ILGWU. Convention publications, 1904-1995.
Collection Number: 5780/193 PUBS

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


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU. Convention publications, 1904-1995.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/193 PUBS
Abstract:
This collection consists of publications produced for the conventions of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), including Annual Journals, Reports and proceedings, General Executive Board Reports, and Financial and Statistical Reports.
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Quanitities:
4 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English

Biographical / Historical

The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was founded in New York City in 1900 by mostly Socialist immigrant workers who sought to unite the various crafts in the growing women's garment industry. The union soon reflected changes in the sector and rapidly organized thousands of unskilled and semi-skilled women, mostly Jewish and Italian young immigrants. Exemplifying the "new unionism," the ILGWU led two of the most widespread and best-known industrial strikes of the early Twentieth Century: the shirtwaist makers' strike of 1909 in New York City and the cloak makers' strike of 1910 in Chicago. The union also tried to adapt to the fragmented and unstable nature of the industry. It adopted the "protocol of peace," a system of industrial relations that attempted to ensure stability and limit strikes and production disruption by providing for an arbitration system to resolve disputes.
The ILGWU exemplified the European-style social unionism of its founding members. They pursued bread and butter issues but provided educational opportunities, benefits, and social programs to union members as well. In 1919, the ILGWU became the first American union to negotiate an unemployment compensation fund that was contributed to by its employers. The ILGWU also pioneered in the establishment of an extremely progressive health care program for its members which included not only regional Union Health Centers but also a resort for union workers, known as Unity House. The Union also had an imaginative and pioneering Education Department which not only trained workers in traditional union techniques, but provided courses in citizenship and the English language.
David Dubinsky, an immigrant from Belarus who came to the US in 1911, provided strong leadership that led to unprecedented growth in the union during his presidency from 1932 to 1966. He led the union through successful internal anti-communist struggles, built on the ascendancy of industrial unionism by encouraging the formation of the Committee for Industrial Organization, and helped the union become an important political force in New York City and state politics, and in the national Democratic Party and Liberal Party as well.
In the period following the Second World War, the union suffered a decline in membership as manufacturers avoided unionization and took advantage of less expensive labor by moving shops from the urban centers in the northeast to the south, and later abroad. The ethnic and racial character of the ILGWU also changed as European immigrants were supplanted by Asians, Latin Americans, African- Americans, and immigrants from the Caribbean.
In July 1995 the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) at a joint convention, forming UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees). At the time the new union had a membership of about 250,000 in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

This collection consists of publications produced for the conventions of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), including Annual Journals, Reports and proceedings, General Executive Board Reports, and Financial and Statistical Reports.
The ILGWU Records, except for publications and materials produced for publication, are restricted. Materials created prior to twenty years from the current date are open to researchers only with prior written permission from the Director of the Kheel Center; materials created during the past twenty-years are closed; the minutes of the General Executive Board are closed. For more information contact the Kheel Center.
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. Convention publications. 5780/193 PUBS. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Martin P. Catherwood Library, Cornell University.

Related Materials

5780. ILGWU Records
5780/072. ILGWU. Constitutions and dues books
5780/080. ILGWU. Convention records
5780/080mf. ILGWU. Convention records. Microfilm

