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United Steelworkers of America, District 35 records

 Collection
Identifier: L1975-21

Scope and Contents of the Records

The records of the United Steelworkers of America, District 35, 1941-1974, are composed primarily of correspondence between District Directors William Crawford and Lorne Nelles and various United Steelworkers of America officers and departments, including President David McDonald and Secretary-Treasurer I. W. Abel. Other correspondents include United Steelworkers of America field representatives, union locals, and employers. Principle topics of discussion are organizing activities, contract negotiations, and strike actions. The company files (1943-1957) 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 (1945-1956); some legal documents; and printed material relating to the USWA, as well as some material (1941-1943) related to the Industrial Union of Marine Shipbuilding Workers of America. The Records bulk in the years 1941-1959.

Dates

  • 1940-1974

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Unrestricted Access.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the Worldwide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult the reference archivist to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original. All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

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, subdistrict director, assistant director, international representative and staff representatives. Prior to the merger that created the AFL-CIO 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. M.C. Weston served as director from 1965-1976.

Extent

2.03 Linear Feet (in 5 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 USWA officers and departments, including USWA President David McDonald, field representatives, and local unions mainly discussing organizing activities, contract negotiation, and strike activities; as well as company files (1943-1957); 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.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Charles Mathias, April 29, 1975.

Related Archival Materials

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

Related Materials in This Repository

  1. United Steelworkers of America Contracts (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, 1945-1987 (L1982-15)
  5. United Steelworkers of America, Local 309 (Alcoa, Tenn.) collection, 1971-1983 (L1983-30)

Separated Materials

During processing, materials were separated to other Southern Labor Archives Printed Collections. 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 contracts, see the United Steelworkers contracts collection finding aid. For artifacts, audiovisual materials, proceedings, and constitutions and bylaws, consult archivist.

Separated to Souther Labor Archives Contracts and Agreements collection

  1. Contracts from Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Florida (1943-1971)

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Constitutions and Bylaws collection

  1. United Steelworkers of America, Constitution of the International Union, 1942
  2. Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America, Constitution. 1942

Separated to the Southern Labor Archives Proceedings collection

  1. Georgia AFL-CIO, Proceedings
  2. Georgia AFL-CIO, Annual Reports of Officers, 1962
  3. International Labour Conference, Proceedings, 1960
  4. United Steelworkers of America, 10th Constitutional Convention, Special Report on Insurance, Pensions and SUB, 1960
  5. 10th Constitutional Convention, Special Study on Medical Care Programs for Steelworkers and Their Families, 1960
  6. 16th Constitutional Convention, Policy Resolutions, 1972
  7. 17th Constitutional Convention, Proceedings, 1974

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Pamphlets Collection

  1. Pamphlets concerning War Industry, Wages, Equal Pay for Women, Civil Liberties, National War Labor Board, the Steelworkers, Alcoholism, and Unions in General.

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Periodicals Collection

  1. Coke Oven Committee, Steelworkers Organizing Committee, The Gas Main, December 1940.
  2. Merrill Stevens Organizing Committee, The CIO Blast, June-July, 1943; undated
  3. Merrill Stevens Organizing Committee, The Yard Beacon, June 1943
  4. Victory-Gram: Official Voice of the Jacksonville Shipyard Workers, February 1943

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Audiovisual Collection

  1. Pension, Insurance, SUB Agreements
  2. Incentive and Job Classification
  3. Collective Bargaining Contracts
  4. Arbitration
  5. Political Action, 1954
  6. Future Goals, Panel Number 5
  7. Confidence
  8. Supplemental Unemployment Benefits
  9. Monthly Television Meeting Number 21, United Steelworkers of America, June 14, 1959
  10. Legislation, United Steelworkers of America, Film Number 4
  11. State of Our Union, United Steelworkers of America
  12. This is Your Union, United Steelworkers of America
  13. Speech to United Steelworkers of America Convention, David J. McDonald, 1958
  14. Speech to United Steelworkers of America Convention, David J. McDonald, 1960
  15. The Necessity of Re-Electing President Lyndon Johnson, David J. McDonald, 1964
  16. David J. McDonald's Interview with President John Kennedy, September 6, 1962
  17. No Backward Steps, David J. McDonald, United Steelworkers of America
  18. Speech to Pickets, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1959
  19. Statements to Wage Policy Committee, David J. McDonald, New York City, April 30, 1959; June 12, 1959; July 14, 1959
  20. Vice President Alben Barkley at the 6th Constitutional Convention, United Steelworkers of America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 13-16, 1952, Parts 1 and 2
  21. Part A: Secretary of Labor Maurice Tobin at the 6th Constitutional Convention, United Steelworkers of America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 13-16, 1952
  22. Part B: Senator Hubert Humphrey at the 6th Constitutional Convention, United Steelworkers of America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 13-16, 1952

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Artifact Collections

  1. United Steelworkers of America Delegate Medal, 10th Constitutional Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey, September 19-24, 1960

Processing Information

Processed by Paul A. Cimbala, 1976. This collection guide was created from a legacy finding aid. The inventory's contents and storage locations of separated materials (if applicable) were not verified at that time.

Subjects

Related Names

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
United Steelworkers of America, District 35 [L1975-21]:
Subtitle
A Guide to Its Records at Georgia State University Library
Status
Completed
Author
Georgia State University
Date
1976
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • November 2012: EAD created by Chelsey Cashwell from a legacy finding aid.

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

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

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