ILGWU. Northeast Department records, 1933-1983
Collection Number: 5780/050

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU. Northeast Department records, 1933-1983
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/050
Abstract:
The first box of this collection contains the diaries (1950-1959) of David Gingold noting meetings, conferences, and important phone conversations, as well as the appointment books (1950-1970) of David Gingold scheduling trips, conferences, meetings, luncheons and holidays. The second box contains the speeches and statements (1944-1960) made by David Gingold, and publications of the Northeast Department.
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
2.33 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English

Biographical / Historical

Founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing about 2,000 members in cities in the northeastern United States, the ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership size, political influence to become one of the most powerful forces in American organized labor by mid-century. Representing workers in the women's garment industry, the ILGWU worked to improve working and living conditions of its members through collective bargaining agreements, training programs, health care facilities, cooperative housing, educational opportunities, and other efforts. In 1995, the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

Biographical / Historical

David Gingold was born in Poland on December 10, 1896, arrived in the United States in 1912 as a teenager, and began working in the raincoat trade, joining Rainwear Local 20. He held several offices in Local 20 including a member of the executive board in 1922 and vice-chairman in 1923. In 1924, Gingold was elected manager of Local 20 and from 1925-1929 served on the ILGWU General Executive Board (GEB) and as a vice president of the union. Gingold briefly returned to shop work before becoming an organizer in 1934. After time spent organizing areas of Pennsylvania and New England, Gingold assumed the directorship of the Northeast Department in 1943, a position he held until his retirement in 1977. He was again elected a vice president and member of the ILGWU GEB in 1946. He died on December 15, 1980 at the age of 84.

Biographical / Historical

The Cotton Garment and Miscellaneous Trades Department was established in 1935, and renamed the Northeast Department In 1946. At the time of its formation, the department was responsible for Pennsylvania (outside of Philadelphia), Massachusetts (outside of Boston), New York (north of Albany), Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and parts of New Jersey (Harry Crone, "35 Northeast," New York: ILGWU, 1970, 18-19.).
In the 1970s, the ILGWU underwent major reorganization, resulting in changes in the Northeast Department's jurisdiction and name. With the formation of the New England Region in 1975, the Northeast Department no longer had jurisdiction in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. In 1976, responsibility for upstate New York was shifted to the newly-established New York State District. In 1977, the Eastern Pennsylvania Region organized and serviced members in the former Northeast Department areas of New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania (Easton, Allentown, and Philadelphia). In 1979, the New Jersey Region took over the parts of New Jersey previously covered by the Northeast Department.
The Northeast Department was reorganized to be the Northeast, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Department in 1978.
Vice President Elias Reisberg, General Manager of the Philadelphia Joint Board, served as director from 1935 until his death in 1943. David Gingold succeeded Reisberg, serving as director until his retirement in 1977. Sol Hoffman served as director of this ILGWU's Northeast, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Department from 1977 until 1995.

The collection consists of two types of records, those relating to David Gingold in his role as director of the Northeast Department and the administrative records of the department.
Included are appointment books by year for David Gingold and also Sol Chaikin, in which are marked meetings and appointments with individuals, allowing the researcher to view the daily calendars of these two individuals. Also available is the Daily Business Journal of presumably Gingold. It is arranged by day and provides an account of who he talked to, who he spoke to on the phone, who he met with, what was discussed, and what business was carried out on that particular day, providing daily accounts of Gingold and his work for the department. Additionally, there are speeches given by Gingold, typed out with handwritten notations for union events, local meetings, conferences, installation ceremonies, and dinners, such as retirement dinners for locals under his jurisdiction.
The second component of the collection focuses on the general organizational function of the department and includes reports from the Northeast Department to the GEB, handbooks, guides published by and for the Northeast Department, and minutes for various locals that were under the jurisdiction of the Northeast Department, including Local 93 Reading PA, and Local 109-131 Scranton PA.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.
Conditions Governing Use

This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Preferred Citation

ILGWU. Northeast Department records #5780/050. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

