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Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board records

 Collection
Identifier: L1996-16

Scope and Content of the Records

The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board, records contain grievance files, arbitration files, newspaper clippings, publications, meeting minutes, training manuals, contracts, negotiations, union-management meeting transcripts, and correspondence from 1963-1993. The bulk of this collection deals with administrative matters and contract negotiations for the various locals serviced by the joint board. In addition this collection includes limited amounts of organizing materials and correspondence with various government agencies like Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Also included in this collection are a number of arbitration and grievance files that show the union fighting for the rights of its members. Of particular interest is the case of Ruth Knowles, president of Local 1716, who was fired for her union activity and waged a long and ultimately successful struggle to win her job back. Lastly this collection features extensive records of union-management meetings from the Arrow Shirt Company and Local 903 from 1989-1995. These reports offer a rarely seen glimpse of management and union working together in a non-litigious manner to solve problems.

The ACTWU Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama serviced the following: Local 903 (Arrow Shirt Company), Local 1716 (Lindale Manufacturing), Local 1942 (Romespun), Local 1647 (Jockey International), Local 1843 (Alton Box Board Company), Local 1876 (Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company), Local 943-T (Alton Box Board Company), Local 1549 (Alton Box Board Company, Papertube Division), Local 2303 (Kenyon Southern), Local 1927 (Phillips Synthetics), and Local 1926 (Standard Coosa Thatcher).

Dates

  • Creation: 1963-1993

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use. Access to materials with personal or sensitive information in boxes 9-10 is restricted for 75 years from the date of creation.

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.

Collection is stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

History of Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board

The Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA) formed in 1939 in an attempt to organize southern workers who up until then had failed to join the openly socialist Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA). They played a key role in the post World War Two Operation Dixie organizing campaign. While they had some successes, the failed national textile strike of 1934, discouraged southern union participation and the south remained resistant to union organization. In 1976 the two unions merged to form ACTWU which represented textile workers throughout the United States and Canada until 1995 when ACTWU merged with ILGWU to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

The Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint board replaced smaller geographical joint boards as union membership declined along with the entire American textile industry. The joint board streamlined operations by allowing the Joint board president to replace each locals' business agent. This allowed the joint board to handle administrative tasks for all of the locals inside its jurisdiction while saving money for the entire union by removing duplicate personnel and functions. The Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board began operating in 1986, but only lasted until 1991 when its functions were taken over by the new Southern Textile Regional Joint Board.

Extent

12.5 Linear Feet (in 10 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract:

The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board collection contains grievance files, arbitration files, newspaper clippings, publications, meeting minutes, training manuals, contracts, negotiations, union-management meeting transcripts, and correspondence from 1963-1993.

Arrangement

The records maintain their original order.

Off-Site Storage

Collection is stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Sandra Stimpson, November 1996.

Related Archival Materials

The Southern Labor Archives contains numerous collections created by various unions representing workers in the textile industry. These collections include union records from the International Ladies Garment Workers (ILGWU), Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers (ACTWU), United Textile Workers of America (UTWA), Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA), Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Workers (UNITE), and its successors UNITE HERE and Workers United.

Processing Information

Processed by Harold Victor Hansen, Jr. at the file level, spring 2011. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.

Title
Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama Joint Board [L1996-16]:
Subtitle
A Guide to Its Records at Georgia State University Library
Status
Completed
Author
Georgia State University Library
Date
June 13, 2012
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
100 Decatur St., S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-413-2880
404-413-2881 (Fax)