University and College Labor Education Association records

Collection

Identifier: L1989-13

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Content of the Records

The University and College Labor Education Association (UCLEA) collection documents the history, growth and development of the organization over nearly a forty year period, with materials bulking in the 1970s. The emergence of labor education as a distinct academic field and profession is documented in the correspondence of collection donors and others, whose either original or photocopied materials are present. Areas with materials relevant to labor educators of special interest in the collection include adult and citizenship education (Series 1: John Bennett; Series 8: John MacKenzie; Series 11: Emory Via), OSHA (Series 1: John Bennett), credentialing or standards of the profession (reflected throughout annual meeting materials), the role of women in labor education (Series 1: John Bennett; Series 9: Ruth Needleman; Series 10: Anne Nelson). Some correspondence involving the preceding organizations of the National Institute of Labor Education (NILE) and the University Labor Education Association (ULEA) is contained in this collection, and the relationship of the UCLEA to organized labor, particularly the AFL-CIO, is detailed in the Bennett and MacKenzie series particularly (1 and 8, respectively). Because of MacKenzie's tenure as the UCLEA's Governmental and Organizational Representative while in Washington, D.C., materials detailing those relations are in Series 8. The development of the publishing component of the UCLEA with both the Labor Studies Journal is detailed in Series 12 with materials reflecting the day-to-day operations of the Journal and the Labor Studies Forum is in Series 13 under the donation of Dr. C.K. McFarland, a set running from 1988-1996.

Some other activities detailed in the collection are the Job Placement Service, various task forces (building trades, trade union women's problems, urban affairs, and worker participation), lifelong learning inquiries, and a Quality of Work Life (QWL) proposal for study. Series 5: John Hanson, 1972-1989 details the former president's activities thoroughly with chronological correspondence folders.

The UCLEA collection is arranged in 13 series alphabetically by donor, with the exception of the final series incorporating three donors into one. With this method, each donor's contribution to the collection has remained a discrete entity. Most contributions came to the Southern Labor Archives with an inherent order, and this was adhered to or modified slightly within each series.

Dates

Creation: 1955-1996

Creator

University and College Labor Education Association (Organization)

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.

History of the University and College Labor Education Association

The University Labor Education Association (ULEA) was formed in 1960 and renamed the University and College Labor Education Association in 1974 (UCLEA). The predecessor organization to ULEA was the Inter University Labor Education Committee (IUELEC), which originated in the early 1950s but terminated its activities in 1954. IUELEC was parent to the National Institute of Labor Education (NILE) which was established in 1957. Both the Labor Education Section of the Adult Education Association and the Workers Education Local 189, American Federation of Teachers impacted NILE, which functioned as a transitional institution for the formation of the University Labor Education Association. Rosen's article mentions Fred Hoehler, Herb Levine and Larry Rogin as prominent persons in the early history of the organization and states that a position paper from 1962, "Effective Cooperation Between Universities and Unions in Labor Education" guided such union-educator relations until 1976. Rosen notes a "period of storm and stress" from 1967 until 1978 as the UCLEA grew in numbers and varieties of viewpoints. (See also Georgia State University, Southern Labor Archives, Pamphlet Collection: American Federation of Teachers [AFT] Workers Education Local 189; Coalition of Adult Education Organizations; University and College Labor Education Association; and University Labor Education subject headings.)

Bibliography

Box 2512, folder 6 (Series 11: Emory Via, 1977-1988) contains an expanded history of the University and College Labor Education Association (UCLEA) titled "The University Labor Education Association-The Founding Years 1960-1966 for presentation at the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Meeting of the University and College Labor Education Association March 17-21, 1986 Piney Point, Maryland" by Stanley Rosen, Professor of Labor and Industrial Relations, Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois, Chicago. The paper is dated March 1986.

Extent

37 Linear Feet (in 100 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

The collection consists of the records of the University and College Labor Education Association and its predecessor, the University Labor Education Association from 1955-1996. Includes correspondence, minutes, financial statements, reports, member directories, printed materials, audiotapes, and photographs documenting the emergence of labor education as an academic discipline. Contains information pertaining to adult and citizenship education; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the role of women in labor education; a Quality of Work Life proposal, and task force studies on building trades, urban affairs, worker participation, and problems of women in trade unions. Also includes information on the National Institute of Labor Education and the relationship of the UCLEA to organized labor, particularly the AFL-CIO.

