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United Steelworkers of America, District 35 records

 Collection
Identifier: L1982-15

Scope and Content of the Records

The records of District 35 of the International Union of United Steelworkers of America include material dating 1945 to 1987, with the bulk covering the 1970s and 1980s. The records are organized into three record series: District 35 Administration, Financial Records, and Companies. The records also include a large body of printed items such as periodicals, contracts, and pamphlets. The information available in this collection should be valuable in assessing the role of the District, not just in its administration of contracts in the region, but in the community, the international, and in the industrial South.

Dates

  • Creation: 1945-1987

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

Oversized Materials stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

History of United Steelworkers of America, District 35

The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) District 35 covers the states of Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia. District 35 is administered through an International Executive Board including a district director, sub-district director, assistant director, international representative and staff representatives. Prior to the merger in 1955, District 35 existed as a Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) steelworker's region (USA-35). In 1972, District 50 of the United Mine Workers of America and District 35 formally aligned. USWA District 35 represents the interests of organized labor in the six state region through grievance and arbitration procedure, collective bargaining and political education.

USWA District 35 merged with District 36(Birmingham, Ala.) to form the new District 9, which was headquartered in Birmingham Ala.

Biographical Notes on USWA, District 35 Leadership

M.C. Weston served as director from 1965-1976. Under Weston's leadership, the District tripled its membership; delegate to the Aluminum Workers' Convention, 1944; served on Aluminum Advisory Committee to the War Production Board in World War II; Named assistant director in 1946; served on Aluminum Negotiating Committees since 1944; chairman of union's ALCOA negotiating committee, 1971; chairman of USWA Aluminum Industry Conference, 1965.

Bruce Thrasher became director of District 35 in 1976. Prior to assuming this responsibility, Thrasher had twenty-two years experience as a staff representative, sub-district director, international representative and assistant director of District 35. In addition, he served on numerous USWA negotiating committees.

C.L. Parker director of Sub-District 1 (1980-87); staff representative until 1980; graduate of USWA Summer Institute, Chattanooga, Tennessee; came from rank-and-file after being fired by Atlantic Steel; box 2912 and 2913 contain several folders labeled "History of C.L. Parker."

Herman B. Adkins joined the United Mine Workers at the age of fourteen; elected Local Union President in 1939; served two years in the Army during World War II; Representative of District 50 (UMW), 1941-1950; appointed Regional Director in 1952; District 50 Executive Board Member, 1961-1972; USWA Sub-District Director of the State of Georgia, 1975-1980.

Extent

68 Linear Feet (in 158 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

The collection consists of records of District 35 of the United Steelworkers of America from 1940-1987. Contains mainly correspondence (1943-1987) between district directors William Crawford, Lorne Nelles, and M.C. Weston and various USA officers and departments, including USA President David McDonald, field representatives, and local unions mainly discussing organizing activities, contract negotiation, and strike activities. The company files (1943-1987) concern negotiations and administration of collective bargaining agreements with companies in the district including Atlantic Steel Company, Link-Belt Co., Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp., and Southern Cross Industries. Also includes minutes of the Steelworkers Organizing Committee (1955) and various local unions (1942-1945); financial documents comprised mostly of International and local union audits (1945-1987); some legal documents; and printed material relating to the USA (1940-1974).

Arrangement

The records are arranged into three series:
  1. Series I: District 35 Administration, 1953, 1957, 1959-1987
  2. Series II: Financial Records, 1973-1986
  3. Series III: Companies, 1945-1987

Off-Site Storage

Oversized Materials stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Bruce Thrasher, Charles Mathias, Vicki Chalkley, and Jack Strunk on June 10, 1982 (accession number L1982-15); June 30, 1983 (L1983-20); July 17, 1984 (L1984-46); May 22, 1985 (L1985-22); July 30, 1986 (L1986-24); September 9, 1988 (L1988-30).

Related Archival Materials

Related Materials in This Repository

  1. United Steelworkers of America contracts collection, 1943-1974 (L-contracts_USWA)
  2. Charles Mathias collection, 1951-1973 (L1973-31)
  3. United Steelworkers of America, District 35 records, 1940-1973 (L1974-34)
  4. United Steelworkers of America, District 35 records, 1940-1974 (L1975-21)

Related Materials in Other Repositories

  1. United Steelworkers of America Records, The Historical Collections and Labor Archives at Pennsylvania State University
  2. United Steelworkers of America, District 35 Records, 1941-1952, Duke University, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Separated Materials

During processing, printed material, photographs, and artifacts were separated to other Southern Labor Archives collections. For photographs, see the Southern Labor Archives Photographs Collection finding aid. For pamphlets, see the Southern Labor Archives Pamphlet Collection finding aid (note that this collection has been weeded over time). For periodicals, see the Southern Labor Archives Periodicals Collection finding aid or catalog. For artifacts, proceedings, contracts, and constitutions, consult Special Collections for access.

