ILGWU Local 89 Records
Collection Number: 5780/024
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
ILGWU Local 89 Records, 1918-1944
Collection Number:
5780/024
Creator:
ILGWU Local 89;
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
Quantity:
3 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Clippings .
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The collection consists of bound volumes of newspaper
clippings documenting the activities of Local 89 between 1918 and 1944.
Language:
Collection material in English, Italian
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 89 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) was chartered in
1919 and based in New York City. The local represented the Italian Dressmakers of
the 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. Soon, the Dress and
Waist Joint Board became unnecessary and was dissolved. Local 89, the Italian Dress
and Waistmakers' Union, affiliated with the Cloak Board as well, and both dress and
cloak industries in New York were represented by the Cloak and Dress Joint Board.
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 and give them back an autonomous joint board to govern their own affairs. By
February 1934, the Dress Joint Board moved to new larger offices along with Locals
22 and 89, illustrating a drastic turnaround from previous years. The dress industry
was now the biggest organized center in the ILGWU.
The decades of the 1960s and 70s saw a decline in shops and jobs in New York City
with firms going out of business. 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 and Local 89 was designated the local for all Bronx and Brooklyn members.
By 1977, Local 89 was the Coat, Suit, Dress, Rainwear and Allied Workers Union of
South Brooklyn. In late 1981, the Joint Board approved a measure to dissolve locals
and Local 89 was renamed Local 89-48 to honor the historic significance of the
Italian cloakmakers.
The collection consists of newspaper clippings, identified by publication and
arranged by date. The earliest clippings are in Italian and are photocopies (no
originals). Subjects covered include the dress industry, dressmakers, Luigi
Antonini, Salvatore Ninfo and Local 89. Later clippings are contained in brittle
scrapbooks that cover the Communist take-over of the dress industry and the fight
within the union, Joint Board and dress locals. The scrapbooks document the
activities of Local 89 between 1918 and 1944 and provide information on Italian
Americans (especially in the garment industry), Italian affairs, and the
Italian-American Labor Council.
Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Local 89 (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:
Clippings.
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 89 Records #5780/024. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation
and Archives, Cornell University Library.
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Container
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Description
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Date
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| Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1918-1921 | |
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January 24, 1918 - September 30, 1921. English and Italian. Photocopies.
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| Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1922-1924 | |
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January 25, 1922 - December 27, 1924. English and Italian. Photocopies.
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| Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1925-1927 | |
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January 7, 1925 - January 31, 1927. English and Italian. Photocopies.
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| Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1927-1934 | |
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February 14, 1927 - May 22, 1934. English and Italian
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| Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1934 | |
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May 24, 1934 - November 28, 1934. English and Italian
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| Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1934-1935 | |
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November 28, 1934 - November 13, 1935. English and Italian.
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| Box 3 | Folder 1 | 1935-1937 | |
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November 13, 1935 - May 16, 1937. English and Italian.
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| Box 3 | Folder 2 | 1941-1944 | |
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October 19, 1941 - July 7, 1944. English and Italian.
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