United Steelworkers of America, District 35 records

Collection

Identifier: L1975-21

Staff Only

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

United Steelworkers of America. District 35 (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 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.

Arrangement

The records are arranged into eleven series: Series I: International Office correspondence, 1943-1957, Series II: District 35 Field Representatives, correspondence, 1943-1974, Series III: District 35, Locals Correspondence, 1944-1957, Series IV: Company Correspondence, 1943-1957, Series V: National Labor Relations Board, 1947, Series VI: Assorted District 35 Correspondence, 1945-1957, Series VII: General, 1941-1965, Series VIII: Financial Documents, 1945, 1954-1956, Series IX: Legal Documents, 1947, Series X: Minutes, 1942-1945, Series XI: Printed Material, 1942-1974

Acquisition Information

Donated by Charles Mathias, April 29, 1975.

Related Archival Materials

Related Materials in Other Repositories

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

Related Materials in This Repository

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

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

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Constitutions and Bylaws collection

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

Separated to the Southern Labor Archives Proceedings collection

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

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Pamphlets Collection

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

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

Separated to Southern Labor Archives Audiovisual Collection

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

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.