ILGWU. Local 155 records

Collection Number: 5780/054

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU. Local 155 records, 1930-1995
Collection Number:
5780/054
Creator:
Local 155 International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quantity:
12 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Articles, reports, minutes, correspondence, newsletters.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The Local 155 records consist primarily of the correspondence of Louis Nelson, manager of Local 15. The activities of the local are documented through articles, speeches, and other materials from the depression years through the late 1960s. Also included are minutes of Local 155's Executive Board between 1979 and 1995, issues of the local's publication, Knitgood Workers' Voice, from 1937 to 1995, files on Joe Lombardo and the Local 155's Health and Welfare Fund.
Language:
Collection material in English


ILGWU ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

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).

LOCAL 155 ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Local 155, International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), also known as the Knitgoods Workers' Union, was chartered in 1933 and based in New York City.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The Local 155 records consist primarily of the correspondence of Louis Nelson, manager of Local 155 during the period. There are also articles, speeches, and other materials, as well as a small amount of Nelson's personal correspondence.
The correspondence arranged alphabetically by subject and the material documents the activities and concerns of the Local's leadership from the depression years through the late 1960s. In addition to routine Local administrative matters, the materials cover a wide variety of topics, including anti-Semitism, civil rights issues, health and retirement benefits, the women's clothing industry, New York City elections, political activities of the Local, relations with other unions, forced labor in the Soviet Union, the Spanish Civil War, strikes, and union elections.
Individual correspondents represented in the collection include Angela Balabanoff, Fred Beal, B.J. Bialostotzky, David Dubinsky, Melech Epstein, Fiorello LaGuardia, Elias Lieberman, Jay Lovestone, Norman Thomas, and Carlo Tresca. Organizations include the AFL-CIO, the American Labor Party, the Italian-American Labor Council, the Jewish Labor Committee, the Liberal Party of New York, the National Urban League, the Socialist Party, the Union for Democratic Socialism, the United Textile Workers Union of America, and Workmen's Circle.
Subjects that are well documented include elections. The union and local actively supported the Liberal Party. But of interest are the files regarding elections within the local. There were various factions vying for leadership positions in the local, including the Rank and File candidates who were running against the incumbent Progressive Group and manager Louis Nelson.
The collection also offers a look at the knitgood industry, through reports by manager Nelson to the General Executive Board (GEB). Additionally, the industry can be studied through the companies, manufacturer associations such as the United Knitwear Manufacturers League and the Knitted Outerwear Manufacturers Association, as well as industry publications "United Knitwear Reporter" and "Associated Knitwear Contractors News."
Another component of the collection are the minutes of the Executive Board for the Knitgoods Workers' Union Local 155. There are also minutes for various committees of the local including the Finance, Board of Trustees for the Retirement Board, Education, Appeals and Grievance Committees. Additionally, there are volumes from the Local 155 publication "Knitgoods Workers Voice" and various publications regarding wages, hours, hearings and recommendations regarding the knitwear industry. At the end of the collection appear reports and transcripts of the proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board in the case of Amberton Knitting Mills and Local 155.
SUBJECTS

Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Balabanoff, Angelica, 1878-1965.
Beal, Fred Erwin, 1896-1954.
Bialostotzky, B. J.(Benjamin Jacob), 1892-1962.
Dubinsky, David, 1892-1982.
Epstein, Melech.
La Guardia, Fiorello H.(Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947.
Lieberman, Elias, b. 1888-
Nelson, Louis.
Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968.
Tresca, Carlo, 1879-1943.
AFL-CIO.
American Labor Party.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 155 (New York, N.Y.)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 155 (New York, N.Y.)--Elections.
Italian-American Labor Council.
Jewish Labor Committee (U.S.)
Liberal Party of New York State.
National Urban League.
Socialist Party (U.S.)
Union for Democratic Socialism.
United Textile Workers of America.
Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring.

Subjects:
Antisemitism-- United States.
Civil rights--United States.
Clothing workers--Labor unions--New York (State)--New York.
Elections--New York (State)--New York.
Forced labor--Soviet Union.
Health insurance--New York (State)--New York.
Labor unions--Officials and employees.
Labor unions--Political activities.
Labor union locals.
Pension trusts--New York (State)--New York.
Strikes and lockouts--New York (State)--New York.
Women's clothing industry--New York (State)--New York.

Geographic Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)--Politics and government--20th century.
Spain--History--Civil War, 1936-1939.

