ILGWU Auditing Department Publications, 1935-1994
Collection Number: 5780/192 PUBS
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ILGWU Auditing Department Publications, 1935-1994
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/192 PUBS
Abstract:
This collection contains publications of the Auditing Department, including statements
of receipts and disbursements (1935-1960), census reports (1952-1984), and financial
reports of general funds (1961-1994).
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
1 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 ILGWU Auditing Department was organized in October 1914, under the direction of
B.M. Rabinovitch. It was charged with auditing the local unions, joint boards, district
councils and departments, and the general office of the ILGWU. The Department presented
these reports to the General Executive Board and to the ILGWU's International conventions.
Beginning in 1935, the ILGWU published annual financial reports that accounted for
the International office's receipts and disbursements, as well as those of affiliate
local unions, joint boards, district councils and departments. These reports detailed
the disbursements from the local unions, joint boards, and district councils and departments
to the international office (dues stamps and assessments), administrative expenses
(salaries for office staff, office rent, printing, stationary, postage, telephone
and telegraph, janitor, cleaning, light, dues to other organizations, miscellaneous
expenses), organization expenses (salaries for managers, business agents, adjusters,
organizing expenses, elections, strike relief, legal fees, loss of time, collection
of dues, education, hall rent, advertisements, etc.), and donations and relief (such
as the Anti-Nazi drive, labor causes, charitable, community, or cultural organizations).
Local unions also paid towards the operation of the joint boards of which they were
member organizations.
Reporting was again altered in 1958. Before then, whether in the convention report
or an annual report, the union's financial information was presented in tables that
listed local unions by number, followed by joint boards, district council and departments,
and finally, the international office. After 1958, these presented the same information
by area (e.g., Northeast Department Area, Southwest Area, etc.), and concluded with
a listing of joint boards, district councils and department and their affiliated locals.
The Census Reports in this collection provide general information about the membership,
presenting the annual statistical schedule of dues stamps purchased from the international
office and a comparison of dues-paying members with actual membership census.
Prior to 1935, the ILGWU published information about its membership and finances
along with reports presented at the international conventions. These reports provided
membership numbers, broken down by male or female and also by number of members working
by week or by piece. They also detailed the amounts local unions paid out and collected.
In addition, some of these reports included brief summaries of strikes (e.g., won,
lost, pending, number involved, cost, and gains), injunctions, and general conditions
in the trade. Such additional financial and membership information may be found in
financial and statistical reports in 5780/193 PUBS and 5780/121 PUBS.
Taken together, the reports in this collection provide a statistical overview of
the membership and finances of the ILGWU. Researchers interested in the more detailed
information on these aspects of the union, or on the membership and finances of specific
local unions, joint boards, and district councils and departments, should consult
finding aids to those affiliates' records.
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 Auditing Department Publications #5780/192 PUBS. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Auditing Dept
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry--United States
Clothing workers--Labor unions--United States
Textile workers--United States
CONTAINER LIST
|
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
| Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Statement of Receipts and Disbursements
|
1935-1960 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 1: Statement of Receipts and Disbursements
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 2: Statement of Receipts and Disbursements
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. 2 copies each 1959 and 1960. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Census Report
|
1952-1984 |
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Item 1: Census Report
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. 2 copies each 1976 and 1980. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Financial Report: General Funds
|
1961-1965 |
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Item 1: Financial Report: General Funds
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. 2 copies each 1961, 1963, and 1965. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Financial Report: General Funds
|
1966-1975 |
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Item 1: Financial Report: General Funds
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. 2 copies each, except only one 1969. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 5 |
Financial Report: General Funds
|
1976-1982 |
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 5 |
Item 1: Financial Report: General Funds
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. 2 copies each, except three for 1982. Item is in English.
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Financial Report: General Funds
|
1983-1994 |
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Item 1: Financial Report: General Funds
|
|
|
Format: Publication
|
|||
|
Scope and Contents
By Auditing Department. Item is in English.
|
|||