Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council Records

Collection Number: 5254

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council Records, 1939-1964
Collection Number:
5254
Creator:
Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council
Quantity:
7 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Records (documents) .
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:


This collection contains the office files of the Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council from its organization in 1937 to their merger with the Buffalo Federation of Labor in 1958. Include general administrative records, materials relating to labor legislation, relations with member organizations, relations with New York State Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the national CIO, relations with international labor organizations and with the public.
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Local industrial union councils operated on a city, county, or district basis and were composed of the CIO local unions within these areas. The industrial union councils were under the control of the CIO, but the CIO did not force its nationals and internationals to make their local unions join the local councils. The Local councils, like the state councils, were coordinating agencies designed to serve the local unions within their area.
"The objects of the Council shall be to secure united action of all locals of national and international unions and organizing committees and local industrial unions and industrial union councils affiliated to the CIO within its jurisdiction and through united action to protect, maintain and advance the interests of all working people in its territory, to extend unionism on the basis of industrial organization, to secure and enforce legislation in the interests of the working people, to promote recognition and acceptance of collective bargaining in industry, and to increase public understanding of the labor movement."
-CIO Model Constitution
The Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council was organized in 193T. The council participated in organizing work and engaged in politics: municipal, state and national. It tried to cultivate a favorable public opinion toward CIO unions. The council sometimes engaged in various types of educational work, such as forming study classes and encouraged the formation of education committees in local unions.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Include general administrative records, materials relating to labor legislation, relations with member organizations, relations with New York State Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the national CIO, relations with international labor organizations and with the public.
General administrative records (1938-1958) include correspondence, publications, resolutions, reports, minutes and ballots concerning the sentiment of the GBIUC on various state and federal legislative proposals, political endorsements, veterans' affairs, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations relations, local strikes, and various other local union matters. Specific issues covered in these records include employment stabilization after World War II; unemployment insurance and workmen's compensation; industrial safety and hygiene; jurisdictional disputes and raiding between the Niagara, N.Y. locals of the United Automobile Workers and the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers; strikes at Remington Rand, Bell Aircraft, and the National Carbon Company; and the merger of American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) and Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) unions in Buffalo.
A resolutions file (1939-1958) includes matters coming before the GBIUC for its endorsement or opposition. These include proposed new or amended federal, state, or county legislation and public issues of interest to organized labor. Among the issues acted upon were the Hatch-Ball-Burton Bill, S.1171; a national health bill; the Taft-Hartley Act, the St. Lawrence power project; time-and-a-half provisions for county workers; and the imposition of state sales tax in New York. The GBIUC also expressed its opinion on the issues of runaway shops, social security, unemployment, a guaranteed annual wage, slum clearance and low rent housing, World War II defense issues, and the anti-communist campaign of the 1950's, among others.
The collection contains files relating to the Council's relations with its member organizations, including correspondence, reports, resolutions, surveys, legislative materials, and publications (1939-1959). These records concern financial matters, and affiliated local activities, including strikes, contract negotiations, and arbitration. Also included is a survey of the thirty-five affiliated member organizations on the impact of post World War II reconversion and employment.
GBIUC relations with the New York State CIO Council are documented in resolutions, reports and correspondence between the two organizations. Discussed are right-to-work laws, the New York State Disability Benefits Law, a rent control bill, unemployment insurance, and workmen's compensation, among other issues.
The Council's varied political activities are recorded throughout the collection but particularly in its legislative action files (1940-1959). These include correspondence, resolutions, legislative materials, statements, and surveys. Municipal correspondents include Bernard J. Dowd (mayor of Buffalo), Francis E. Franczak (Buffalo Department of Health), and Leo J. Hagerty (district attorney, Erie County) as well as officials of the Buffalo Common Council, the Buffalo Policemen's Organization, the Buffalo Port Authority, the City of Lackawanna, the Erie County Board of Supervisors and County Department of Social Welfare. New York State correspondents include Stanley J. Bauer (senator), Frederick T. Devlin (assistant attorney general), Charles W. Halloran (acting industrial commissioner, Department of Labor), Averell Harriman (governor), and Walter J. Mahoney (senator), as well as other representatives of the State Assembly, Department of Labor, and Public Services Commission. National legislative correspondents include Homer E. Capchant (senator), Chester C. Gorski (congressman), Irving M. Ives (senator), Jacob K. Javits (senator), James M. Mead (senator), John R. Pillion (congressman), Edmund P. Radwan (congressman), and Anthony F. Tauriello (congressman).
Subjects discussed in this correspondence include workmen's compensation, the Condon-Wadlin Bill, apprenticeship standards, New York State health and safety legislation, unemployment insurance, anti-discrimination and anti-labor legislation, civil rights, conservation, housing, wage legislation and price control, taxes, social security, the Missouri Valley Authority and the St. Lawrence Seaway project.
Also included in these records are correspondence and other documents relating to the GBIUC's activities with the Congress of Industrial Organizations, labor groups around the world and various Buffalo, N.Y. and regional social organizations (ca. 1940's-1950's).
SUBJECTS