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Photographs Collection

  1. 8 x 10 B&W print, C.L. Parker with 14 workers, circa 1973
  2. 8 x 10 B&W print, 6 men at head table
  3. 2 8 x 10 B&W prints, work scenes, Atlantic Steel, circa 1970
  4. [finishing end of mill? Grievance/Arbitration over seniority? FMCS File 70A/8992?]

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Artifacts Collection

  1. Official Seals, District 50, L.U. 14914; United Steelworkers of America, CIO, L.U. 3343; United Steelworkers of America, L.U. 7541
  2. Miscellaneous Delegate Medals
  3. Miscellaneous Stickers and Campaign Buttons
  4. United Steelworkers "Pop Caps"

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Proceedings Collection

  1. District 50, United Mine Workers of America: February 1961, April 1965
  2. United Steelworkers of America: September 1970, September 1972, September 1974, August 1976, September 1978, August 1980, September 1982, September 1984

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Pamphlets Collection

  1. Pamphlets below are Southern Labor Archives Pamphlet Collection subject headings with materials added from this collection: AFL-CIO Department of Education; AFL-CIO Department of Legislation; AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department; AFL-CIO Legislative Reports; AFL-CIO Publications Department; Black Workers; Carter, Jimmy; Civil Rights; Environmental Issues; Equal Rights Amendment; Georgia Health Care; Murray, Philip; Pension Reform Law, 1974; A. Philip Randolph Institute; Retirement; Right-to-Work; Social Security; Southern Industry; Unemployment; United Mine Workers, District 50; United States Congress; United Steelworkers of America (USWA); US Labor Department Labor-Management Policy Development; US Labor Department Occupational Safety and Health Administration; US Labor Department Union Elections

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Periodicals Collection

  1. AFL-CIO American Federationist, March 1982
  2. AFL-CIO Memo... Labor Law Reform, 1977
  3. American Labor, 1 issue, undated
  4. Arbitration Newsletter: A Summary of the Steelworkers Arbitration Reports, 14 issues, 1976-1986
  5. CLEAR Report, Fall, Winter 1985
  6. District 50 News volumes 16-20, 1964-1968 [missing 4 issues]; v 24, no. 8, Aug 1972 [final issue]
  7. Georgia State AFL-CIO Newsletter 9 issues, 1977-1985
  8. Memo From COPE, 1976-1979
  9. Mountain Life and Work, April 1977
  10. The Steelworkers Oldtimer, 5 issues, 1982-1985
  11. Tennessee State Labor Council Newsletter, 7 issues, 1985-1986
  12. United Mine Workers Journal, volumes 75-79, January 1964-December 1968 [missing 3 issues]
  13. AFL-CIO News, 2 issues 1973; 1 issue 1976; 1 issue, 1978; 3 issues 1983; 36 issues, 1985; 13 issues, 1986
  14. Journal of Labor, 8 issues, 1977-1981
  15. Steelabor 38 issues, 1970-1986

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Contracts Collection

  1. [United Steelworkers of America contracts are included in the inventory with the manuscript collection]
  2. Lummus Cotton Gin Co and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge 1870: October 22, 1959 October 1, 1964 October 1, 1965 October 1, 1967
  3. Crown Cork and Seal Co., Inc., Winchester Plant No. 3 and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District Lodge 186: June 1, 1980
  4. Goldens' Foundry and Machine Co. and International Molder's and Allied Workers' Union, Local Union 240: January 12, 1966
  5. National Master Freight Agreement and Carolina Freight Over-the-Road Supplemental Agreement, Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee: July 1, 1973
  6. Ford Motor Co. and United Auto Workers: October 31, 1973 October 5, 1976
  7. Engelhard Minerals and Chemical Corp. and United Cement and Gypsum Workers International Union, Local Union 237: October 6, 1972
  8. Jones-Manville Products Corporation and United Glass and Ceramic Workers of North America, Local Union 486: December 14, 1972

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Constitutions and Bylaws Collection

  1. International Union of United Steelworkers of America: September 23, 1964; September 21, 1972; September 27, 1974; September 2, 1976; September 21, 1978; August 7, 1980; September 23, 1982
  2. Bylaws for Local Unions, United Steelworkers of America: April 1975, September 1979, November 1981
  3. International Union Elections Manual, United Steelworkers of America: August 1968, September 1972, July 1976, July 1980
  4. Local Union Elections Manual, United Steelworkers of America: March 15, 1960, March 1973, April 1975, February 1979, November 1981, January 1985

Processing Information

Processed by David C. Berry and Brad Paul at the file level, 1992.

Related Names

Subjects

Record Groups

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
United Steelworkers of America, District 35 [L1982-15]:
Subtitle
A Guide to Its Records at Georgia State University Library
Status
Completed
Author
Georgia State University Library
Date
1992
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

https://library.gsu.edu/special-collections/
Contact:
100 Decatur St., S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-413-2880
404-413-2881 (Fax)

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