ILGWU Local 89 Records, 1918-1944
Collection Number: 5780/024
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ILGWU Local 89 Records, 1918-1944
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/024
Abstract:
The collection consists of bound volumes of newspaper clippings documenting the activities
of Local 89 between 1918 and 1944.
Creator:
ILGWU Local 89
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
3 cubic feet
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.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
ILGWU Local 89 Records #5780/024. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation
and Archives, Cornell University Library.
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.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1918-1921 |
Scope and Contents
January 24, 1918 - September 30, 1921. English and Italian. Photocopies.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1922-1924 |
Scope and Contents
January 25, 1922 - December 27, 1924. English and Italian. Photocopies.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1925-1927 |
Scope and Contents
January 7, 1925 - January 31, 1927. English and Italian. Photocopies.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1927-1934 |
Scope and Contents
February 14, 1927 - May 22, 1934. English and Italian
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 1 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1934 |
Scope and Contents
May 24, 1934 - November 28, 1934. English and Italian
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 2 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1934-1935 |
Scope and Contents
November 28, 1934 - November 13, 1935. English and Italian.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 1 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1935-1937 |
Scope and Contents
November 13, 1935 - May 16, 1937. English and Italian.
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 2 |
Newspaper Clippings
|
1941-1944 |
Scope and Contents
October 19, 1941 - July 7, 1944. English and Italian.
|