ILGWU. Local 62. Managers' correspondence
Collection Number: 5780/079
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
ILGWU. Local 62. Managers' correspondence,
1941-1981
Collection Number:
5780/079
Creator:
Schoenwald, Matthew
Local 62
International Ladies' Garment Workers'
Union
Quantity:
4 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Correspondence, records, reports.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives,
Cornell University Library
Abstract:
The collection consists primarily of correspondence of Local 62's
manager, Matthew Schoenwald. Corrrespondents include staff in several of the ILGWU departments,
as well as Louis Stulberg, David Dubinsky, and Executive Director of The Lingerie Manufacturers
Association Jack Gross. Also included are records documenting the work of the Liberal Party,
including correspondence and mailing lists.
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).
The White Goods Workers' Union Local 62, also known as the Underwear and White Goods Workers
Union, was chartered in 1909, but was not fully organized until 1913. Rose Schneiderman and the
Women's Trade Union League assisted with the early organizing efforts of the White Goods
Workers. These workers consisted mainly of young immigrant girls. Early leaders of the local
included Samuel Shore. On March 1913, 15,000 workers went on strike against the sweatshop
conditions. A six week strike ensued in which many of the girls on the picket lines were
attacked and arrested. Gains won included a 54 hour week, no Sunday, sanitary conditions and an
18 cent an hour minimum wage. This strike made the local.
The local and its workers were originally called white goods workers as they manufactured
camisoles, chemises, cambric drawers with lace ruffles and drawstrings, and corset covers.
Through the years, styles changed and production shifted to panties and slips. In the 1960s, the
local became the Undergarment and Negligee Workers' Union Local 62.
The collection consists primarily of correspondence of Local 62's manager Matthew Schoenwald.
Correspondents include staff in several of the ILGWU departments, as well as Presidents Louis
Stulberg and David Dubinsky, James Lipsig (Assistant Executive Secretary) and Jack Gross. Gross
was the Executive Director for The Lingerie Manufacturers Association, Inc. and The Negligee
Manufacturers Association, Inc. and his files include correspondence and agreements.
Additionally, there is correspondence and agreements with the manufacturer association for the
undergarment industry, the Allied Underwear Association, Inc.
General administrative records detailing the work of Local 62 includes correspondence
regarding the benefit and retirement funds. Associated Hospital Service refers to the Blue Cross
Plan of the local, and there are terms of benefits, claims, payments, and providers. There are
Local 62 reports to the General Office, documents of the Office Workers Division of Local 62,
meetings, and collective agreements for office employees in shops. Celebrations are documented
through anniversaries, Unity House outings, and luncheons.
There are a large amount of files and correspondence with the lawyers that represented Local
62 on arbitration cases, including the firms of Lieberman, Aronson and Rosenberg as well as
Lieberman, Katz and Aronson, which were headed by Elias Lieberman. The Lieberman, Katz and
Aronson firm were also counsel to the Retirement Fund and were present at Fund meetings. The
records contain meeting minutes, retirement applicants, finances, and rules and regulations.
Departments represented in the collection include the Auditing Department (year end and annual
reports, strike collections and receipts, tally sheets on investments and dues, signed and
completed annual forms) and the Northeast Department. Local 62 worked closely with this
department regarding underwear and lingerie shops outside of New York City, and communicated
locations of shops and their agreements to the Northeast Department.
There is much information documenting the work of the Liberal Party and elections, as Matthew
Schoenwald was a candidate for the 27th Assembly District for Queens County. Available is
correspondence on meetings, contributions, campaigns, fundraising, and lists of individuals
residing in districts.
In his role as a union vice president, Shoenwald also helped organize undergarment and
lingerie shops in other areas, particularly Puerto Rico.
Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 62 (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.
Form and Genre Terms:
Correspondence.
