Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, Local 125 Records, 1928-1984

The collection is userestricted.

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Historical Note

In 1933 the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) began an organizing drive among New England garment workers. On April 29, 1933, Local 125 (New Haven, Connecticut and vicinity) was chartered by ACWA. Local governing bodies were established almost immediately; Shop Delegates Councils and the Executive Board each held their first meetings in May, 1933.

Local 125 worked to improve wages and hours of work, to increase job security, to provide facilities for advancing cultural, educational and recreational interests of its members and to strengthen the labor movement. A 5-day work week and "living wage" were prime objectives. Local ACWA social-athletic clubs were opened for members in 1934. Delegates received funding to attend labor conferences and speakers routinely addressed the Shop Delegates Council meetings on topics of labor interest.

Local 125 followed the industry's growth and decline. In 1933 the union represented 14 shops (over 2,000 workers); 1942: 19 shops; 1950: 24 shops; 1963: 18 shops; 1978: 8 shops. The local eventually represented shops both in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. At various times Bridgeport, Brandford, Danbury, Derby, Manchester, New Britain, New Haven, Shelton and Wallingford shirt factories have had ACWA representation.

Key figures in Local 125 include Aldo Cursi who, with Mamie Santora, organized the Connecticut shirtworkers. Cursi served as Manager of Local 125 from 1933 until 1954. John Laurie was the local's Business Agent from 1933 until 1963. He served as Manager of Local 125 from 1954 until his death in 1964. Nick Aiello was elected Local 125's Business Agent in 1963. In 1964 he was elected Manager of Local 125.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

Constitution, by-laws, minutes, contracts, piece rate schedules, accounts, subject files, scrapbooks, newsclippings, printed materials, photographs and a phonograph record that document the history of Local 125 from its founding in 1933 to 1984, when the Local office in New Haven was closed. Included also are correspondence and case materials pertaining to grievance and arbitration proceedings (access restrictions apply). Early records were collected by Manager Cursi; Business Agent (and later, Manager) Laurie maintained Local 125's files through numerous office moves, and Business Agent and Manager Aiello maintained the records from 1964 until 1984.

The records are organized in five series, including Minutes, 1933-1978, Contracts and Piece Rates, 1928-1982, Subject Files, 1934-1984, Grievances and Arbitrations, 1958-1984, and Publications, Photographs and Scrapbooks, 1930-1983.

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Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into five series:

• Series 1. Minutes, 1933-1978
• Series 2. Contracts and Piece Rates, 1928-1982
• Series 3. Subject Files, 1934-1984
• Series 4. Grievances and Arbitrations, 1958-1984
• Series 5. Publications, Photographs and Scrapbooks, 1930-1983

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Series I. Minutes 1933-1978

Includes very complete minutes of the Executive Board and the Shop Delegates Councils, 1933-1977. This series also includes delegate election results, names of conference representatives, grievance and dispute resolutions in addition to more routine union business. Minutes of the regional governing committee, the New England Regional Joint Board, are complete from its founding in 1973 through 1978. Local 125's political interests are documented in the minutes of the Labor Non-Partisan League (1936) and the Political Action Committee (1948-1974). Social-Athletic Club minutes (1934-1944) reveal the local's recreational interests; Amalgamated Cultural Activities in Series IV supplement these minutes. Also in this series are two typescripts of the Constitution; dated print copies are found in Series IV.

Series 2. Contracts and Piece Rates 1928-1982

Subseries One contains contracts between Local 125 and employers, arranged chronologically and dating from 1935 to 1955. Negotiations with the Gant Company of New Haven are well documented and extend from 1943 to 1980. Subseries Two contains piece rate schedules which are arranged chronologically and span 1928-1977. Piece rate surveys, 1939-1945, supplement the schedules.

Divided into two subseries.

Series 3. Subject Files 1934-1984

Maintained by Aldo Cursi and, later, by Nick Aiello. Bulk dates 1964-1984. Shop dues reports (1934-1983), Financial Statements (1975-1984) and Vacation Funds Balance Sheets (1950-1971) indicate the financial workings of the local. The Subject Files also reveal Aiello's work with the New England Regional Joint Board and the Greater Hartford Labor Council.

Files are in a topical arrangement; some headings are assigned. Shop closings are listed under name of shop (Bay Products, Interstar Mfg., New Britain, Panettieri, and Rivoli Shirtmakers).

Series 4. Grievances and Arbitration 1958-1984

Grievance and arbitration case material includes: evidence, correspondence and decisions. Bulk dates, 1976-1979.

Most cases are filed by name of the grievant; some are filed by name of the company.

Series 5. Publications and Scrapbooks 1930-1983

The first subseries, publications, consists of printed material found in Local 125's records. Of special interest are: the second issue of ACWA's newspaper Advance; Bread and Roses, the early history of ACWA and printed copies of the Constitution and By-laws. Three scrapbooks, 1930-1955, consist of newspaper clippings and ACWA and Local 125 printed materials.

Contains three subseries.

Series I. Minutes 1933-1978

Series 2. Contracts and Piece Rates 1928-1982

Series 3. Subject Files 1934-1984

Series 4. Grievances and Arbitration 1958-1984

Series 5. Publications and Scrapbooks 1930-1983