ILGWU Local 23-25 Records, 1972-1994
Collection Number: 5780/095

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU Local 23-25 Records, 1972-1994
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/095
Abstract:
The collection contains files of International Ladies Garment Workers Union Local 23-25, Blouse, Skirt and Sportswear Workers. Included are files of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, as well as press releases, news clippings, and other printed material.
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU). Local 23-25
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
3 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English, Chinese

Biographical / Historical

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.

Biographical / Historical

Locals 23 and 25 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), as well as the local resulting from their merger, local 23-25, also known as the Blouse, Skirt, and Sportswear Workers' Union, were based in New York, New York. Local 23 was chartered in 1903; Local 25 was chartered in 1905. Locals 23 and 25 merged and changed their name to 23-25 officially on November 27, 1963.

This collection contains files of International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union Local 23-25, Blouse, Skirt and Sportswear Workers, documenting the work and members of the local. Included are files of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, as well as press releases, news clippings, and other printed material.
Subjects with sufficient material include information packets and meetings regarding the 1990 U.S. Census, in which the local and May Chen were involved with the Chinatown Census Committee to get the individuals and union members of Chinatown counted. Additionally, Chinatown is documented through industry studies and proposals. There is a digest of articles from the "Chinatown Press and at the end of the collection a large amount of collected newspaper articles and clippings, mostly from Chinese publications. And finally, there is substantial material on the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Most of this involves the Asian members of Local 23-25 who formed the Chinese Committee (see also 5780/059).
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.
Conditions Governing Use

This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Preferred Citation

ILGWU Local 23-25 Records #5780/095. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

Related Materials

Related Collections: 5780: ILGWU records 5780/059: ILGWU Local 23-25 Records 5780/059 P: ILGWU Local 23-25 Photographs 5780/059 PUBS: ILGWU Local 23-25 Publications 5780/095 G: ILGWU Local 23-25 graphics

SUBJECTS

Names:
Coalition of Labor Union Women (U.S.)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Local 23-25 (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States
Women's clothing industry--New York (State)--New York.
Clothing workers -- Labor unions -- 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
1990 Census Campaign Materials [folder 1 of 2]
1980-1990
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 1 Folder 2
1990 Census Campaign Materials [folder 2 of 2]
1980-1990
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 1 Folder 3
1990 Census Campaign. Chinatown Committee Materials
1990
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 1 Folder 4
1990 Census Campaign. Chinatown Committee Poster and Essay Contests
1989-1990
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 1 Folder 5
Local 23-25 Blouse, Skirt and Sportswear Workers Union. 1986 Statue of Liberty Essay Winners [folder 1 of 2]
1986-1987
Box 1 Folder 6
Local 23-25 Blouse, Skirt and Sportswear Workers Union. 1986 Statue of Liberty Essay Winners [folder 2 of 2]
1986-1987
Box 1 Folder 7
New York Statue of Liberty Centennial Commission. "Dreams and Visions from a New Generation of Americans"
1986
Box 1 Folder 8
Local 23-25 Blouse, Skirt and Sportswear Workers Union. Study of the Garment Industry in Chinatown
1981
Box 1 Folder 9
Chinatown Redevelopment Proposal
1978-1981
Box 1 Folder 10
Bathgate Industrial Park and Eastside Redevelopment Reports
1978-1981
Box 1 Folder 11
Buckhurst Fish Hutton Katz Chinatown Proposal
1981
Box 1 Folder 12
"Capital Needs and Priorities for the City of New York. Statement of the NYC Planning Commission
1979
Box 1 Folder 13
Crown Heights Area Maintenance Program
1972
Box 1 Folder 14
"From Chinatown Press" [folder 1 of 2]
1984-1987
Box 1 Folder 15
"From the Chinatown Press" [folder 2 of 2]
1984-1987
Box 1 Folder 16
Local 23-25. The Chinatown Garment Industry Study. An Overview
1983
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 2 Folder 1
Miscellaneous Union News
1992
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 2 Folder 2
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Founding Celebration Materials
1984
Box 2 Folder 3
Coalition of Labor Union Women. New York City Chapter
1984-1985
Box 2 Folder 4
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Pamphlets and Logo Designs
Box 2 Folder 5
Coalition of Labor Union Woman. Chinese Committee Materials
1983-1986
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 2 Folder 6
Coalition of Union Labor Women. Work and Family Materials
Box 2 Folder 7
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Civil Rights Materials
1986
Box 2 Folder 8
Coalition of Labor Union Women. South Africa Publications
1985
Box 2 Folder 9
Coalition of Labor Union Women. New York City Chapter Executive Board Meeting Agendas
1986
Box 2 Folder 10
Coalition of Labor Union Women. International Women's Day Celebration
1985-1986
Box 2 Folder 11
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Fourth Biennial Convention
1986
Box 2 Folder 12
Coalition of Labor Union Women. National Executive Board Meeting Memoranda and Materials
1987
Box 2 Folder 13
Coalition of Union Labor Women. Immigration Workshop
1987
Box 2 Folder 14
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Chinese Committee Activity Reports
1988-1990
Box 2 Folder 15
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Fifth Biennial Celebration Materials
1988
Box 2 Folder 16
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Miscellaneous Event Promotion
1987-1988
Box 2 Folder 17
Coalition of Labor Union Women. American Family Celebration Materials and Local Action Kit
1988
Box 2 Folder 18
Coalition of Labor Union Women. American Family Celebration Travel Guides and Itineraries
1988
Box 2 Folder 19
Coalition of Labor Union Women. International Women's Day Organizational Information
1988
Box 2 Folder 20
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Informational Pamphlets and Notices
1986-1987
Box 2 Folder 21
Coalition of Labor Union Women. Informational Pamphlets and Notices
1986-1988
Box 2 Folder 22
Coalition of Labor Union Women. New York City Chapter Executive Board Materials
1987-1989
Box 2 Folder 23
Local 23-25. The Chinatown Garment Industry Study
1983
Box 3 Folder 1
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Photocopies [folder 1 of 5]
1993-1994
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 3 Folder 2
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Photocopies [folder 2 of 5]
1993-1994
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 3 Folder 3
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Photocopies [folder 3 of 5]
1993-1994
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 3 Folder 4
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Photocopies [folder 4 of 5]
1993-1994
Box 3 Folder 5
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Photocopies [folder 5 of 5]
1993-1994
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 3 Folder 6
Local 23-25, ILGWU. Campaign Materials
1994
Scope and Contents
English and Chinese
Box 3 Folder 7
Fee, Ben. Local 23-25, ILGWU. Newsletter Templates and Drafts
Box 3 Folder 8
United in 1994 Campaign. Meeting Attendance Cards
1994
Scope and Contents
May 5, 1994