ILGWU. David Dubinsky photographs,, 1945-1967
Collection Number: 5780/002 P

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


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU. David Dubinsky photographs, 1945-1967
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/002 P
Abstract:
Contains photograph albums presented to David Dubinsky, as well as photograph albums featuring David Dubinsky between 1945 and 1967. Several albums document Dubinsky's international travels, as well as his participation in events in the United States.
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
2 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.

Biographical / Historical

1892 Born February 22nd in Brest-Litovsk, then in Russia, son of Bezalel and Shaine Wishingrad Dobnievski.
Moved to Lodz, where the family operated a bakery.
1903 Began to work in father's bakery after attending three terms in Hebrew Zionist school.
1907 Qualified as master baker and joined bakers' union, organized by the General Jewish Workers Union, the Bund.
Served as secretary of the bakers' union.
Arrested, together with 60 other members of the union, in the course of a strike; released after payment of 25 rubles by father.
Left Lodz to live with an uncle in Brest-Litovsk; after three months returned to Lodz and rejoined the bakers' union.
1908 Arrested while attending an illegal meeting of the bakers and, as a second offender, exiled to a small Siberian village.
Escaped and made his way to Chelyabinsk and from there to Lodz, working as a baker under an assumed name.
1910 Sailed, with an older brother, Chaira, to New York City.
1911 Arrived in NYC on January 1st.
Lived on Lower East Side and became apprenticed to learn the cutter's craft.
Accepted as a member of Local 10, Cutters' Union of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, on July 13th.
1914 Married Emma Goldberg, an undergarment operator and member of the ILGWU. (The couple had one child, a daughter, Jean.)
1918 Elected to executive board of Local 10.
1919 Elected vice-president of Local 10.
1920 Elected chairman of Local 10.
1921 Elected president of Local 10.
Elected general manager (a new office combining duties of manager and secretary) of Local 10 in December.
1922 Elected vice president of ILGWU and member of General Executive Board.
1929 Elected General Secretary-Treasurer of ILGWU.
Served as Acting President of ILGWU.
1932 Elected by GEB in June as President, following death of President Benjamin Schlesinger.
1934 Elected vice president of American Federation of Labor in October.
1935 Joined with John L. Lewis of Mine Workers and Sidney Hillman of Amalgamated Clothing Workers to form a Committee for Industrial Organization.
First U.S. labor representative to the International Labor Organization.
1936. Joined in founding the American Labor Party in New York State.
Served as Democratic Party elector for the ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John N. Garner.
1944 Joined in founding Liberal Party.
1945 Elected vice president of American Federation of Labor.
1966 Offered resignation as President to GEB at meeting of March 14th, to take effect April 12th.
Resignation effective June 15th, anniversary of date on which he was first elected President.
1982 Died in New York City on September 17, 1982.

Contains photograph albums presented to David Dubinsky, as well as photograph albums featuring David Dubinsky between 1945 and 1967. Several albums document Dubinsky's international travels, as well as his participation in events in the United States.
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.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Preferred Citation

ILGWU. David Dubinsky photographs. 5780/002 P. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Martin P. Catherwood Library, Cornell University.

Related Materials

5780. ILGWU records
5780/002. ILGWU. David Dubinsky correspondence
5780/002 AV. ILGWU. David Dubinsky audio-visual recordings
5780/002 MB. ILGWU. David Dubinsky memorabilia
5780/136. ILGWU. David Dubinsky scrapbooks
5780/179 MB. ILGWU. David Dubinsky memorabilia
5780/179 P. ILGWU. David Dubinsky photographs

SUBJECTS

Names:
Dubinsky, David, 1892-1982
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States
Clothing workers -- Labor unions -- United States
Clothing workers -- United States
Industrial relations -- United States

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
Photo Album
1959
Scope and Contents
Visit to Joseph Breslaw Community Center, established by ILGWU, Joint Board Cloakmakers Unions, Local 35, with the cooperation of the American Histadrut Campaign
Box 1 Folder 2
Photo Album
1957
Scope and Contents
Homage of the French ORT to Mr. David Dubinsky
Box 1 Folder 3
Photo Album
1957
Scope and Contents
Dedicated to David Dubinsky on occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Wyoming Valley District. Also contains clippings
Box 1 Folder 4
Photo Album
1956
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky by La Union Cortadores de Confecciones, Medidas y Afines
Box 1 Folder 5
Photo Album
1966
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky by "International House," The Greater Haifa Trade School of the Histadrut
Box 1 Folder 6
Photo Album, War Time Views of Jewish Palestine
1945
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky by Executive Committee of the General Federation of Jewish Labour in Eretz Israel (Palestine)
Box 1 Folder 7
Photo Album, Laying of the Cornerstone for the Industrial Co-operative Building at Holon
1949
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky by the Central Union of Workers Producers and Service Co-operative Societies
Box 1 Folder 8
Photos of prizes, awards, diplomas presented to David Dubinsky
Box 2 Folder 1
Photo Album
1957
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky by ILGWU General Executive Board on the 25th anniversary of his presidency; includes letters of congratulations and clippings
Box 2 Folder 2
Photo Album
1959
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky in appreciation of his participation in the opening ceremony of Kupat Holim's Central Hospital for the Negev in Beersheba
Box 2 Folder 3
President Johnson's State of the Union Message
1967
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky from C.L. Dennis, International President, Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks
Box 2 Folder 4
Photo Album
1955
Scope and Contents
Presented to David and Emma Dubinsky from the Histadrut Executive Bureau on the occasion of their visit to Israel
Box 2 Folder 5
Photo Album
1956
Scope and Contents
Presented to David Dubinsky after his visit to la Casas de lose Obreros del Vestido, Argentina
Box 2 Folder 6
Photo Album
Scope and Contents
David Dubinsky in Europe