ACWA Rochester Joint Board Minutes of Meeting on Microfilm, 1919-1966
Collection Number: 5273 mf
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ACWA Rochester Joint Board Minutes of Meeting on Microfilm, 1919-1966
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5273 mf
Abstract:
Social and political issues of concern to the Joint Board as reflected in the minutes
include relations with the Socialist Party, the imprisonment of Tom Mooney, the movement
to create a Farmer-Labor Party, the plight of immigrants, economic downturns and the
execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. The Board supported Jewish charities, aid to Russia
and various anti-fascist Italian movements. It also endorsed the La Follette-Wheeler
ticket in the 1924 presidential campaign. The Joint Board opposed "class-collaborationism"
as expressed in the B&O Plan, attacked "reactionary" labor leaders of the "Gompers
and Lewis type," and called for the abolition of militarism.
Creator:
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA)
ACWA Rochester Joint Board
Quanitities:
0.33 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The Joint Board of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America coordinated union activities
in the Rochester, N.Y. area.
In 1915, the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) embarked on a large-scale
organizing drive in Rochester, N.Y. After four years of extensive organizing, the
union succeeded in forcing the Rochester Clothiers' Exchange (the main organization
of employers) into adopting a 44-hour workweek. By 1929, the union had succeeded in
unionizing over 12,000 of Rochester's clothing workers.
Consists of the minutes of the Rochester Joint Board from 1919 through 1932. The meetings
are divided, for the most part, into the following sections: communications, bills,
expenditures, financial statements, Board of Directors' reports, reports from affiliated
locals, the manager's reports, education committee reports, grievance committee reports,
and outside committee reports.
Beyond the usual issues of collective bargaining, wages, grievances, strikes, organizing
campaigns, local union administration and economic conditions in the clothing industry
which are addressed throughout these minutes, much space is given to the Joint Board's
response to contemporary social and political issues. National and local union issues
discussed that are of special interest include the needs of women workers in the garment
industry (1919, 1925) and the election of a female business agent (1919, 1927), claims
of discrimination in job placement by the union (1925), attempts by Italian union
members to form a cooperative (1926), the "pernicious" effect of communist attacks
on union leadership, the roots of factionalism in the Rochester Joint Board (1926-1929),
and the issue of racketeering in the union (1932).
Rochester strikes discussed include the Off Pressers Strike and the Shop 5 Stein
Block Sitdown Strike (1927) among others. Important strikes around the nation were
often alluded to in the minutes, with the Joint Board offering moral support and occasional
financial contributions to the relevant strike funds. Of special interest were the
Buffalo Clothing Workers' Strike (1919), the United Shoe Workers' Strike (1922), the
Paterson, N.J. Silk Workers' Strike (1924), the Syracuse, N.Y. Bakery Strike (1925)
and several strikes in 1926, including those of the United Mine Workers and the United
Shoe Workers as well as the Passaic, N.J. General Strike.
Social and political issues of concern to the Joint Board as reflected in the minutes
include relations with the Socialist Party, the imprisonment of Tom Mooney, the movement
to create a Farmer-Labor Party, the plight of immigrants, economic downturns and the
execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. The Board supported Jewish charities, aid to Russia
and various anti-fascist Italian movements. It also endorsed the La Follette-Wheeler
ticket in the 1924 presidental campaign. The Joint Board opposed "class-collaborationism"
as expressed in the B&O Plan, attacked "reactionary" labor leaders of the "Gompers
and Lewis type," and called for the abolition of militarism.
The minutes also record speeches by Jean Longuet, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and Roger
Baldwin.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
ACWA Rochester Joint Board Minutes of Meeting on Microfilm #5273 mf. Kheel Center
for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections: 5285 mf: ACWA Rochester Joint Board Scrapbooks on Microfilm 5287: ACWA. Rochester Joint Board. Papers [Deaccessioned] 5993 mf: ACWA Rochester Joint Board Minutes on Microfilm 5273: ACWA Rochester Joint Board Records
Names:
Baldwin, Roger N. q (Roger Nash), d 1884-1981.
Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley.
La Follette, Robert M. q (Robert Marion), d 1895-1953.
Longuet, Jean.
Mooney, Thomas J., d 1882-1942.
Sacco, Nicola, d 1891-1927.
Vanzetti, Bartolomeo, d 1888-1927
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.
Farmer-Labor Party.
Socialist Party (U.S.)
United Shoe Workers of America.
Subjects:
Bakery Strike, Syracuse, N.Y., 1925.
Clothing Workers' Strike, Buffalo, N.Y., 1919.
General Strike, Passaic, N.J., 1926.
Italian Americans-- New York (State)-- Rochester.
Off Pressers' Strike, Rochester, N.Y., 1927.
Presidents-- United States -- Election-- 1924.
Racketeering -- United States.
Sacco-Vanzetti case.
Sex discrimination in employment-- United States.
Silk Workers' Strike, Paterson, N.J., 1924.
Stein Block Sitdown Strike, Rochester, N.Y., 1927
Labor unions --New York (State) -- Rochester -- Political activity.
Labor unions and communism --United States.
Labor unions and fascism -- Italy.
Labor unions and foreign policy -- United States.
United Mine Workers' Strike, United States, 1926.
United Shoe Workers' Strike, United States, 1922.
United Shoe Workers' Strike, United States, 1926.
Women in trade-unions --United States.
Clothing workers -- New York (State)
CONTAINER LIST
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Reel 1 |
Rochester Joint Board, ACWA
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Reel 2 |
Rochester Joint Board, ACWA
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Reel 3 |
Rochester Joint Board, ACWA
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Scope and Contents
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