Coalition of Labor Union Women (U.S.)

AFSCME Communications Department Records

jruss — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:06:22 -0400

AFSCME has produced a regularly published magazine since its inception. Publication duties for this organ and other materials were accomplished by the Education and Publications Department for the first twenty years of AFSCME’s existence. The 1954 Convention, however, passed Resolution 14, establishing a Publications and Public Relations Department. This new department would continue to publish the AFSCME magazine and other materials and would also take on new media public relations duties both at headquarters, and importantly, in the field. Recognizing that current field staff’s duties did not include crafting AFSCME’s message during organizing campaigns and strikes, it was hoped that the new department would provide skilled public relations professionals on the ground. The new department was created on April 1, 1956. The Publications and Public Relations Department existed until 1971 when the name was changed to the Public Affairs Department. This existed until 2011 when the name was changed again to the Communications Department.

The AFSCME Communications Department Records document the public activities of the Department, AFSCME International, and AFSCME officials. Records include speech transcripts; press releases; surveys and polls; documents related to AFSCME biennial conventions such as transcripts of proceedings, correspondence, and planning documents; correspondence; publications; meeting minutes; clippings; photographs, slides, and negatives; audio and video recordings; and posters.

AFT Affiliate St. Louis Teachers Union Local 420 Records

dgolodner — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:06:08 -0400

The St. Louis (Missouri) Teachers Union was organized in 1935 by Paul W. Preisler, as
the Teachers Union of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Its jurisdiction extended over
these separate political entities in order to include members from Washington University.
In 1944 the name of the local was changed to Teacher’s Federation of St. Louis and St.
Louis County. Its 1948 merger with Local 680, St. Louis Vocational Teachers’ Union,
extended Local 420’s jurisdiction to include “all eligible teachers in St. Louis and St.
Louis County including vocational and college teachers.” By 1962 its name had been
shortened to St. Louis Teachers Union. The St. Louis Teachers Union experienced great growth between 1961 and 1963, during which period its membership grew from 81 to 1,417. Membership grew in the 1970s after the AFT became sole bargaining agent for teachers and with the inclusion of paraprofessionals and support staff, but internal disputes and unsuccessful strikes led to many resignations and a decline in membership in 1968 and 1976.

Part I of this collection contains office files of the AFT local representing the teachers of St. Louis, Missouri. Correspondence, clippings, minutes, press releases, and other materials dealing with such topics as tenure, desegregation, educational standards, membership drives, and collective bargaining by teachers. Several of the files consist of the records of Betty Finneran as a vice-president of the AFT.

Part II of this collection contains material created or used by Betty Finneran and reflect her activities as well as activities of the union as a whole. Finneran served as president, secretary, and treasurer of Local 420 and founded the Retiree Chapter. Local 420 subjects include a dispute with the Missouri Federation of Teachers, raiding between Local 420 and the local National Education Association chapter, internal disputes among board members, organizing and elections, and desegregation of St. Louis schools. Outside of Local 420, Finneran was involved with the St. Louis Coalition of Labor Union Women and other women's rights efforts.

Coalition of Labor Union Women: Greater Boston Chapter Records

srafferty — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 13:17:26 -0400

The Greater Boston Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) began forming shortly after the creation of the national organization on March 12, 1974. Early in the chapter's formation there were differences in opinion between radical and more moderate members. Members differed on the topics of the chapter’s priorities, membership requirements, and the relationship between the regional chapters and the national organization. This chapter focused on topics of affirmative action, the Equal Rights Amendment, desegregation, and the rights of immigrants and undocumented workers among others.

Coalition of Labor Union Women: Puget Sound Chapter Records

srafferty — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 13:15:12 -0400

The Coalition of Labor Union Women Puget Sound Chapter was originally known as the Seattle Chapter, but changed its name on July 25, 1979.

Susan Holleran Papers

drice — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:48:11 -0500

Susan E. Holleran was a labor journalist for AFSCME's national headquarters and its international magazine. Additionally, she was a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), a member of the National Organization of Women (NOW), active in community service activities of the Washington, D.C. AFL-CIO, and coordinator of the first national conference on pay equity which resulted in the founding of the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1979. Holleran died of cancer on December 15, 2007. Holleran's papers reflect her work with AFSCME, the AFL-CIO, CLUW, and the National Committee on Pay Equity, as well as her interest and involvement with working women.