Names:
Bauer, Stanley J.
Capchant, Homer (Homer Earl)
Devlin, Frederick T.
Dowd, Bernard J.
Gorski, Chester C.
Harriman, Averell, 1891-1986
Ives, Irving McNeil, 1896-1962.
Javits, Jacob K. (Jacob Koppel), 1904-1986
Mahoney, Walter J., 1908-1982
Mead, James M.
Pillion, John R.
Radwan, E.P. (Edmund P.)
Tauriello, Anthony F.
AFL-CIO. Committee on Political Education
Bell Aircraft Company
CIO Council (N.Y.)
Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council (CIO)
International Union, United Automobile Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America
International Union, United Automobile Workers of America (A.F. of L.)
International Union, United Automobile Workers of America (CIO)
National Carbon Company
New York (State). Department of Labor.
New York (State). Legislature. Assembly.
New York State CIO Council
Remington Rand, inc.
United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America
United States. Labor Management Relations Act, 1947.

Subjects:
Foreign workers--United States.
Anti-communist movements--United States.
Civil rights--New York (State)
Cost and standard of living--United States.
Employment stabilization--United States.
Guaranteed annual income--United States.
Hours of labor--United States.
Industrial hygiene--United States.
Industrial safety--United States.
Insurance, Disability--New York (State)
Unemployment Insurance--New York (State)
Labor laws and legislation--New York (State)
Labor laws and legislation--United States.
Sales tax--New York (State)
Social security--United States.
Strikes and lockouts--New York (State)
Tax collection--New York (State)
Labor unions--New York (State)--Buffalo--Political activity.
Labor unions--New York (State)--Political activity.
Labor unions--United States--Political activity.
Veterans--Employment--United States.
Workers' compensation--New York (State)
Housing. New York (State). Law and legislation.
Health Insurance. Law and legislation. United States.
Open and closed shop. Law and legislation. New York (State)
Race discrimination. Law and legislation. United States.
Runaway shops. United States.
Strikes and lockouts. Aircraft industry. United States.
Strikes and lockouts. Coal mining industry. United States.
Strikes and lockouts. Electronic industries. United States.
Trade-union merger. New York (State). Buffalo.
Trade-unions. New York (State). Local unions.
Trade-unions. New York (State). Niagara Falls. Jurisdictional disputes.
Wages. County employees. United States.
Wages. Minimum wage. United States.

Geographic Subjects:
United States. Public works.

Form and Genre Terms:
Records (documents)

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Access Restrictions:
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.
Restrictions on Use:
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.
Cite As:
Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council Records #5254. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
RELATED MATERIALS

Related Collections:
5407 mf: Random selection of papers from Greater Buffalo Industrial Union Council Records on Microfilm
CONTAINER LIST

Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 15 1951
Box 1 Folder 1 1941-1964
Box 1 Folder 28 1949
Box 1 Folder 27 1942-1944
Box 1 Folder 26 1957
Box 1 Folder 25 1947
Box 1 Folder 24 1945
Aug. 6th - Nov. 12th
Box 1 Folder 23 1947-1958
Box 1 Folder 22 1946
Box 1 Folder 21 1947
Box 1 Folder 20 1949
Box 1 Folder 19 1952
Box 1 Folder 18 1946
Box 1 Folder 30 1949
Box 1 Folder 16 1948
Box 1 Folder 31 1948
Box 1 Folder 14 1949
Box 1 Folder 13 1952
Box 1 Folder 12 1958
Box 1 Folder 11 1953-1955
Box 1 Folder 10 1954
Box 1 Folder 9
Box 1 Folder 8
Box 1 Folder 7 1947
Box 1 Folder 6 1951
Box 1 Folder 5 1947-1949
Box 1 Folder 4 1945-1947
Box 1 Folder 3 1944-1952
Box 1 Folder 2 1945-1949
Box 1 Folder 17 1947
Box 1 Folder 45
Box 1 Folder 59
Box 1 Folder 58
Box 1 Folder 57
Box 1 Folder 56 1949
Box 1 Folder 55 1947
Box 1 Folder 54 1946
Box 1 Folder 53
Box 1 Folder 52
Box 1 Folder 51 1949
Box 1 Folder 50 1947
Box 1 Folder 49
Box 1 Folder 48 1950
Box 1 Folder 29 1950-1952
Box 1 Folder 46
Box 1 Folder 60 1950-1958
Box 1 Folder 44
Box 1 Folder 43
Box 1 Folder 42 1952-1958
Box 1 Folder 41 1955-1957
Box 1 Folder 40 1943
Box 1 Folder 39 1945
April 23rd - Oct. 29th
Box 1 Folder 38
Box 1 Folder 37
Box 1 Folder 36
Box 1 Folder 35
Box 1 Folder 34
Box 1 Folder 33 1946-1958
Box 1 Folder 32 1950
Box 1 Folder 47 1946
Box 2 Folder 12 1953
Box 2 Folder 1 1939-1940
Box 2 Folder 23
Box 2 Folder 22
Box 2 Folder 21
Box 2 Folder 20
Box 2 Folder 19
Box 2 Folder 18
Box 2 Folder 17 1958
Box 2 Folder 16 1957
Box 2 Folder 15 1956
Box 2 Folder 25
Box 2 Folder 13 1954
Box 2 Folder 26
Box 2 Folder 11 1952
Box 2 Folder 10 1951
Box 2 Folder 9 1950
Box 2 Folder 8 1949
Box 2 Folder 7 1948
Box 2 Folder 6 1947
Box 2 Folder 5 1946
Box 2 Folder 4 1944
Box 2 Folder 3 1946
Box 2 Folder 2
Box 2 Folder 14 1955
Box 2 Folder 37
Box 2 Folder 49 1948-1950
Box 2 Folder 48 1946-1947
Box 2 Folder 47 1944-1945
Box 2 Folder 46
Box 2 Folder 45
Box 2 Folder 44 1949
Box 2 Folder 43
Box 2 Folder 42
Box 2 Folder 41
Box 2 Folder 40
Box 2 Folder 24
Box 2 Folder 38
Box 2 Folder 50 1951-1958
Box 2 Folder 36 1946-1957
Box 2 Folder 35 1945
September
Box 2 Folder 34 1945
January
Box 2 Folder 33 1945
January
Box 2 Folder 32
Box 2 Folder 31
Box 2 Folder 30
Box 2 Folder 29
Box 2 Folder 28
Box 2 Folder 27
Box 2 Folder 39
Box 3 Folder 12
Box 3 Folder 1
Box 3 Folder 23 1958
Box 3 Folder 22 1957
Box 3 Folder 21 1955
Box 3 Folder 20 1954
Box 3 Folder 19 1953
Box 3 Folder 18 1948
Box 3 Folder 17 1947
Box 3 Folder 16 1946
Box 3 Folder 15
Box 3 Folder 25 1955-1958
Box 3 Folder 13 1949-1957
Box 3 Folder 26 1945-1952
Box 3 Folder 11
Box 3 Folder 10
Box 3 Folder 9
Box 3 Folder 8
Box 3 Folder 7
Box 3 Folder 6
Box 3 Folder 5
Box 3 Folder 4
Box 3 Folder 3
Box 3 Folder 2
Box 3 Folder 14 1945-1948
Box 3 Folder 37
Box 3 Folder 49 1956-1958
Box 3 Folder 48 1954-1955
Box 3 Folder 47 1948-1951
Box 3 Folder 46
Box 3 Folder 45 1946
Box 3 Folder 44 1951
Box 3 Folder 43 1954
Box 3 Folder 42 1958
Box 3 Folder 41 1958
Box 3 Folder 40
Box 3 Folder 24
Box 3 Folder 38 1949
Box 3 Folder 50 1945-1947
Box 3 Folder 36
Box 3 Folder 35 1941-1942
Box 3 Folder 34
Box 3 Folder 33
Box 3 Folder 32 1958
Box 3 Folder 31 1952
Box 3 Folder 30 1948
Box 3 Folder 29 1947
Box 3 Folder 28 1946
Box 3 Folder 27 1955-1958
