ILGWU Local 22 Israel Breslow Papers
Collection Number: 5780/067
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
ILGWU Local 22 Israel Breslow
Papers, 1913-1981
Collection Number:
5780/067
Creator:
Breslow, Israel;
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 22;
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 22;
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU)
Quantity:
2 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Records (documents).
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The collection contains the records of Local 22's manager,
Israel Breslow, including speeches and articles by Breslow, files relating to local
union elections, and Breslow's reports to the membership.
Language:
Collection material in English
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.
Israel Breslow (1906-1985) emigrated from the Ukraine to Canada where he worked in
the garment industry and, from 1922 to 1936, was a member of the Amalgamated
Clothing Workers of America. In 1936, after moving to New York City and beginning
work as an operator in the garment industry, Breslow joined Dressmakers Local 22.
Breslow served on the local's executive board and as the local's business agent, and
from 1958 to 1975, he served as manager. In 1962, Breslow became a vice president of
the ILGWU. He retired from the ILGWU in 1975, after which he became president of the
Jewish Daily Forward Association. Additionally, Breslow was president of the
Workmen's Circle from 1958 to 1962, and again from 1966 to 1970.
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 consists of the records of Local 22 manager Israel Breslow. Included
are speeches given by and articles written by Breslow, much are which are in
Yiddish. There are also letters and correspondence.
There are files relating to local union elections, including the Local 22 campaigns
and accompanying election material, particularly as it relates to the Dressmakers
Progressive Group led by Charles Zimmerman, their program and platform,
Additionally, there are agendas and notes for the Membership and Nominations meetings
with brief reports. These provide information on the status of the dress
industry.
Names:
Breslow, Israel
Lakatz, Moshe
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.
Industrial relations--United States.
Industrial relations--New York (State)--New York.
Form and Genre Terms:
Records (documents)
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 Israel Breslow Papers #5780/067. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections:
5780: ILGWU records
5780/014: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Papers
5780/014 P: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Photographs
5780/015: ILGWU Local 22 Records
5780/036: ILGWU Local 22 Minutes
5780/057: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Records
5780/057 P: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs
5780: ILGWU records
5780/014: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Papers
5780/014 P: ILGWU Local 22, Charles S. Zimmerman Photographs
5780/015: ILGWU Local 22 Records
5780/036: ILGWU Local 22 Minutes
5780/057: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Records
5780/057 P: ILGWU Local 22 Education Department Photographs
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1959 | |
Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1960-1973 | |
May 5-12, 1973
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1958-1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1935-1959 | |
Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1958-1959 | |
Box 1 | Folder 6 | 1960 | |
Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1965-1981 | |
Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1947-1958 | |
Box 1 | Folder 9 | ||
Box 1 | Folder 10 | 1952-1956 | |
Box 1 | Folder 11 | 1942-1950 | |
Box 1 | Folder 12 | ||
Box 1 | Folder 13 | 1942-1953 | |
Box 1 | Folder 14 | 1955-1956 | |
Box 1 | Folder 15 | 1952-1956 | |
Box 1 | Folder 16 | 1959-1965 | |
Box 1 | Folder 17 | 1965-1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 18 | 1971-1975 | |
Box 1 | Folder 19 | 1962-1964 | |
Box 1 | Folder 20 | 1968-1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 21 | 1958-1961 | |
Box 1 | Folder 22 | 1965-1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 23 | ||
Box 2 | 1980 | ||
[Removed to 5780 AV]
|
|||
Box 2 | 1977 | ||
[Removed to 5780 AV]
|
|||
Box 2 | 1980 | ||
[Removed to 5780 AV]
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1926-1936 | |
Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1921-1958 | |
Box 2 | Folder 3 | 1980 | |
Box 2 | Folder 4 | 1940 | |
Box 2 | Folder 5 | 1956-1969 | |
Box 2 | Folder 6 | 1913 | |
Also undated.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 7 | ||
Box 2 | Folder 8 | 1933-1956 | |
Box 2 | Folder 9 | 1981 | |
Box 2 | Folder 10 | 1933-1980 | |
Box 2 | Folder 11 | 1928-1950 | |
Box 2 | Folder 12 | 1940-1981 |