ACTWU's Rieve-Pollock Foundation Records, 1935-1996
Collection Number: 5619/008
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ACTWU's Rieve-Pollock Foundation Records, 1935-1996
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5619/008
Abstract:
This collection consists of correspondence, reports, minutes of directors' meetings,
and files from the Rieve-Pollack Foundation. The bulk of the collection dates from
the years 1935-1996. Some of the records, however are from as early as 1926 and as
late as 1999, thus a few of the records are from the UNITE era.
Creator:
Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union. Rieve-Pollock Foundation
Textile Workers' Union of America. Rieve-Pollock Foundation
Quanitities:
4.25 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, the most significant union representing
workers in the men's clothing industry, was founded in New York City in 1914 as a
breakaway movement from the United Garment Workers. Radical and immigrant workers
in the tailors' and cutters' locals were the core of the seceding group, which advocated
industrial unionism and economic strikes in opposition to the UGW's craft organization,
which they saw as conservative and timid. Their diverging views had come to the fore
during the historic 1910 dispute at the Chicago firm Hart, Schaffner, and Marx. The
opposition called the strike against the UGW leadership's advice, and reached a path-breaking
agreement with management that established an arbitration system to settle disputes.
Members flocked to the new union. Around 50,000 strong at its founding, by 1920 the
ACWA counted about 170,000 members. Initially composed mostly of immigrants of Jewish
European descent with Socialist leanings, the ACWA quickly welcomed members of a great
number of nationalities and diverse backgrounds. Like in other garment unions, most
workers and many members were women, but the leadership was predominantly male, a
situation that did not change for many decades. Early on the union adopted a centralized
administrative structure combined with industrial unionism, with the joint boards'
by-laws having precedence over those of locals.
Espousing a philosophy perhaps brought over by its early immigrant socialist members,
the Amalgamated went beyond bread and butter issues and adopted a distinctive form
of social unionism that was largely absent in the American labor movement. Starting
in the 1920s, it provided educational opportunities and recreational facilities for
its members, as well as services such as an insurance plan, banks offering personal
loans at low interest rates, low-cost housing cooperatives, medical clinics, and even
union-owned restaurants.
Sidney Hillman was the first president of the new union and the most important officer
in its history. He applied his experience as bargaining representative in Chicago
to the whole industry. Under his leadership the union made significant strides in
securing better wages and working conditions for its members, and at the same time
it consolidated gains and provided stability to the industry through the widespread
adoption of the arbitration system tested at Hart, Schaffner, and Marx. Hillman paid
close attention to industry issues, such as production, pricing, and marketing. In
order to help management meet the competition of non-union firms, the union conducted
studies of efficiency, work methods, and factory costs. Letters to the official publication
of the union, Advance, document the controversy that ensued within the union over
what was perceived to be collaboration with management.
Hillman also understood the importance of labor's involvement in national affairs
and political action. In the 1920s the ACWA sent delegates to the Conference for Progressive
Political Action and to the Farmer-labor party conventions. Although many members
and officers were Socialists, the union stopped short of officially endorsing the
party. Communist attempts at gaining influence within the union were firmly curbed.
Hillman's participation in national affairs and politics became prominent during the
New Deal, when he became a close advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt on labor and economic
issues. He also served on the board of the National Recovery Administration. Later,
during World War II, he helped establish the Labor's Non Partisan League. He was also
named associate director of the Office of Production Management, which assisted in
mobilizing the nation's resources for the war effort. Hillman's prestige perhaps reflected
the healthy condition of his union, which by the end of the conflict was strong and
stable.
During the post World War II period the union faced a number of significant challenges.
Membership continued to grow (peaking at 395,000 in 1968), but the union's political
influence and visibility in national affairs declined. In their never ending pursuit
of lower production costs, many firms relocated to the South, forcing the union to
engage in large organizing efforts. Simultaneously, signs began to appear of changes
that would lead to the almost complete demise of the domestic apparel industry and,
ultimately, to the erosion of union membership. Foreign imports of cheap clothing
goods steadily grew in the 1950s and 1960s, and mushroomed in the following two decades,
plunging employment in the apparel sector into a steady decline. Union efforts to
stem the tide included Buy American campaigns and extensive lobbying in Congress,
but they were to no avail. In 1976, the ACWA merged with the Textile Workers of America
to become the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. Despite successful and
much publicized nationwide actions such as the Farah boycott and the J.P. Stevens
corporate campaign, the woes threatening the union's existence continued unabated.
The fate of the domestic industry was sealed in the late 1970s and the 1980s by the
flight of firms chasing tax breaks and cheap labor abroad. By 1995, when ACTWU voted
to merge with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, their combined membership
was 350,000. The new Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!)
seemed poised to infuse new life in a troubled union.