Box 3 Folder 39 1945-1954
Box 4 Folder 11 1946-1947
Box 4 Folder 21 1945
Box 4 Folder 20 1947-1948
Box 4 Folder 19
Box 4 Folder 18
Box 4 Folder 17 1945-1946
Box 4 Folder 16 1948-1953
Box 4 Folder 15 1954-1955
Box 4 Folder 14 1950-1953
Box 4 Folder 1 1954
Box 4 Folder 12
Box 4 Folder 24 1953-1958
Box 4 Folder 10 1950-1953
Box 4 Folder 9 1946-1948
Box 4 Folder 8 1954-1955
Box 4 Folder 7 1948
Box 4 Folder 6 1950
Box 4 Folder 5 1946-1947
Box 4 Folder 4 1950
Box 4 Folder 3 1946-1949
Box 4 Folder 2 1955
Box 4 Folder 13 1947-1949
Box 4 Folder 33
Box 4 Folder 44
Box 4 Folder 43
Box 4 Folder 42
Box 4 Folder 41
Box 4 Folder 40
Box 4 Folder 39
Box 4 Folder 38
Box 4 Folder 37
Box 4 Folder 36
Box 4 Folder 22 1947-1948
Box 4 Folder 34
Box 4 Folder 23 1946
Box 4 Folder 32
Box 4 Folder 31
Box 4 Folder 30
Box 4 Folder 29
Box 4 Folder 28
Box 4 Folder 27
Box 4 Folder 26 1951
Box 4 Folder 25 1948-1950
Box 4 Folder 45
Box 4 Folder 35
Box 5 Folder 13
Box 5 Folder 1
Box 5 Folder 24
Box 5 Folder 23 1958
Box 5 Folder 22 1957
Box 5 Folder 21 1953-1954
Box 5 Folder 20 1951-1952
Box 5 Folder 19 1949
Box 5 Folder 18 1948
Box 5 Folder 17
Box 5 Folder 16
Box 5 Folder 26 1949
Box 5 Folder 14
Box 5 Folder 27 1949
May to June
Box 5 Folder 12
Box 5 Folder 11
Box 5 Folder 10
Box 5 Folder 9
Box 5 Folder 8
Box 5 Folder 7
Box 5 Folder 6
Box 5 Folder 5
Box 5 Folder 4
Box 5 Folder 3
Box 5 Folder 2
Box 5 Folder 15
Box 5 Folder 39
Box 5 Folder 51
Box 5 Folder 50
Box 5 Folder 49
Box 5 Folder 48 1957
Box 5 Folder 47
Box 5 Folder 46
Box 5 Folder 45
Box 5 Folder 44
Box 5 Folder 43
Box 5 Folder 42
Box 5 Folder 25 1949
Box 5 Folder 40
Box 5 Folder 52
Box 5 Folder 38
Box 5 Folder 37
Box 5 Folder 36
Box 5 Folder 35
Box 5 Folder 34
Box 5 Folder 33 1949
Box 5 Folder 32
Box 5 Folder 31 1957
Box 5 Folder 30 1958
Box 5 Folder 29 1949
August to November
Box 5 Folder 28 1949
July
Box 5 Folder 41
Box 6 Folder 8
Box 6 Folder 1
Box 6 Folder 14
Box 6 Folder 13
Box 6 Folder 12
Box 6 Folder 11
Box 6 Folder 16
Box 6 Folder 9
Box 6 Folder 17 1943-1949
Box 6 Folder 7
Box 6 Folder 6
Box 6 Folder 5 1946
Box 6 Folder 4 1947
Box 6 Folder 3 1948-1959
Box 6 Folder 2 1943-1945
Box 6 Folder 10
Box 6 Folder 24
Box 6 Folder 31
Box 6 Folder 30
Box 6 Folder 29 1945-1948
Box 6 Folder 28 1943-1944
Box 6 Folder 27
Box 6 Folder 15
Box 6 Folder 25
Box 6 Folder 33
Box 6 Folder 23
Box 6 Folder 22
Box 6 Folder 21
Box 6 Folder 20
Box 6 Folder 19
Box 6 Folder 18 1954-1959
Box 6 Folder 26
Box 7 Folder 10
Box 7 Folder 20
Box 7 Folder 19
Box 7 Folder 18
Box 7 Folder 17
Box 7 Folder 16
Box 7 Folder 15
Box 7 Folder 14
Box 7 Folder 13
Box 7 Folder 1 1946-1949
Box 7 Folder 11
Box 7 Folder 23 1950-1958
Box 7 Folder 9
Box 7 Folder 8 1953-1957
Box 7 Folder 7 1953-1957
Box 7 Folder 6 1949-1952
Box 7 Folder 5 1945-1946
Box 7 Folder 4 1940-1944
Box 7 Folder 3
Box 7 Folder 2 1951-1957
Box 7 Folder 12 1948-1949
Box 7 Folder 32
Box 7 Folder 42 1946
Box 7 Folder 41
Box 7 Folder 40
Box 7 Folder 39
Box 7 Folder 38
Box 7 Folder 37
Box 7 Folder 36
Box 7 Folder 35
Box 7 Folder 21
Box 7 Folder 33
Box 7 Folder 22 1945-1949
Box 7 Folder 31
Box 7 Folder 30
Box 7 Folder 29
Box 7 Folder 28
Box 7 Folder 27
Box 7 Folder 26
Box 7 Folder 25
Box 7 Folder 24
Box 7 Folder 43 1958
Dec. 22nd
Box 7 Folder 34