ILGWU. Northeast Department records
Collection Number: 5780/050
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
ILGWU. Northeast Department records,
1933-1983
Collection Number:
5780/050
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers'
Union
Quantity:
2.3 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Speeches, appointment books, calendars, reports.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives,
Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The first box of this collection contains the diaries (1950-1959) of
David Gingold noting meetings, conferences, and important phone conversations, as well as the
appointment books (1950-1970) of David Gingold scheduling trips, conferences, meetings,
luncheons and holidays. The second box contains the speeches and statements (1944-1960) made by
David Gingold, and publications of the Northeast Department.
Language:
Collection material in English
Founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing about 2,000 members in cities in the
northeastern United States, the ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership size, 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. In
1995, the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) to form
the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).
David Gingold was born in Poland on December 10, 1896, arrived in the United States in 1912 as
a teenager, and began working in the raincoat trade, joining Rainwear Local 20. He held several
offices in Local 20 including a member of the executive board in 1922 and vice-chairman in 1923.
In 1924, Gingold was elected manager of Local 20 and from 1925-1929 served on the ILGWU General
Executive Board (GEB) and as a vice president of the union. Gingold briefly returned to shop
work before becoming an organizer in 1934. After time spent organizing areas of Pennsylvania and
New England, Gingold assumed the directorship of the Northeast Department in 1943, a position he
held until his retirement in 1977. He was again elected a vice president and member of the ILGWU
GEB in 1946. He died on December 15, 1980 at the age of 84.
The Cotton Garment and Miscellaneous Trades Department was established in 1935, and renamed
the Northeast Department In 1946. At the time of its formation, the department was responsible
for Pennsylvania (outside of Philadelphia), Massachusetts (outside of Boston), New York (north
of Albany), Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and parts of New Jersey
(Harry Crone, "35 Northeast," New York: ILGWU, 1970, 18-19.).
In the 1970s, the ILGWU underwent major reorganization, resulting in changes in the Northeast
Department's jurisdiction and name. With the formation of the New England Region in 1975, the
Northeast Department no longer had jurisdiction in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
Island, or Vermont. In 1976, responsibility for upstate New York was shifted to the
newly-established New York State District. In 1977, the Eastern Pennsylvania Region organized
and serviced members in the former Northeast Department areas of New Jersey and parts of
Pennsylvania (Easton, Allentown, and Philadelphia). In 1979, the New Jersey Region took over the
parts of New Jersey previously covered by the Northeast Department.
The Northeast Department was reorganized to be the Northeast, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio
Department in 1978.
Vice President Elias Reisberg, General Manager of the Philadelphia Joint Board, served as
director from 1935 until his death in 1943. David Gingold succeeded Reisberg, serving as
director until his retirement in 1977. Sol Hoffman served as director of this ILGWU's Northeast,
Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Department from 1977 until 1995.
The collection consists of two types of records, those relating to David Gingold in his role
as director of the Northeast Department and the administrative records of the department.
Included are appointment books by year for David Gingold and also Sol Chaikin, in which are
marked meetings and appointments with individuals, allowing the researcher to view the daily
calendars of these two individuals. Also available is the Daily Business Journal of presumably
Gingold. It is arranged by day and provides an account of who he talked to, who he spoke to on
the phone, who he met with, what was discussed, and what business was carried out on that
particular day, providing daily accounts of Gingold and his work for the department.
Additionally, there are speeches given by Gingold, typed out with handwritten notations for
union events, local meetings, conferences, installation ceremonies, and dinners, such as
retirement dinners for locals under his jurisdiction.
The second component of the collection focuses on the general organizational function of the
department and includes reports from the Northeast Department to the GEB, handbooks, guides
published by and for the Northeast Department, and minutes for various locals that were under
the jurisdiction of the Northeast Department, including Local 93 Reading PA, and Local 109-131
Scranton PA.
Names:
Gingold, David.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. -- Northeast
Department.
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States.
Women's clothing industry -- New York.
Labor unions -- United States -- Clothing workers.
Labor unions -- New York -- Clothing workers.
Clothing workers -- United States.
Clothing workers -- New York.
Industrial relations -- United States.
Industrial relations -- New York.
Form and Genre Terms:
Records.
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. Northeast Department records #5780/050. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
|
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1958-1960 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1961 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1964 | |
|
2 copies
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1965 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1965 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | 1966 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1966 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1967 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | 1967 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | 1968 | |
|
2 copies
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | 1969 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | 1969 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | 1970 | |
|
2 copies
|
|||
| Box 1 | Folder 14 | 1971 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 15 | 1971 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 16 | 1972 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 17 | 1950 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 18 | 1951-1953 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 19 | 1951-1953 | |
| Box 1 | Folder 20 | 1956-1958 | |
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1946 | |
| Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1946-1955 | |
| Box 2 | Folder 3 | 1956-1957 | |
| Box 2 | Folder 4 | ||
|
Undated
|
|||
| Box 3 | Folder 1 | 1933-1934 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 2 | 1944 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 3 | 1963 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 4 | 1968 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 5 | 1943-1959 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 6 | 1938-1948 | |
| Box 3 | Folder 7 | 1935-1940 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 1 | ||
|
Undated
|
|||
| Box 4 | Folder 2 | 1966 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 3 | 1970 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 4 | ||
|
Undated
|
|||
| Box 4 | Folder 5 | 1936 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 6 | 1960-1961 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 7 | 1960-1973 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 8 | 1960-1979 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 9 | 1961-1975 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 10 | 1965 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 11 | 1967 | |
|
Aug 20-Aug 22, 1967
|
|||
| Box 4 | Folder 12 | 1983 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 13 | ||
|
Undated
|
|||
| Box 4 | Folder 14 | 1966-1967 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 15 | 1968-1971 | |
| Box 4 | Folder 16 | ||
|
Undated
|
|||