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
ACTWU's Rieve-Pollock Foundation Records, #5619/008. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related collections: 5619: Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America And all other 5619 collections.
Names:
Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Rieve-Pollock Foundation
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Textile Workers Union of America
Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees
UNITE HERE (Organization)
Subjects:
Textile industry -- New York (State) -- New York
Textile workers -- Labor unions -- New York (State) -- New York
Clothing trade -- New York (State) -- New York
Clothing workers -- Labor unions -- New York (State) -- New York
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
9/7/89 Rieve-Pollock
|
1989 |
Scope and Contents
September 7, 1989.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Rieve-Pollock
|
1977-1995 |
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Rieve-Pollock
|
1993-1996 |
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Larry Rogin
|
1991 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
Rieve-Pollock Finances
|
1993-1994 |
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Moses Finley
|
1986-1992 |
Box 1 | Folder 7 |
UNITE Monica Russo
|
1996 |
Box 1 | Folder 8 |
ACTOR N. Miami Beach
|
1983 |
Box 1 | Folder 9 |
The Honor of Labor Exhibit-Scalamandre Silk Mill Report
|
1985 |
Box 1 | Folder 10 |
Local 1733 Sol Stetin Administrator
|
1993 |
Box 1 | Folder 11 |
Ed Katz
|
1981-1989 |
Box 1 | Folder 12 |
Textile History
|
1937-1991 |
Box 1 | Folder 13 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation
|
1935-1996 |
Box 1 | Folder 14 |
Uprising of 1934 [1934 Strike]
|
1934 |
Box 1 | Folder 15 |
Southern Labor Management Dinner- 2/6/82
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
February 6, 1982.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 16 |
Knitwear Workers 36th Conference
|
1982 |
Box 1 | Folder 17 |
1979 Program from Waldorf Astoria
|
1979 |
Box 1 | Folder 18 |
Rieve-Pollock 10th Anniversary
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 19 |
Pictures
|
1980-1989 |
Box 1 | Folder 20 |
Sol Stetin Remarks. 50th Anniversary TWUA
|
1989 |
Scope and Contents
September 7, 1989.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 21 |
Midwest Conference 6/5/82
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
June 5, 1982.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 22 |
Sol Stetin- Miscellaneous Honors
|
1982-1993 |
Box 1 | Folder 23 |
Miscellaneous Papers
|
1949-1992 |
Box 1 | Folder 24 |
Uprising of 1934 [1934 Strike]
|
1934 |
Box 1 | Folder 25 |
Sol Stetin. Citizen of Patterson
|
1948-1949 |
Box 1 | Folder 26 |
Sol Stetin. Speeches, Addresses
|
1982-1989 |
Box 1 | Folder 27 |
Rieve-Pollock. Miscellaneous Correspondence
|
1976-1994 |
Box 1 | Folder 28 |
Joseph L. Hueter
|
1987 |
Box 1 | Folder 29 |
Retiree Programs
|
1976 |
Box 1 | Folder 30 |
Press Stories
|
1956-1993 |
Box 1 | Folder 31 |
ACTWU/UNITE Biographies
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 32 |
Union Scholarships
|
1995 |
Box 1 | Folder 33 |
Botto House Labor Museum
|
1992 |
Box 1 | Folder 34 |
Rieve-Pollock Newsletter
|
1999 |
Box 1 | Folder 35 |
Rieve-Pollock Corporate Records
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 36 |
Book #1 Final Report, Cumulative Index, Barkin, Benet, Boggs
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 37 |
Book #2 Cook, Fiester, Gordon, Hueter
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 38 |
Book #3 Perkel, Rogin, Rogin & Fiester, Schaufenbil, Tibbets
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 39 |
Book #4 Stetin, Swaity, Todd, Williams, Watson
|
|
Box 2 | Folder 1 |
Deep South L-M Dinner
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
Friday, February 6, 1982. Atlanta Georgia
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 2 |
New England Region Luncheon
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
Saturday, April 17, 1982-Boston
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 3 |
Greater Toronto Joint Board-Annual Dinner and Meeting
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
March 27, 1982.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 4 |
Quin State Dinner in Honor of Sol Stetin
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
Saturday, May 22, 1982. Philadelphia
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 5 |
Southwest Ontario Joint Board
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
Saturday, April 24,1982-Ontario
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 6 |
"Why Sol Stetin Stepped Down" Nation
|
1977 |
Scope and Contents
December 10, 1977.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 7 |
Smithsonian Institute Speech
|
|
Scope and Contents
November 16, 199?