Related Materials

Related Collections: 5780: ILGWU records

SUBJECTS

Names:
Gingold, David.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. -- Northeast Department.
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States.
Women's clothing industry -- New York.
Labor unions -- United States -- Clothing workers.
Labor unions -- New York -- Clothing workers.
Clothing workers -- United States
Clothing workers -- New York.
Industrial relations -- United States
Industrial relations -- New York.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
David Gingold Speeches
1958-1960
Box 1 Folder 2
David Gingold. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1961
Box 1 Folder 3
[No Name]. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1964
Scope and Contents
2 copies
Box 1 Folder 4
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1965
Box 1 Folder 5
David Gingold. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1965
Box 1 Folder 6
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1966
Box 1 Folder 7
David Gingold. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1966
Box 1 Folder 8
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1967
Box 1 Folder 9
David Gingold. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1967
Box 1 Folder 10
[No Name]. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1968
Scope and Contents
2 copies
Box 1 Folder 11
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1969
Box 1 Folder 12
David Gingold. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1969
Box 1 Folder 13
[No Name]. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1970
Scope and Contents
2 copies
Box 1 Folder 14
[No Name]. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1971
Box 1 Folder 15
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1971
Box 1 Folder 16
S. C. Chaiken. Appointment Book and Daily Memoranda
1972
Box 1 Folder 17
[No Name]. Daily Business Journal
1950
Box 1 Folder 18
[No Name]. Daily Business Journal. (1 of 2)
1951-1953
Box 1 Folder 19
[No Name]. Daily Business Journal. (2 of 2)
1951-1953
Box 1 Folder 20
[No Name]. Daily Business Journal
1956-1958
Box 2 Folder 1
David Gingold Speeches
1946
Box 2 Folder 2
David Gingold Speeches
1946-1955
Box 2 Folder 3
David Gingold Speeches
1956-1957
Box 2 Folder 4
A Policy Guide on Enforcing the Union Agreement
Scope and Contents
Undated
Box 3 Folder 1
Minutes. Reading Local 93
1933-1934
Box 3 Folder 2
ILGWU. Northeast Department. Report to the General Execuritve Board
1944
Box 3 Folder 3
ILGWU Northeast Department. Guide in Setting Piece Rates in Dress Joint Council Shops
1963
Box 3 Folder 4
ILGWU. Northeast Department. Dress Guide for Piece Rates
1968
Box 3 Folder 5
Minutes Book of the David Crystal Shop
1943-1959
Box 3 Folder 6
Minutes. Finance Committee. Local 109 and 131
1938-1948
Box 3 Folder 7
Minutes. Local 131
1935-1940
Box 4 Folder 1
Your Union. Wyoming Valley District Council. Northeast Department. ILGWU
Scope and Contents
Undated
Box 4 Folder 2
Correspondence
1966
Box 4 Folder 3
Newspaper Clippings
1970
Box 4 Folder 4
28th Convention Report
Scope and Contents
Undated
Box 4 Folder 5
The Principles of Unionis (Questions and Answers). ILGWU Education Department
1936
Box 4 Folder 6
Newspaper Clippings
1960-1961
Box 4 Folder 7
Holiday Messages
1960-1973
Box 4 Folder 8
Union Newsletters
1960-1979
Box 4 Folder 9
Union Newspapers/Newsletters
1961-1975
Box 4 Folder 10
An Outline of Grievance Procedures in the Garment Industry. Northeast Department. ILGWU
1965
Box 4 Folder 11
Staff Conference Report. Northeast Department. ILGWU
1967
Scope and Contents
Aug 20-Aug 22, 1967
Box 4 Folder 12
Pamphlet. 35th Anniversary. Tri-district Health Center
1983
Box 4 Folder 13
Politics and the Garment Worker. Parts 1 and 2. Northeast Department. ILGWU
Scope and Contents
Undated
Box 4 Folder 14
Policy Guides on Enforcing the Union Agreement
1966-1967
Box 4 Folder 15
Dress Guide for Piece Rates. Northeast Department. ILGWU
1968-1971
Box 4 Folder 16
Notes
Scope and Contents
Undated