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 62. Managers' correspondence #5780/079. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 | ||
Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1974-1976 | |
Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1970-1973 | |
Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1965-1969 | |
Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1968 | |
Box 1 | Folder 6 | 1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1965 | |
Box 1 | Folder 9 | 1964 | |
Box 1 | Folder 10 | 1962-1963 | |
Box 1 | Folder 11 | 1965-1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 12 | 1963-1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 13 | 1970-1978 | |
Box 1 | Folder 14 | 1969-1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 15 | 1969 | |
Box 1 | Folder 16 | 1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 17 | 1969 | |
Box 1 | Folder 18 | 1968 | |
Box 1 | Folder 19 | 1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 20 | 1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 21 | 1965 | |
Box 1 | Folder 22 | 1962-1963 | |
Box 1 | Folder 23 | 1967-1968 | |
Box 1 | Folder 24 | 1965-1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 25 | 1965-1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 26 | 1964 | |
Box 1 | Folder 27 | 1962-1963 | |
Box 1 | Folder 28 | ||
Box 1 | Folder 29 | 1971-1973 | |
Box 1 | Folder 30 | 1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 31 | 1968-1969 | |
Box 1 | Folder 32 | 1971-1973 | |
Box 1 | Folder 33 | 1965-1966 | |
Box 1 | Folder 34 | 1968-1975 | |
Box 1 | Folder 35 | 1966-1967 | |
Box 1 | Folder 36 | 1967-1977 | |
Box 1 | Folder 37 | 1966-1968 | |
Box 1 | Folder 38 | 1978-1981 | |
Box 1 | Folder 39 | 1974-1977 | |
Box 1 | Folder 40 | 1970 | |
Box 1 | Folder 41 | 1969 | |
Box 1 | Folder 42 | 1968 | |
Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1976-1977 | |
Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1966-1968 | |
Box 2 | Folder 3 | 1966-1968 | |
Box 2 | Folder 4 | 1973 | |
Box 2 | Folder 5 | 1972 | |
Box 2 | Folder 6 | 1972 | |
Box 2 | Folder 7 | 1973 | |
Box 2 | Folder 8 | 1972 | |
Box 2 | Folder 9 | 1971 | |
Box 2 | Folder 10 | 1970 | |
Box 2 | Folder 11 | 1969 | |
Box 2 | Folder 12 | 1968 | |
Box 2 | Folder 13 | 1970-1971 | |
Box 2 | Folder 14 | 1972-1975 | |
Box 2 | Folder 15 | 1941-1971 | |
Box 2 | Folder 16 | 1941-1971 | |
Box 2 | Folder 17 | 1974-1975 | |
Box 2 | Folder 18 | 1973 | |
Box 2 | Folder 19 | 1972 | |
Box 2 | Folder 20 | 1970 | |
Box 2 | Folder 21 | 1964 | |
Box 2 | Folder 22 | 1963 | |
Box 2 | Folder 23 | 1978 | |
Box 2 | Folder 24 | 1977 | |
Box 2 | Folder 25 | 1976 | |
Box 2 | Folder 26 | 1975 | |
Box 2 | Folder 27 | 1967 | |
Box 2 | Folder 28 | 1966 | |
Box 2 | Folder 29 | 1965 | |
Box 2 | Folder 30 | 1964 | |
Box 2 | Folder 31 | 1962-1963 | |
Box 2 | Folder 32 | 1964 | |
Box 2 | Folder 33 | 1963 | |
Box 2 | Folder 34 | 1966-1967 | |
Box 2 | Folder 35 | 1965 | |
Box 2 | Folder 36 | 1975-1977 | |
Box 2 | Folder 37 | 1965 | |
Box 2 | Folder 38 | 1965-1967 | |
Box 2 | Folder 39 | 1972 | |
Box 2 | Folder 40 | 1971 | |
Box 2 | Folder 41 | 1970 | |
Box 2 | Folder 42 | 1969 | |
Box 2 | Folder 43 | 1968 | |
Box 3 | Folder 1 | 1977 | |
Box 3 | Folder 2 | 1976 | |
Box 3 | Folder 3 | 1975 | |
Box 3 | Folder 4 | 1974 | |
Box 3 | Folder 5 | 1973 | |
Box 3 | Folder 6 | 1972 | |
Box 3 | Folder 7 | 1971 | |
Box 3 | Folder 8 | 1970 | |
Box 3 | Folder 9 | 1969 | |
Box 3 | Folder 10 | 1968 | |
Box 3 | Folder 11 | 1965 | |
Box 3 | Folder 12 | 1964 | |
Box 3 | Folder 13 | 1963 | |
Box 3 | Folder 14 | 1962 | |
Box 3 | Folder 15 | 1967 | |
Box 3 | Folder 16 | 1966 | |
Box 4 | Folder 1 | 1965 | |
Box 4 | Folder 2 | 1964 | |
Box 4 | Folder 3 | 1963 | |
Box 4 | Folder 4 | 1962 | |
Box 4 | Folder 5 | 1962 | |
Box 4 | Folder 6 | 1963 | |
Box 4 | Folder 7 | ||
Box 4 | Folder 8 | 1966-1969 | |
Box 4 | Folder 9 | 1972-1973 | |
Box 4 | Folder 10 | 1965 | |
Box 4 | Folder 11 | 1967-1968 | |
Box 4 | Folder 12 | 1977 | |
Box 4 | Folder 13 | 1970 | |
Box 4 | Folder 14 | 1968-1969 | |
Box 4 | Folder 15 | 1967 | |
Box 4 | Folder 16 | 1966 | |
Box 4 | Folder 17 | 1965 | |
Box 4 | Folder 18 | 1964 | |
Box 4 | Folder 19 | 1963 | |
Box 4 | Folder 20 | 1974-1975 | |
Box 4 | Folder 21 | 1973 | |
Box 4 | Folder 22 | 1972 | |
Box 4 | Folder 23 | 1971 | |
Box 4 | Folder 24 | 1972-1975 | |
Box 4 | Folder 25 | 1973-1975 | |
Box 4 | Folder 26 | 1972 | |
Box 4 | Folder 27 | 1971 | |
Box 4 | Folder 28 | 1970 | |
Box 4 | Folder 29 | 1969 | |
Box 4 | Folder 30 | 1968 | |
Box 4 | Folder 31 | 1967 | |
Box 4 | Folder 32 | 1966 | |
Box 4 | Folder 33 | 1965 | |
Box 4 | Folder 34 | 1964 | |
Box 4 | Folder 35 | 1963 | |
Box 4 | Folder 36 | 1962 | |
Box 4 | Folder 37 | 1965-1970 | |
Box 4 | Folder 38 | 1964 | |
Box 4 | Folder 39 | 1962 | |
Box 4 | Folder 40 | 1963 | |
Box 4 | Folder 41 | 1970-1975 | |
Box 4 | Folder 42 | 1965-1969 | |
Box 4 | Folder 43 | 1963-1968 |