ILGWU Local 22 Records
Collection Number: 5780/015
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
ILGWU Local 22 Records, 1920-1933
Collection Number:
5780/015
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment
Workers' Union (ILGWU). Local 22;
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
Quantity:
1.5 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Correspondence .
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The collection consists of alphabetical files of Local 22
from 1920 to 1933, containing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and other
material.
Language:
Collection material in English, Yiddish
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.
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 collection contains the early records of the Dressmakers' Union Local 22. For
later records when Charles Zimmerman was manager, see 5780/014. There are lists of
active members, as well as members of the executive board. The records consist of
when Local 22 was a member of the Joint Board of the Dress and Waistmakers', but
also after the merger when they were a member of the Joint Board of the Cloak,
Skirt, Dress and Reefer Makers' Union (composed of Locals 2, 3, 9, 10, 21, 22, 23,
35, 45, 48, 64, 82 and 89). There is correspondence with the Dress Joint Board, the
Cloak and Dress Joint Board, and other Joint Boards across the country.
Of interest could be material on the finances of the local, correspondence with the
International, and election materials. It was during this time that Local 22 was
plagued by internal fighting as Communists within the local rose to power. By the
end of 1926, the Communists had gained control of the dress organization in New York
and it took until 1929 before the locals began to reorganize.
The collection also includes discussions for a general strike in the dress industry,
and preparations and some material on the strike of 1933. Social causes supported by
Local 22 include sanatoriums, the Union Health Center, Pioneer Youth Camp, relief
work and charity.
Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Local 22 (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry--United States.
Women's clothing industry--New York (State)--New
York.
Labor unions--Clothing workers--United States.
Labor unions--Clothing workers--New York
(State)--New York.
Clothing workers--United States.
Clothing workers--New York (State)--New York.
Industrial relations--United States.
Industrial relations--New York (State)--New York.
Form and Genre Terms:
Correspondence.
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:
ILGWU Local 22 Records #5780/015. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation
and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections:
5780/014: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Papers
5780/014 P: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Photographs
5780/036: ILGWU Local 22 Minutes
5780/057: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Records
5780/057 P: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs
5780/067: ILGWU Local 22 Israel Breslow Papers
5780/014: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Papers
5780/014 P: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Photographs
5780/036: ILGWU Local 22 Minutes
5780/057: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Records
5780/057 P: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs
5780/067: ILGWU Local 22 Israel Breslow Papers
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1928 | |
Calling to membership meetings. Yiddish
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2a | 1927-1931 | |
Box 1 | Folder 2b | 1920-1933 | |
Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1929-1931 | |
Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1926-1932 | |
Incl. Union Bank, Int'l Madison Bank and Trust Company.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1928-1929 | |
Corres. w. A. J. Muste.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1929-1932 | |
Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1928-1931 | |
Box 1 | Folder 9 | 1927-1931 | |
Corres. w. Fannia M. Cohn.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 10 | 1927-1932 | |
Incl. minutes of Elections & Objection Committee.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 11 | 1924-1932 | |
Incl. rules & regulations of Relief Fund, 1924.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 12 | 1928-1933 | |
Box 1 | Folder 13 | 1927-1930 | |
Correspondents incl. Abraham Baroff, Morris Sigman; decision of Special
Committee of GEB to separate the New York Cloak & Dress Joint Board,
April 1930. (David Dubinsky Chairman, Salvatore Ninfo Secretary). English
and Yiddish
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 14 | 1931-1933 | |
Incl. correspondence. w. David Dubinsky.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 15 | 1931-1932 | |
Box 1 | Folder 16 | 1929-1930 | |
Incl. letter re station WEVD.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 17 | 1927-1932 | |
I.c.w. Arturo Giovannitti & Leonardo Frisina.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 18 | 1930-1931 | |
Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1931 | |
Boston Cloak & Dressmakers' Union.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1928-1930 | |
Chicago Joint Board.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 3 | 1929 | |
Cleveland.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 4 | 1927-1930 | |
1927-April 1930. New York Cloak, Suit, Skirt, Dress & Reefer Makers
Union. I.c.w. Harry Wander, Joseph Breslaw & Elias Reisberg.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 5 | 1929-1930 | |
New York Cloak & Dress Joint Board Strikes.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 6 | 1930-1933 | |
New York Cloak Joint Board.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 7 | 1930-1933 | |
New York Dress & Waistmakers Union. I.c.w. Julius Hochman & Antonino
Crivello; financial statements.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 8 | 1932 | |
New York Dress & Waistmakers Strike.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 9 | 1929-1933 | |
Box 2 | Folder 10 | 1927-1933 | |
Box 2 | Folder 11 | 1927-1932 | |
Incl. correspondence., minutes of Executive Board and Section meetings, and
Joint Board Dress & Waistmakers' Union, N.Y., 1931.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 12 | 1927-1933 | |
Incl. correspondence. w. Joseph Breslaw.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 13 | ||
Box 2 | Folder 14 | 1927-1933 | |
Box 3 | Folder 1 | 1929-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 2 | 1930-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 3 | 1927-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 4 | 1928-1933 | |
Box 3 | Folder 5 | 1929-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 6 | 1927-1931 | |
Box 3 | Folder 7 | 1927-1930 | |
Box 3 | Folder 8 | 1929-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 9 | 1933 | |
1920's-1930's. Yiddish
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 10 | 1927-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 11 | 1928-1930 | |
Incl. work permits.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 12 | 1928-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 13 | 1927-1930 | |
Box 3 | Folder 14 | 1927-1933 | |
Box 3 | Folder 15 | 1927-1928 | |
Box 3 | Folder 16 | 1928-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 17 | 1927-1932 | |
Relief for striking miners.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 18 | 1931 | |
Paterson Strikers Relief Committee.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 19 | 1928-1931 | |
Box 3 | Folder 20 | 1928-1932 | |
Box 3 | Folder 21 | 1928 | |
Box 3 | Folder 22 | 1927-1933 |