ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs, 1939-1970
Collection Number: 5780/057 P
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs, 1939-1970
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/057 P
Abstract:
This collection consists of photographs pulled from the records of Local 22's Education
Department. Included are images of conferences, meetings, and rallies.
Creator:
ILGWU Local 22
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
0.5 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor
unions in the United States founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing
about 2,000 members in cities in the northeastern United States. It was one of the
first U.S. Unions to have a membership consisting of mostly females, and it played
a key role in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s. The union is generally referred
to as the "ILGWU" or the "ILG". The ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership size,
and 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. The ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated
Clothing and Textile Workers Union in 1995 to form the Union of Needle trades, Industrial
and Textile Employees (UNITE). UNITE merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant
Employees Union (HERE) in 2004 to create a new union known as UNITE HERE. The two
unions that formed UNITE in 1995 represented only 250,000 workers between them, down
from the ILGWU's peak membership of 450,000 in 1969.
The Education Department of Local 22 was developed to further the educational and
cultural development of the Local's membership. It routinely sponsored lectures and
courses on a variety of labor and other topics; it also offered musical and dramatic
performances on a regular basis, either for or featuring its membership.
Local 22 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), also known
as the Dressmakers' Union, was chartered in December 1920 and based in New York City.
The dress industry formed its own Joint Board in 1921 composed of Local 22 Dressmakers,
Local 25 Waistmakers, Local 58 Waist Buttonhole Makers, Local 60 Waist and Dress Pressers,
Local 66 Bonnaz Embroidery Workers, Local 89 Italian Waist and Dressmakers, and the
waist and dress branch of Cutters' Local 10. A general work stoppage in February 1923
in the dress industry won the union a 40 hour week and 10 percent wage increase, as
well as a large gain of new members. During the summer of 1923, after years of discussion
and deliberation, the two dress locals, Local 23 and 22 were consolidated. The dressmakers
from Local 23 transferred to Local 22 and subsequently Local 22 joined the New York
Cloakmakers' Joint Board. Soon, the Dress and Waist Joint Board became unnecessary
and was dissolved. Local 25 Waistmakers were left without an affiliated organization
and in October 1924 merged with the Dressmakers' Union, Local 22.
By the end of 1926, the Communists had gained control of the dress organization in
New York City and the union barely existed. In February 4, 1930, 25,000 dressmakers
walked out of the shops. The strike was called to reorganize dressmakers and finally
abolish the Communist influence in the industry. On April 8, 1930 the General Executive
Board decided to separate the dressmakers from the Cloakmakers' Joint Board. In 1931,
Charles Zimmerman formed a committee to rebuild Local 22. He was elected to executive
board of Local 22 in 1932, and elected manager-secretary in 1933. Another walkout
in all dress shops, both union and non-union on August 16, 1933 brought the dress
industry to a halt.
Zimmerman left Local 22 in 1958 to become manager of the Dress Joint Board. Israel
Breslow succeeded him as manager of Local 22 from 1958 until his retirement in 1975.
By 1975, the New York Dress Joint Board completed restructuring of affiliate locals,
and Locals 60-60A, 159, and 38 were merged into existing Locals 22 and 89. Local 22
gained jurisdiction over all dressmakers in Manhattan. In the 1980s, more locals were
dissolved and members transferred to Local 22, but by 1984, Local 22 saw restructuring
as well. Changes in the garment industry necessitated the dissolution of the Joint
Board and Local 22 into the new Local 89-22-1.
The photographs in the collection were pulled from the records of the Local 22 Education
Department (5780/057). The images illustrate the wide range of activities and programming
put on by the department. Photographs show members taking classes, especially the
women members. Classes depicted include music and literature. There are also dinners
and banquets, meetings and conferences, speakers and lecterns and rallies. Additionally,
there are portraits of officers and members, many with Charles Zimmerman (see also
5780/014P).
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
ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs #5780/057 P. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections: 5780: ILGWU records 5780/014: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Papers 5780/014 P: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Photographs 5780/015: ILGWU Local 22 Records 5780/036: ILGWU Local 22 Minutes 5780/057: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Records 5780/067: ILGWU Local 22 Israel Breslow Papers
Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 22 (New York, N.Y.).Education
Dept.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union -- Photographs
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry--New York (State)
Women's clothing industry--United States
Clothing workers--Labor unions--New York (State)
Clothing workers--Labor unions--United States
Clothing workers--New York (State)
Clothing workers -- United States
Industrial relations--New York (State)
Industrial relations -- United States
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057, box 3 folder 2, "Politics"
|
|
Scope and Contents
Includes: shop scenes, group photographs
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
|
Scope and Contents
Includes: Class in American literature, Agnes Mattock, Instructor; children working
at craft projects; convention scenes; Trade Union Committee on Puerto Rican Affairs
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
1960-1965 |
Scope and Contents
Includes: photos from Justice; African Leaders--Central Labor Council Luncheon, September
8, 1960; conference at New School, 1960; group photos; Charles Zimmerman
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057, "Jewish Labor Committee; Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society;
International Rescue Committee, etc.; Austria"
|
1969-1970 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
1960 |
Scope and Contents
Includes: Protest against racial discrimination, March 1960
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Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
1939-1960 |
Scope and Contents
Includes: Trade Union Council-Liberal Party Legislative Conference, Astor Hotel, 1960;
Local 22 Color Guard on the picket line, 1939; Local 22 production of "Sew What;"
Unity House; Histadrut Humanitarian Award Dinner, June 23, 1959; Shorter Work Week
Conference, Unity House, August 1958; National Trade Union Conference on Civil Rights,
1957; Association to Perpetuate the Memory of Ukranian Jews, June 1959; delegates
to ILGWU Convention, 1959; Liberal Party dinner, June 10, 1959; Charles Zimmerman;
group photos; Diego Rivera mural [?]
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
1954-1968 |
Scope and Contents
Includes: "10,000 Retiree," American Labor ORT meeting, 1954; group photos; picketing
at Anaconda Copper, February 8, 1968; Governor Rockefeller signing bill, August 1,
1966; Bon Voyage Luncheon for David Dubinsky, April 11, 1966; Salute to Labor Israel,
Manhattan Center, June 11, 1968; Annual Executive Board meeting, Labor ORT, October
22, 1968; Central Labor Council, Executive Board, August 15, 1968; Liberal Party rally
for Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968; Labor Day parade, 1960; San Francisco reception, September
1959; Charles Zimmerman and Representative William Ryan (NY); Jewish Labor Committee
dinner, November 9, 1967; portraits of Charles Zimmerman
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Box 1 | Folder 8 |
Photographs pulled from 5780/057
|
1956-1967 |
Scope and Contents
Includes: "Miss Union Maid," 1963; Local 60A, September 24, 1963; Jewish Labor Committee
Stenzor dinner, April 6, 1963; Liberal Party, 1963; group photos; Eleanor Roosevelt,
September 25, 1956; Golda Meir luncheon, October 17, 1961; Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE) protest of Zimmerman, 1961; ORT annual conference, January 22, 1967; Histadrut
House, March 15, 1967
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Box 2 |
Images digitized from the collection.
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