Form and Genre Terms:
Articles
Correspondence
Speeches


INFORMATION FOR USERS

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 155 records #5780/054. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

RELATED MATERIALS

Related Collections:
5780: ILGWU records
5780/129: ILGWU. Local 155 records

CONTAINER LIST

Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1 1936-1940
Controversy.
Box 1 Folder 2 1948-1954
Box 1 Folder 3 1936-1944
Box 1 Folder 4 1938-1941
Box 1 Folder 5 1940
Box 1 Folder 6 1940-1949
Box 1 Folder 7 1946
Between Industrial Council of Cloak, Suit and Shirt Manufacturers, Inc., et. al. and Joint Boar of Cloak, Suit, Skirt and Reefer Makers Union.
Box 1 Folder 8 1937-1938
Box 1 Folder 9 1930-1959
Louis Nelson and others on Union and non-Union matters.
Box 1 Folder 10 1939-1965
Box 1 Folder 11 1939-1945
Box 1 Folder 12 1940-1954
Box 1 Folder 13 1954-1956
Box 1 Folder 14 1954-1956
Box 1 Folder 15 1942-1956
Incl. American Representation of the General Jewish Workers Union of Poland; Coordinating Committees of the Bund, and Affiliated Jewish Socialist Organizations in various countries
Box 1 Folder 16 1944-1948
Box 2 Folder 1 1940-1956
Box 2 Folder 2 1937
Incl. letters from Emile DeLeo (organizer) on strikes in knitgoods mills and AFL and CIO involvement.
Box 2 Folder 3 1935-1949
Box 2 Folder 4 1939-1954
Morning Freiheit.
Box 2 Folder 5 1952
April 1952. Re Louis Nelson's election as V.P. of the Union.
Box 2 Folder 6 1936-1943
Incl. relief during war period.
Box 2 Folder 7 1964-1970
Box 2 Folder 8 1934-1940
Incl. Local resolutions.
Box 2 Folder 10 1944-1955
Knitgoods Workers.
Box 2 Folder 11 1940-1954
Box 2 Folder 12 1941
Box 2 Folder 13 1950-1956
Box 2 Folder 14 1939-1952
Box 2 Folder 15 1942-1955
Box 3 Folder 1 1941-1956
Box 3 Folder 2 1940-1955
Incl. ILGWU Training Institute.
Box 3 Folder 3 1965
Endorsement of John V. Lindsay for Mayor of New York City.
Box 3 Folder 4 1966
Box 3 Folder 5
Box 3 Folder 6 1935
Box 3 Folder 7 1937
Box 3 Folder 8 1937
Box 3 Folder 9 1939
Box 3 Folder 10 1939
Box 3 Folder 11 1939
Box 3 Folder 12 1939
Box 4 Folder 1 1940
Box 4 Folder 2 1940
Box 4 Folder 3 1942
Box 4 Folder 4 1942
Box 4 Folder 5 1944
Box 4 Folder 6 1944
Box 4 Folder 7 1940
Box 4 Folder 8 1950-1953
Box 4 Folder 9 1956
Box 4 Folder 10 1959
Box 4 Folder 11 1962-1965
Box 5 Folder 1 1941-1951
Box 5 Folder 2 1942-1943
Box 5 Folder 3 1940-1955
Box 5 Folder 4 1946-1947
Box 5 Folder 5 1940-1949
Box 5 Folder 6 1940-1959
Box 5 Folder 7 1948-1955
Box 5 Folder 8 1946-1957
Incl. I.N. Sternberg letters.
Box 5 Folder 9 1939-1955
Box 5 Folder 10 1940
Box 5 Folder 11 1952
Incl. local report.
Box 5 Folder 12 1935-1946
Box 5 Folder 13 1950-1954
Box 5 Folder 14 1940-1954
Box 5 Folder 15 1939-1955
Box 6 Folder 1 1942-1951
1942-July 1951. Letters & reports from Heller, (Labor Informatio Officer) Economic Cooperation Administration (EC in Austria & Germany.
Box 6 Folder 2 1951-1954
October 1951-1954.
Box 6 Folder 3 1940-1947
Box 6 Folder 4 1949-1950
Box 6 Folder 5 1943
Box 6 Folder 6 1943
April 8, 1943.
Box 6 Folder 7 1946-1950
Incl. letters from Philip Heller; reports on Spanish situation.