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 8 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation. General
|
1981-1993 |
Box 2 | Folder 9 |
Sol Stetin-Bergen Record. J.P. Stevens
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
August 9, 1979.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 10 |
Post Merger Material
|
1937-1995 |
Box 2 | Folder 11 |
Sol Stetin. Biography
|
1968-1986 |
Box 2 | Folder 12 |
Mike Stetson
|
1979-1981 |
Box 2 | Folder 13 |
Sol Stetin Banquet
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
October 13, 1979. Miscellaneous Correspondence
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 14 |
Sol Stetin
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
October 16, 1979. Banquet, Letters of Congratulation
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 15 |
Sol Stetin. Personal Correspondence
|
1978 |
Box 2 | Folder 16 |
William Patterson College of New Jersey
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
July 16, 1979.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 17 |
Great Falls Development Corporation. General
|
1976-1978 |
Box 2 | Folder 18 |
TWUA Publications
|
1946-1947 |
Box 2 | Folder 19 |
Chronology of Textile Workers Union of America
|
1934-1976 |
Box 2 | Folder 20 |
Rubenstein Data
|
1945-1977 |
Box 2 | Folder 21 |
Jack Rubenstein
|
1935-1977 |
Box 2 | Folder 22 |
NO Label
|
1926-1972 |
Box 2 | Folder 23 |
Rubenstein Data
|
1946-1976 |
Box 2 | Folder 24 |
Rubenstein Files from Dyers Federation [folder 1 of 3]
|
1935-1989 |
Box 2 | Folder 25 |
Rubenstein Files from Dyers Federation [folder 2 of 3]
|
1934-1938 |
Box 2 | Folder 26 |
Rubenstein Files from Dyers Federation [folder 3 of 3]
|
1935-1989 |
Box 2 |
Official Seal of the Rieve-Pollock Foundation
|
||
Box 2 |
1934 Textile Strike, An Introduction to a Proposed Film Producer Vera Rony
|
||
Scope and Contents
Video
|
|||
Box 2 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation-10th Anniversary Conference
|
1986 | |
Scope and Contents
October 26, 1986. Video
|
|||
Box 2 |
TWUA Organizing Campaign in South (Late 40's or Early 50's) and TWUA Convention
|
||
Scope and Contents
Video
|
|||
Box 2 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Conference-Gaithersburg, MD Tape 1
|
1989 | |
Scope and Contents
November 18, 1989. Video
|
|||
Box 2 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Conference-Gaithersburg, MD Tape 2
|
1989 | |
Scope and Contents
November 18, 1989. Video
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 1 |
Directors Meeting
|
1978 |
Scope and Contents
March 20, 1978.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 2 |
Directors Meeting
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
February 8, 1972.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 3 |
Directors Meeting
|
1980 |
Scope and Contents
January 29, 1980.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 4 |
Directors Meeting
|
1980 |
Scope and Contents
June 3, 1980.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 5 |
Directors Meeting
|
1980 |
Scope and Contents
November 6, 1980.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 6 |
Directors Meeting
|
1981 |
Scope and Contents
April 1, 1981.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 7 |
Directors Meeting
|
1981 |
Scope and Contents
August 14, 1981.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 8 |
Directors Meeting
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
April 13, 1982.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 9 |
Directors Meeting
|
1982 |
Scope and Contents
June 24, 1982.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 10 |
Directors Meeting
|
1983 |
Scope and Contents
June 28, 1983.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 11 |
Directors Meeting
|
1984 |
Scope and Contents
July 25, 1984.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 12 |
Directors Meeting
|
1985 |
Scope and Contents
June 7, 1985.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 13 |
Directors Meeting
|
1985 |
Scope and Contents
December 18, 1985.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 14 |
Directors Meeting
|
1986 |
Scope and Contents
July 17, 1986.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 15 |
Directors Meeting
|
1987 |
Scope and Contents
March 24, 1987.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 16 |
Directors Meeting
|
1988 |
Scope and Contents
March 29, 1988.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 17 |
Directors Meeting
|
1989 |
Scope and Contents
May 19, 1989.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 18 |
Directors Meeting
|
1989 |
Scope and Contents
June 20, 1989.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 19 |
Directors Meeting
|
1990 |
Scope and Contents
