© 2005 Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Congress of Industrial Organizations. Greater
New York State Industrial Union Council. Scrapbook,
1940-1948.
Collection Number:
5270
Creator:
Congress of Industrial Organizations, Greater New York
Industrial Union Council
Quantity:
1 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Scrapbook.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Martin P. Catherwood Library, Cornell University.
Abstract:
A large scrap book consisting of clippings
from New York daily newspapers, labor union journals and publications of the
Greater New York Industrial Union Council covering the period of its existence.
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
The Greater New York Industrial Union was organized in 1938. As with
all city central labor bodies, its objects were by united action to protect,
maintain and advance the interests of the affiliated unions and membership in
this territory, to extend unionism on the basis of industrial organization, to
secure legislation in the interests of working people and cooperate with the
state and national CIO. The Council was composed of delegates from affiliated
local unions in the City of New York and vicinity.
Its official organization was founded July 24, 1940 at a special
congress of representatives of CIO affiliates held at the Hotel Mc Alpin. Allan
S. Haywood, National Director of the CIO and former President of the New York
State CIO presided. Joseph Curran, President of the National Maritime Union and
Saul Kills, a member of the American Newspaper Guild were unanimously elected
first president and secretary-treasurer, respectively. By June 1942, the
Council represented 500,000 members of some 250 CIO locals in greater New York.
By 1948, communism in labor unions was a serious issue. A special
subcommittee of the House of Representatives of Congress was appointed to
investigate communist infiltration in labor unions and several New York City
CIO unions were investigated, among them the United Electrical Radio and
Machine Workers of America and the Teachers Union of the City of New York,
United Public Workers of America and Department Store Employees Union.
The City Council planned a mass picketing demonstration to protest
the House investigation and to promote Henry Wallace as a candidate for
President on a third party ticket. This split the New York Council in two.
Several right wing unions withdrew, protesting the use of an economic weapon
for purely political purposes and the Council's refusal to follow the National
CIO policy which opposed Wallace's third party and supported the European
Recovery Program.
CIO President Philip Murray appointed a three man board in October to
hear charges against the Council's officers, and the Board reported to Mr.
Murray that the Council had been following a pro-communist line. The report was
given to the National CIO Executive Board, which revoked the Charter of the
Council at the annual meeting in November.
The New York State organization was made responsible for closing the
offices and liquidating the funds of the Council.