Box 6 Folder 8 1952-1955
Box 6 Folder 9 1943-1952
Box 6 Folder 10 1940-1950
Box 6 Folder 11 1940-1954
Box 6 Folder 12 1942-1943
Box 6 Folder 13 1944-1946
Box 6 Folder 14 1947-1956
Incl. correspondence w. Jacob Pat & David Dubinsky re Nelson's resignation from JLC (Nov. 1947), and articles.
Box 7 Folder 1 1949-1956
Box 7 Folder 2 1939-1943
Box 7 Folder 3 1936-1956
Box 7 Folder 4 1942-1956
Box 7 Folder 5a 1937-1955
Miscellaneous.
Box 7 Folder 5b 1937-1955
Miscellaneous.
Box 7 Folder 6
Incl. Knitgoods Workers Industrial Union of the Needle Trades Workers Industrial Union.
Box 7 Folder 7 1936
Published by National Knitted Outerwear Association.
Box 7 Folder 8 1937-1955
Correspondence.
Box 7 Folder 9a 1940-1943
1940-Feb. 1943. Publication, United Knitwear Reporter.
Box 7 Folder 9b 1940-1943
1940-Feb. 1943. Publication, United Knitwear Reporter.
Box 7 Folder 10 1940-1941
Published by the Associated Knitwear Contractors Inc.
Box 8 Folder 1 1941-1955
Box 8 Folder 2 1941
Box 8 Folder 3 1942-1943
Box 8 Folder 4 1941-1954
Box 8 Folder 5 1936-1938
Box 8 Folder 6 1944-1954
Box 8 Folder 7 1940-1956
Box 8 Folder 8 1942-1956
Box 8 Folder 9 1939-1955
Box 8 Folder 10 1947-1956
Box 8 Folder 11 1938-1949
Box 8 Folder 12 1940-1955
Box 8 Folder 13 1937-1952
Box 8 Folder 14 1940-1956
Box 8 Folder 15 1941-1947
Incl. corres. w. A. Philip Randolph & Frank B. Crosswaith; draft article by L. Nelson.
Box 8 Folder 16 1935
Council Meetings.
Box 8 Folder 17 1938-1956
Box 8 Folder 18 1940-1950
Box 8 Folder 19 1939-1955
Box 8 Folder 20 1944-1952
Box 8 Folder 21 1945-1954
Corres. re his case (clemency for murder).
Box 8 Folder 22 1941-1949
Box 8 Folder 23 1930-1939
Box 8 Folder 24 1955
Corres. w. Nicholas Kirtzman.
Box 9 Folder 1 1939-1952
Box 9 Folder 2 1933-1941
Box 9 Folder 3 1940-1966
Box 9 Folder 4 1943-1947
Box 9 Folder 5 1939-1942
Box 9 Folder 6 1933
Box 9 Folder 7 1941-1949
Incl. material on labor camps.
Box 9 Folder 8 1940-1956
Box 9 Folder 9 1943-1950
Box 9 Folder 10 1941-1942
Box 9 Folder 11 1938-1953
Box 9 Folder 12 1936-1940
Knitgoods industry.
Box 9 Folder 13 1942-1956
Box 9 Folder 14 1940-1956
Box 9 Folder 15 1933-1945
Box 10 Folder 1 1941-1954
Incl. corres. re Carlo Tresca murder & Memorial.
Box 10 Folder 2 1940-1948
Incl. corres. re Carlo Tresca Memorial Fund.
Box 10 Folder 3 1944-1956
Box 10 Folder 4 1953-1955
Incl. James T. Farrell letter to Norman Thomas outlining a general political program (n.d.).
Box 10 Folder 5 1940-1949
Printed material.
Box 10 Folder 6 1941-1954
Box 10 Folder 7 1943-1948
Box 10 Folder 8 1940-1956
Box 10 Folder 9 1939-1956
And his poems.
Box 10 Folder 10 1942-1954
Knitgood Workers branch.
Box 10 Folder 11 1937-1940
Incl. statements from Keep America Out of War Congress & Other anti-war groups.
Box 10 Folder 12 1948-1949
Displaced Persons.
Box 10 Folder 13 1940-1945
Government & labor.
Box 10 Folder 14 1941-1943
Russian War Relief.
Box 10 Folder 15 1940-1953
Box 10 Folder 16 1940-1954
Box 10 Folder 17 1947-1949
Box 11 Folder 1 1933-1934
October 12, 1933 - June 1934
Box 11 Folder 2 1933-1934
September 1933 - June 1934