January 9, 1990.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 20 |
Directors Meeting
|
1990 |
Scope and Contents
May 21, 1990.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 21 |
Directors Meeting
|
1990 |
Scope and Contents
July 23, 1990.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 22 |
Directors Meeting
|
1990 |
Scope and Contents
August 22, 1990.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 23 |
Directors Meeting
|
1991 |
Scope and Contents
May 20, 1991.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 24 |
Directors Meeting
|
1991 |
Scope and Contents
August 26, 1991.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 25 |
Directors Meeting
|
1991 |
Scope and Contents
November 26, 1991.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 26 |
Directors Meeting. Cancelled
|
1993 |
Scope and Contents
April 23, 1993.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 27 |
Directors Meeting
|
1996 |
Scope and Contents
February 15, 1996.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 28 |
Directors Meeting
|
1997 |
Scope and Contents
January 29, 1997.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 29 |
1934 General Strike Conference-Philadelphia, PA
|
1984 |
Scope and Contents
November 10, 1984.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 30 |
10th Anniversary Celebration-Washington, DC
|
1986 |
Scope and Contents
October 25-26, 1986.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 31 |
Conference-Gaithersburg, MD
|
1988 |
Scope and Contents
November 19, 1988.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 32 |
Conference-NY, NY 9/30/90
|
|
Box 3 | Folder 33 |
Conference-Gaithersburg, MD
|
1993 |
Scope and Contents
November 13-14, 1993.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 34 |
American Woolen Mills (Vermont Project)
|
1990-1993 |
Box 3 | Folder 35 |
Cooleemee Historical Society Project (Harold Foster Papers)
|
1989-1992 |
Box 3 | Folder 36 |
Darlington Project
|
1980 |
Box 3 | Folder 37 |
NYS Labor History Association-Labor Landmarks Map/Poster Project
|
1995 |
Box 3 | Folder 38 |
Operation Dixie History Project
|
1984-1989 |
Box 3 | Folder 39 |
1928 New Bedford-Fall River Strike Project
|
1989-1995 |
Box 3 | Folder 40 |
Scalamandre Silks Photo Project
|
1982-1989 |
Box 3 | Folder 41 |
JP Stevens History Project (James Hodges)
|
1986-1992 |
Box 3 | Folder 42 |
Textile Song Project (Joe Glazer)-Textile Voices, Songs from the Mill
|
1984-1995 |
Box 3 | Folder 43 |
George Waldrep Research Project
|
1993-1996 |
Box 3 | Folder 44 |
New England Textile Industry-William Hartford
|
1991-1996 |
Box 3 | Folder 45 |
Sol Barkin Book Purchase
|
1993-1994 |
Box 3 | Folder 46 |
Hoyman Book Donation
|
1986-1991 |
Box 3 | Folder 47 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation
|
1976-1977 |
Box 3 | Folder 48 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation
|
1978 |
Box 3 | Folder 49 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation
|
1979 |
Box 3 | Folder 50 |
Barbara Kopple's American Dream Film
|
1991-1992 |
Box 3 | Folder 51 |
Honea Path Memorial Fund
|
1994-1995 |
Box 3 | Folder 52 |
Michelle Brattain PhD Dissertation
|
1994 |
Box 3 | Folder 53 |
"Southern Exposure" Article on JP Stevens
|
1993-1994 |
Box 3 | Folder 54 |
TWUA Presidents Room-99 University Place
|
1981 |
Box 3 | Folder 55 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Programs
|
1976-1982 |
Box 3 | Folder 56 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Slide Show-"Our Lives, Our Rights"
|
1978-1979 |
Box 3 | Folder 57 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Organizational Records-Procedures
|
1976-1983 |
Box 3 | Folder 58 |
Bob Bussel Grant Request
|
1995 |
Box 3 | Folder 59 |
N.E.H Grant Proposal for TWUA History
|
1982 |
Box 3 | Folder 60 |
TWUA History Grant Applications
|
1982 |
Box 4 | Folder 1 |
TWUA History (Daniel)
|
1946-1999 |
Box 4 | Folder 2 |
Botto House American Labor Museum
|
1982-1996 |
Box 4 | Folder 3 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Retiree Newsletter
|
1996-1997 |
Box 4 | Folder 4 |
1934 Textile Strike Project-Vera Rony-1977-1987
|
|
Box 4 | Folder 5 |
"Uprising of '34" 1934 Strike Film (Vera Rony) [folder 1 of 2]
|
1982-1996 |
Box 4 | Folder 6 |
1934 Strike Film (Vera Rony)
|
1990-1995 |
Box 4 | Folder 7 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation–William Du Chessi Scholarship Fund
|
1979-1989 |
Box 4 | Folder 8 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation-William Du Chessi Scholarship Fund
|
1990-1997 |
Box 4 | Folder 9 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Finances
|
1977-1984 |
Box 4 | Folder 10 |
Rieve-Pollock Foundation Finances
|
1977-1997 |
Box 4 | Folder 11 |
Reports to Government Agencies Tax Forms 990 EZ & Exemption Form
|
1978-1995 |
Box 5 | Folder 1 |
Oversize-Original Charters
|