SUBJECTS

Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Subjects:
Labor unions--Clothing workers--United States--History.
Labor unions--Clothing workers--New York (State)--New York--History.
Wages--Clothing workers--United States--History.
Wages--Clothing workers--New York (State)--New York--History.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
5th Convention, 1904. Annual Journal
1904
Box 1 Folder 2
11th Convention, 1912. Report and Proceedings
1912
Box 1 Folder 3
12th Convention, 1914. Report and Proceedings
1914
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 1 Folder 4
13th Convention, 1916. Report and Proceedings
1916
Scope and Contents
Copy 1
Box 1 Folder 5
13th Convention, 1916. Report and Proceedings
1916
Scope and Contents
Copy 2
Box 1 Folder 6
13th Convention, 1916. Report and Proceedings
1916
Scope and Contents
Copy 3
Box 1 Folder 7
14th Convention, 1918. Report and Proceedings
1918
Box 1 Folder 8
17th Convention, 1924. Financial Report
1922-1924
Box 1 Folder 9
17th Convention, 1924. General Executive Board Report
1924
Box 1 Folder 10
19th Convention, 1928. Financial Report
1925-1928
Box 1 Folder 11
20th Convention, 1929. Report and Proceedings
1929
Box 1 Folder 12
21st Convention, 1932. Financial Report
1929-1932
Box 1 Folder 13
21st Convention, 1932. Report and Proceedings
1932
Box 1 Folder 14
22nd Convention, 1934. Financial Report
1932-1934
Box 1 Folder 15
23rd Convention, 1937. Financial and Statistical Report
1934-1937
Box 1 Folder 16
24th Convention, 1940. Report and Records
1940
Box 1 Folder 17
25th Convention, 1944. Financial and Statistical Report
1940-1944
Box 1 Folder 18
25th Convention, 1944. Report and Proceedings
1944
Box 1 Folder 19
26th Convention, 1947. Financial and Statistical Report
1944-1947
Box 1 Folder 20
26th Convention, 1947. Report and Record
1947
Box 1 Folder 21
27th Convention, 1950. Report and Record and Financial and Statistical Report
1947-1950
Box 1 Folder 22
28th Convention, 1953. Report and Record.
1953
Box 2 Folder 1
29th Convention, 1956. Report and Record.
1956
Box 2 Folder 2
30th Convention, 1959. Report and Record.
1959
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 2 Folder 3
31th Convention, 1962. Report and Record.
1962
Scope and Contents
Copy 1
Box 2 Folder 4
31th Convention, 1962. Report and Record.
1962
Scope and Contents
Copy 2 and 3
Box 2 Folder 5
32nd Convention, 1965. Financial and Statistical Report
1962-1964
Box 2 Folder 6
32nd Convention, 1965. Report and Record.
1965
Box 2 Folder 7
33rd Convention, 1968. Financial and Statistical Report
1965-1967
Box 2 Folder 8
33rd Convention, 1968. Report and Record.
1968
Box 2 Folder 9
34th Convention, 1971. Financial and Statistical Report
1968-1970
Box 2 Folder 10
34th Convention, 1971. Report and Record.
1971
Box 3 Folder 1
35th Convention, 1974. Report and Record.
1974
Scope and Contents
Copy 1
Box 3 Folder 2
35th Convention, 1974. Report and Record.
1974
Scope and Contents
Copy 2
Box 3 Folder 3
35th Convention, 1974. Financial and Statistical Report
1971-1973
Box 3 Folder 4
35th Convention, 1974. The Northeast Department
1974
Box 3 Folder 5
35th Convention, 1974. Report and Record
1974
Box 3 Folder 6
36th Convention, 1977. Financial and Statistical Report
1974-1976
Box 3 Folder 7
36th Convention, 1977. Report and Record
1977
Box 3 Folder 8
37th Convention, 1980. General Executive Board Report
1980
Scope and Contents
3 copies.
Box 3 Folder 9
37th Convention, 1980. Report and Record.
1980
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 3 Folder 10
37th Convention, 1980. Report and Record.
1980
Scope and Contents
Copy 3
Box 3 Folder 11
37th Convention, 1980. Financial Report
1977-1979
Box 4 Folder 1
38th Convention, 1983. Financial and Statistical Report
1980-1982
Box 4 Folder 2
38th Convention, 1983. Newsletter
1983
Box 4 Folder 3
38th Triennial Convention, 1983. Report to the Delegates
1983
Scope and Contents
2 copies
Box 4 Folder 4
38th Triennial Convention, 1983. Report and Record.
1983
Box 4 Folder 5
39th Convention, 1986. General Executive Board Report
1986
Box 4 Folder 6
40th Convention, 1989. Financial and Statistical Report
1986-1988
Box 4 Folder 7
40th Convention, 1989. Report of Proceedings
1989
Scope and Contents
4 copies.
Box 4 Folder 8
41st Convention, 1992. Financial and Statistical Report
1989-1991
Box 4 Folder 9
41st Convention, 1992. Report of Proceedings
1992
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 4 Folder 10
41st Convention, 1992. Policy Statements
1992
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 4 Folder 11
42nd Convention, 1995. Financial and Statistical Report
1992-1994
Box 4 Folder 12
42nd Convention, 1995. General Executive Board Report
1995
Scope and Contents
2 copies.
Box 4 Folder 13
10th Convention, 1910. Report and Proceeedings
1910
Box 4 Folder 14
15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th Conventions, 1920-1925. General Executive Board Reports
1920-1925
Scope and Contents
2 copies.