Health, Welfare and Retirement, 1939-1955

The Local 155 records consist primarily of the correspondence of Louis Nelson, manager of Local 155 during the period. There are also articles, speeches, and other materials, as well as a small amount of Nelson's personal correspondence.



The correspondence arranged alphabetically by subject and the material documents the activities and concerns of the Local's leadership from the depression years through the late 1960s. In addition to routine Local administrative matters, the materials cover a wide variety of topics, including anti-Semitism, civil rights issues, health and retirement benefits, the women's clothing industry, New York City elections, political activities of the Local, relations with other unions, forced labor in the Soviet Union, the Spanish Civil War, strikes, and union elections.



Individual correspondents represented in the collection include Angela Balabanoff, Fred Beal, B.J. Bialostotzky, David Dubinsky, Melech Epstein, Fiorello LaGuardia, Elias Lieberman, Jay Lovestone, Norman Thomas, and Carlo Tresca. Organizations include the AFL-CIO, the American Labor Party, the Italian-American Labor Council, the Jewish Labor Committee, the Liberal Party of New York, the National Urban League, the Socialist Party, the Union for Democratic Socialism, the United Textile Workers Union of America, and Workmen's Circle.



Subjects that are well documented include elections. The union and local actively supported the Liberal Party. But of interest are the files regarding elections within the local. There were various factions vying for leadership positions in the local, including the Rank and File candidates who were running against the incumbent Progressive Group and manager Louis Nelson.



The collection also offers a look at the knitgood industry, through reports by manager Nelson to the General Executive Board (GEB). Additionally, the industry can be studied through the companies, manufacturer associations such as the United Knitwear Manufacturers League and the Knitted Outerwear Manufacturers Association, as well as industry publications "United Knitwear Reporter" and "Associated Knitwear Contractors News."



Another component of the collection are the minutes of the Executive Board for the Knitgoods Workers' Union Local 155. There are also minutes for various committees of the local including the Finance, Board of Trustees for the Retirement Board, Education, Appeals and Grievance Committees. Additionally, there are volumes from the Local 155 publication "Knitgoods Workers Voice" and various publications regarding wages, hours, hearings and recommendations regarding the knitwear industry. At the end of the collection appear reports and transcripts of the proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board in the case of Amberton Knitting Mills and Local 155.