Box 11 Folder 3 1934-1937
October 1934 - December 1937
Box 11 Folder 4 1934-1937
October 1934 - September 1937
Box 11 Folder 5 1934-1937
September 1934 - October 1937
Box 11 Folder 6 1938-1939
January 1938 - December 1939
Box 11 Folder 7 1940-1941
January 1940 - December 1941
Box 11 Folder 8 1941-1942
January 1941 - December 1942
Box 11 Folder 9 1943
January 1943 - December 1943
Box 11 Folder 10 1944
January 1944 - December 1944
Box 11 Folder 11 1944
January 1944 - December 1944
Box 11 Folder 12 1945
January 1945 - December 1945
Box 11 Folder 13 1946
January 1946 - December 1946
Box 11 Folder 14 1947
January 1947 - December 1947
Box 11 Folder 15 1948
January 1948 - December 1948
Box 12 Folder 1 1949
January 1949 - December 1949
Box 12 Folder 2 1950
January 1950 - December 1950
Box 12 Folder 3 1951
January 1951 - December 1951
Box 12 Folder 4 1952
January 1952 - December 1952
Box 12 Folder 5 1953
January 1953 - December 1953
Box 12 Folder 6 1954
January 1954 - December 1954
Box 12 Folder 7 1955
January 1955 - December 1955
Box 12 Folder 8 1956
January 1956 - December 1956
Box 12 Folder 9 1957-1958
January 1957 - December 1958
Box 12 Folder 10 1959
January 1959 - December 1959
Box 12 Folder 11 1960
January 1960 - December 1960
Box 13 Folder 1 1934-1942
October 1934 - December 1942
Box 13 Folder 2 1949-1957
June 7, 1949 - September 13, 1957
Box 13 Folder 3 1949-1957
June 7, 1949 - September 13, 1957
Box 13 Folder 4 1958-1969
February 27, 1958 - May 27, 1969
Box 13 Folder 5 1958-1969
February 27, 1958 - May 27, 1969
Box 13 Folder 6 1946-1952
June 1946 - December 1952
Box 13 Folder 7 1946-1952
Appeals Committee, August 1946 - December 1947. Grievance Board, January 1958 - December 1952
Box 13 Folder 8 1949-1952
January 1949 - December 1952
Box 13 Folder 9 1949-1952
January 1949 - December 1952
Box 13 Folder 10 1953- 1954
January 1953 - December 1954
Box 13 Folder 11 1961
January 1961 - December 1961
Box 13 Folder 12 1962
January 1962 - December 1962
Box 13 Folder 13 1963
January 1963 - December 1963
Box 13 Folder 14 1964
January 1964 - December 1964
Box 13 Folder 15 1965
January 1965 - December 1965
Box 13 Folder 16 1966
January 1966 - December 1966
Box 13 Folder 17 1967
January 1967 - December 1967
Box 13 Folder 18 1968
January 1968 - December 1968
Box 14 Folder 1 1937-1941
Box 14 Folder 2 1942-1944
Box 14 Folder 3 1945-1950
Box 14 Folder 4 1951
Box 14 Folder 5 1952-1953
Box 14 Folder 6 1957-1958
Box 14 Folder 7 1959-1963
Box 14 Folder 8 1964-1965
Box 14 Folder 9 1941
Box 14 Folder 10 1941
Box 14 Folder 11 1958
Box 14 Folder 12 1958
Box 14 Folder 13 1939
Box 14 Folder 14 1939
Box 14 Folder 15 1939
Box 14 Folder 16 1941
Box 14 Folder 17 1941
Box 14 Folder 18 1941
Box 14 Folder 19 1939
Box 15 Folder 1 1962
Box 15 Folder 2 1962
Box 15 Folder 3 1962
Box 15 Folder 4 1962
Box 15 Folder 5 1962
Box 15 Folder 6 1962
Box 15 Folder 7 1968
Box 15 Folder 8 1958
Box 15 Folder 9 1936
Box 15 Folder 10 1966
Box 16 Folder 1 1979-1995
Box 16 Folder 2 1937-1987
Box 17 Folder 1 1988-1995
Box 17 Folder 2 1975-1991
Box 17 Folder 3 1993-1994
Box 17 Folder 4 1959
Box 17 Folder 5 1969