Union Label Department Publications, 1959-1966

The collection consists of records and files for the locals, districts, and departments within Pennsylvania. There is executive board material for the various locals including rosters and tally sheets, as well as meeting minutes. Also available is general local material such as correspondence, notes and memos, newsletters and publications, and finances. Another aspect of the collection illustrates the activities of the locals with information on events and dinners, charity balls, anniversary dinners, dances, plays and revues that were put on by drama departments, and material from the ILGWU chorus from Local 295 and the Wyoming Valley District.



There are clippings and articles of local interest. Well documented is the Leslie Fay Company, a large employer and manufacturer in the Wilkes-Barre area. Included are sewing manuals for pattern pieces, and detailed instructions for linings, facings, piping, zippers, joining pieces, adding darts, pleats, gussets, and piece rates. Also available and of importance is all the correspondence, meeting memos and clippings from the 1990s when the Leslie Fay Company decided to move operations out of the country, effecting 2,000 jobs, the 1994 strike, and the subsequent union campaign to get the company to stay.



Another component of the collection is the files of Lois Hartel, district manager of the Hazleton-Wyoming District. Aside from correspondence and union business, there are oversize posters of voting machine instructions for the primary on April 10, 1984, of which Lois Hartel was a candidate for delegate for the Democratic National Convention from the 11th Congressional District.



Over time, many of the locals merged to form districts, and ones that are represented in the collection include: Local 249 Wilkes-Barre; Local 295 Pittston; Local 327 Nanticoke; Wyoming Valley District-249, 295 &327; Central Pennsylvania District 108; Local 196; Local 170; Easton District; Hazleton District (225 Hazleton, PA and 575 Berwick, PA); Local 351; the Northeast, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Department; Shamokin-Sunbury District; Reading-Pottstown District; Scranton-Shamokin-Sunbury-Pottsville District; Wilkes-Barre Locals 327-295-249.