Organization of the Records

Organized into thirteen series:

Series I. John Bennett, 1967-1987
Series II. Dale Brickner, 1970-1987.
Series III. Helen Elkiss, 1977-1987.
Series IV. Jack Flagler, 1957-1968.
Series V. John Hanson (Richard Strassberg and Hanson as Donors), 1957-1968.
Series VI. Keith Knauss, 1977-1979.
Series VII. Mary Lehman, 1985-1988.
Series VIII. John McKenzie, 1955-1988.
Series IX. Ruth Needleman, 1973-1988.
Series X. Anne Nelson, 1976-1989.
Series XI. Emory Via, 1977-1988.
Series XII. Peggy Wilson, Labor Studies Journal, 1972-1989
Series XIII. Ron Filipelli, Dr. C.K. McFarland, John Marrone, and Roberts Till-RetzLabor Studies Forum, 1988-1996

Acquisition Information

Donated by John Bennett, Dale Brickner, Helen Elkiss, Ron Filipelli, Jack Flagler, John Hanson, Keith Knauss, Mary Lehman, John R. MacKenzie, John Marrone, Ruth Needleman, Anne Nelson, Roberta Till-Retz, Emory Via, Peggy Wilson with Richard Strassberg as conduit for selected materials. Accessioned May 24, 1989. Additional file donated November 13, 1996 by Dr. C.K. McFarland, Professor of Labor History at Arkansas State University.

Separated Materials

During processing, materials were separated to other Southern Labor Archives Collections. For periodicals, see the Southern Labor Archives Periodicals Collection finding aid or catalog. For photographs, see the Southern Labor Archives Photographs Collection finding aid. For oversized and audiovisual materials, consult Special Collections.

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Oversize Location

"Democracy in America: Strengthening Worker Participation in Workplace and Community Decisions," The Rutgers Labor Education Center, Institute of Management and Labor Relations conference registration form for December 5 and 6, 1985
"One Voice," poster for the traveling exhibit, poster exhibit of the Baltimore Steelworkers' History Project, undated

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Periodicals Collection

The Builders (Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO), January 12, 1987
IUD Spotlight on Health and Safety, 1978
NCCMP Update (National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans), Winter 1987

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Audiovisual Collection

UCLEA Executive Board Meeting, March 12, 1988 [3 Audiocassettes]
UCLEA Board Meeting, March 13, 1988 [2 Audiocassettes]
UCLEA Executive Board Meeting, Lansing, Michigan, December 9, 1988 [2 Audiocassettes]
UCLEA Annual Business Meeting, Portland, Oregon, March 13, 1989 [2 Audiocassettes]
UCLEA Institutional Council Meeting and Parts 1 and 2 of UCLEA Professional Council Meeting, Portland, Oregon, March 14, 1989 [Audiocassette]
E.L. Abercrombie, Secretary Emeritus, Textile Processors, Service Trades, Health Care, Professional and Technical Employees International Union interviewed by Dr. Morris L. Fried, Director of Labor Studies Program, Georgia State University, circa 1979-1982 [U-matic videocassette]
Joseph Jacobs, Atlanta, Georgia labor attorney interviewed by Dr. Morris L. Fried, Director of Labor Studies Program, Georgia State University, circa 1979-1982 [U-matic videocassette]
Ernest Rice McKinney, A. Philip Randolph Institute interviewed by Dr. Morris L. Fried, Director of Labor Studies Program, Georgia State University, circa 1979-1982 [U-matic videocassette]
James Sala, Southeast Regional Director, AFL-CIO, interviewed by Dr. Morris L. Fried, Director of Labor Studies Program, Georgia State University, circa 1979-1982 [U-matic videocassette]

Separated to the Southern Labor Archives Photographs Collection

John Bennett, donor, 30 b/w prints (unidentified)
Helen Elkiss, donor, 7 b/w 8"x10" prints, UCLEA Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, 1984
Helen Elkiss, donor, 2 b/w 5"x7" prints and negatives, Midwest School for Women, 1983
Ruth Needleman, donor, 4 b/w prints, Midwest School for Women Workers, July 1982

Processing Information

Processed by Anne L. Tilden, Robert Dinwiddie, Donalyn Harris, and Peter Roberts at the file level. Inventory date February 1, 1991. Most contributions came to the Southern Labor Archives with an inherent order, and this was adhered to or modified slightly within each series.