International Socialists Records

aorchard — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 10:58:02 -0400

The International Socialists existed from 1968 -1986 in the U.S. with national headquarters in Detroit, and branches in 14 other cities. It was preceded by the Independent Socialist Club, established in Berkley in 1964, which then formed an International Socialist Committee. The International Socialist Club appealed to radical student and Maoist groups. Kim Moody, contributor of several pivotal writings to the socialist cause, helped to establish a branch of the Independent Socialist Club in New York. The Independent Socialist Club became the International Socialists at the 1969 convention, where a formal political platform was established to address the working class movement. Internal disagreements developed around degrees of radicalization and basic philosophy throughout the 1970's. These disagreements led to the formation of other organizations such as the Revolutionary Tendency and Workers Power. In 1986, International Socialists merged with Workers Power and Socialist Unity to become known as Solidarity.

The records in this collection illustrate the evolution of the political principles and internal workings of the International Socialists, mainly through the 1970’s. It shows their struggle for the rights of the working class, to reap the recognition and rewards it felt it deserved for providing the sweat of industrial production, the basis of the nation's wealth.

Mildred Jeffrey Papers

drice — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:19:31 -0500

Mildred "Millie" Jeffrey worked as an organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, as Educational Director of the Pennsylvania Joint Board of Shirt Workers, as a consultant to the War Labor Board, as Director of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Women’s Bureau, and as Director for UAW Community Relations and Consumer Affairs Departments. Ms. Jeffrey was also active in the Democratic Party and was a founding member and chair of the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) political arm, the National Women’s Political Caucus.

Part 1 of Ms. Jeffrey’s papers document her extensive work for women’s rights and the labor movement and reflect her commitment to social justice. Part 2 primarily documents the last 30 years of her life during which Jeffrey became an activist in the many social and political movements of the time, including women’s rights, civil rights, reproductive rights and peace.

Julie Sabit Papers

aorchard — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 13:43:19 -0500

Julie Sabit is a native of Detroit. She graduated from Southeastern High School in 1950 and received her BA in Sociology from Wayne State University in 1958. Sabit initially began work in the City of Detroit’s Planning Department as a student technical assistant in 1957. Upon her graduation in 1958, she began working as a Social Planning and Development Assistant within the Research Division of the Planning Department, eventually becoming the head of that division. In 1973, Sabit received her Master’s in Sociology from Wayne State University. She became involved with the Association of Municipal Professional Women (AMPW) when it was founded in 1975, and she served on its board from 1975 to 1985. In 1990, she retired from the City of Detroit’s Planning Department. During her retirement, Sabit received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University.

The Julie Sabit Papers reflect Sabit’s work within both the City of Detroit Planning Department and the Association of Municipal Professional Women, much of which overlaps. Material includes directories, correspondence, memos, officer rosters, annual reports, policy objectives, organizational timelines, project and events materials, newsletters, and other various publications.

Linda Roberts Papers

srafferty — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 12:29:31 -0500

The Linda Roberts Papers collection contains material relating to the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) California Capitol Chapter (Sacramento) from 1990-1992.

SEIU Executive Vice President's Office: Patricia Ford Records

aorchard — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:41:28 -0400

In 1973, Pat Ford, then a clerical worker at Alameda County Hospital, aided in the creation of Local 616 by affiliating the 4000-member association with SEIU. Ford held various leadership positions in Local 616, including president (the Local’s first African-American woman president), and Executive Director. In addition to Ford’s service to Local 616, in 1996 she was elected as SEIU Executive Vice President, and reelected in 2000. During her tenure with SEIU, Ford helped to found the Caucus of African Descent (AFRAM), lead SEIU’s government affairs program, and coordinated SEIU’s civil and human rights activism. A full biography on Patricia Ford, may be found in Ford’s oral history held at the Reuther Library.

The SEIU Executive Vice President’s Office: Patricia Ford Records contains digital transcripts of 25 speeches given by Patricia Ford during her tenure as SEIU Executive Vice President. The records particularly reveal Ford’s involvement with organizations such as CBTU, CLUW, and NAACP. Also included is one folder of photographs, primarily featuring Ford at various SEIU events.

Speech transcripts may be found here:
https://www.reuther.wayne.edu/search/node/pat+ford+speech+transcript

Marjorie Stern Papers

abarker — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:55:19 -0400

Marjorie Stern worked as on organizer for the American Federation of Teachers in various cities, served seven consecutive terms as secretary to the San Francisco Federation of Teachers Local 61, and played an instrumental role in the creation of the AFT Women’s Rights Committee. Ms. Stern served as coordinator of the National Organization for Women’s (NOW) Task Force on Union Women, and served as a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Ms. Stern’s papers relate to her work in the AFT, NOW and the CLUW, particularly concerning the AFT Women’s Rights Committee.

