papers

drice — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:49:43 -0400

Material collected by Mr. DeShetler as secretary-treasurer of the AFL Flat Glass Workers Union (1935-37), president of the CIO Federation of Glass, Ceramic and Sand Workers (1939-42), CIO regional director of southern California (1946-52), CIO assistant regional director of Region 13 (1952-55), AFL-CIO assistant regional director of Region 22 (1955-68) and National AFL-CIO coordinator for Farm Workers (1968-71). Various activities of the Glass Workers Union, such as Executive Board meetings (1935-39), factional disputes and organizing, political campaigns in California (1953-68), jurisdictional raiding, AFL-CIO merger, the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, and welfare programs in Los Angeles (1947-56) are covered.

Gene Saari Papers

abarker — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:12:52 -0400

As an active member of the labor movement, Gene Saari worked for the Timber & Sawmill Workers Union Local 15, helped to form the International Union of Mine, Mill & Smelter Workers (IUMMSW, or Mine-Mill), and served as secretary-treasurer of United Copper Workers Union Local 494. Mr. Saari also served as a vice-president of the Michigan State Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), a Mine-Mill international representative, and as an organizer for the United Steelworkers of America.
Mr. Saari’s papers relate to labor issues in the Michigan copper industry, jurisdictional disputes between Mine-Mill and the Steelworkers union, to economic and social conditions in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and to Mr. Saari’s campaigns for public office in the 1940’s. Calumet & Hecla, Inc., Copper Range Railroad Company and Hanna Mining Company are among important subjects in the collections.

SEIU Executive Office: William McFetridge Records

ljones — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:17:35 -0500

A nephew of William F. Quesse, SEIU's founder and first International President, William McFetridge began his career with SEIU in 1923 as a member of Chicago's Flat Janitors Local 1. In 1927 he assumed the position of SEIU Third Vice President and then ascended to the position of SEIU 1st Vice President in 1930, a position he maintained until April of 1940, when he became President of the International. The records comprising this collection chronicle McFetridge's last years as President of SEIU.

UAW Local 239 Records

drice — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:25:38 -0400

United Auto Workers Local 239 serviced General Motors plant employees in Baltimore, MD. The records of the local reflect its activities as representative of Fisher Body Plant workers, before they merged with Local 678, Chevrolet assembly operations.

UAW Local 833 Records

drice — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:48:34 -0400

United Auto Workers Local 833 has had divisive history between workers at the Kohler Co. in Kohler, WI and their employers. First organized in 1933 by the American Federation of Labor, workers were soon embroiled in a jurisdictional dispute with a company-formed union, the Kohler Workers' Association (KWA). Following a strike, the KWA won the bid from the NLRB to represent workers, but leadership soon became dissatisfied and voted in 1952 to join the UAW. The local's records mainly document the strike and NLRB case that shortly followed their affiliation with the UAW, but also touch on the 1934 strike, the original Kohler strike in 1897, and the years before the union's chartering by the UAW.

UAW Local 9 Records

drice — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:47:42 -0400

United Auto Workers Local 9 was chartered as an American Federation of Labor local in 1933, servicing workers at the Bendix Products Corporation in South Bend, Indiana. After a disagreement with the AFL, the local joined the UAW in 1935, participating in the auto industry's first sit-down strike the following year. Local 9 records document its organization, factional struggles with the AFL as well as the company union, Bendix Employees Association, and general operations.

UAW Local 932 Records

drice — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:15:45 -0400

United Auto Workers Local 932 was chartered in 1961, providing service to the Minneapolis-Moline Division of Motec Industries, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN. The local was embroiled in an intense rivalry many years prior to its chartering, between the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America and the UAW over who had the rights to service the local. The records reflect the activities and operations of the local during these contentious times.

M.A. Williams Papers

drice — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:47:55 -0400

'Bill' Williams was a prominent figure in CIO Local 76 (later UAW Local 560), Ford Motor Co. assembly plant in Richmond, CA., helping to organize workers and serve as an officer. His papers reflect events at the plant surrounding the jurisdictional rivalry between the AFL and the CIO and eventual designation as a UAW shop.

Robert Wright Papers

abarker — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:13:50 -0400

Robert Wright served as president of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 274. Mr. Wright's papers document the 1944 Chicago Dodge plant election between the International Association of Machinists Lodge 113 and UAW Local 274, and the campaigns of factions within Local 274.

The Robert Wright Collection consists primarily of handbills and other material documenting the 1944 election between International Association of Machinists Lodge 113 and UAW Local 274 to represent workers at the Chicago Dodge plant and the subsequent election campaigns of various factions within the victorious Local 274.

NPR Options in Education, “The Great Debate”

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:31:03 -0400

In this debate moderated by John Merrow, Al Shanker and the NEA's Terry Herndon discuss a number of topics. The differences between the two organizations are dissected including the AFT's affiliation with the AFL-CIO and NEA's desire to remain separate from other labor groups; the NEA's use of racial quotas in its administration; and the use of secret ballots in the two organizations. Next, the two leaders discuss membership campaigns in New York, California, and Florida, where the NEA and AFT were competing for members. read more »