Notable Women of SEIU

aorchard — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:27:05 -0400

Women have been a part of SEIU since its inception, when Elizabeth A. Grady was elected Trustee at the founding convention in 1921. Grady often reminded her fellow executive board members, all of whom were men, “You men must know that you cannot get very far or make any real progress if you have women workers who compete with you, unorganized and working for less wages” (Union Sisters, p. 16). Indeed, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was keenly aware of the importance of organizing women, demonstrated by correspondence found in the SEIU Historical Records. Amidst the correspondence are documents sent by AFL’s then president Sam Gompers, such as reports detailing labor’s organization of women in Europe during the 1920s, as well as questionnaires to AFL Internationals, generating data on women in industry. However, given SEIU’s initial gender integration, in part due to SEIU’s organization of flat (apartment) janitors whose wives were expected to share in the work, SEIU already recognized the importance of women in the labor movement. Indeed, while not always in the most visible of positions, women, both rank-and-file members, and those within SEIU’s leadership, have made great contributions to SEIU and the greater labor movement over the years. In honor of Women’s History Month, we take a look at some of SEIU’s more prominent female leaders. read more »

Subject Focus: Women in Labor Unions

drice — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:44:25 -0400

“We didn’t come here to swap recipes!” Those words, uttered by Myra Wolfgang during the first Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) convention in 1974 set the tone for an agenda aimed at increasing women’s involvement and influence in labor unions. Coming on the heels of landmark legislation such as the Equal Pay Act (1963), the Civil Rights Act (1964), and the Equal Employment Opportunities Act (1972), the formation of CLUW institutionalized the long-held ambitions of individual female union members to participate more fully in the labor movement. read more »

(12103) McEntee at CLUW

jruss — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:17:54 -0400

AFSCME President Gerald McEntee speaks at the tenth anniversary conference of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) in Chicago.

(29234) CLUW, Anti-Apartheid Demonstration, Washington, D.C.

aorchard — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:51:38 -0400

CLUW Members protest against South African apartheid, at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C.

(29259) CLUW Convention, Chicago, Illinois, 1984

aorchard — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:46:21 -0400

Attendees at the 1984 CLUW Convention in Chicago, Illinois pose for the camera holding up an SEIU sign.

(29288) Exhibit, First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:08:33 -0400

Detail of an exhibit discussing women's contributions to SEIU at the First CLUW Biennial Convention held at the Statler Hotel in New York, New York.

(29289) Exhibit, First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:08:34 -0400

Detail of an exhibit discussing the rights of trade unions and the rights of women at the first CLUW Biennial Convention held at the Statler Hotel in New York, New York.

(29290) Exhibit, First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:08:34 -0400

Four panels of an exhibit discussing women and their contributions to the SEIU at the First CLUW Biennial Convention held at the Statler Hotel in New York, New York.

(29291) Attendees, Exhibit, First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:08:34 -0400

Two attendees converse in front of an exhibit about women and the SEIU at the First CLUW Biennial Convention held at the Statler Hotel in New York, New York.

(29295) John Sweeney, other SEIU Attendees, First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:13:23 -0400

John Sweeney and SEIU attendees pose for a group photograph at the First CLUW Biennial Convention, Statler Hotel, New York, New York.

(29296) Demonstration, First CLUW Biennial Convention, New York City, 1979

aorchard — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:13:23 -0400

A female demonstrator speaks during the First CLUW Biennial Convention in New York, New York.

(30868) Jackie Ruff and Dorine Levasseur, CLUW Convention, California, 1982

aorchard — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:47:11 -0500

Jackie Ruff and SEIU Local 925 President Dorine Levasseur during the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) Conference in California.

(31518) Coalition of Labor Union, SEIU IEB Member Rosemary Trump, 1974

aorchard — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 10:33:21 -0400

Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) founding convention in March 1974. SEIU International Executive Board Member, Rosemary Trump is in the center, pointing.

Podcast: Julia Gunn on Civil Rights Anti-Unionism: Charlotte and the Remaking of Anti-Labor Politics in the Modern South

teller — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 16:15:15 -0400

Dr. Julia Gunn explains how progressive civil rights politics enabled Charlotte, North Carolina, to become the nation’s second-largest largest financial capital while obscuring its intransigence towards working-class protest, including public sector sanitation workers, bus drivers, firefighters, and domestic workers. read more »

Pat Ford Speech: Coalition of Labor Union Women 30th Anniversary Luncheon, 2004

aorchard — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:11:02 -0400

Transcript of Pat Ford's speech given during the 30th anniversary luncheon of CLUW in Sacramento, CA.

Pat Ford Speech: Coalition of Labor Union Women 30th Anniversary Luncheon, 2004 [Draft]

aorchard — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:19:56 -0400

Draft transcript of the speech Pat Ford gave at the 30th anniversary of CLUW in Sacramento, CA.