ILGWU Local 105 Records

The Local 105 materials consist primarily of routine correspondence, reports, and minutes of executive and membership meetings. Much of the correspondence is from Martin L. Cohen, the manager-secretary of Local 105.



The first series consists of meeting Minutes for the Executive Board as well as various Committees including the Appeals, Campaign, Election and Objection, Finance, Grievance Board, Membership, Negotiation, Political and Educational. The Shop Representative meetings include a report from Manager Cohen. The Complaint logs list the complaint against specific firms, as well as disposition, whether the firm agreed to the charges or the complaint was sent to the Impartial Chairman.



The second series consists of correspondence arranged alphabetically by subject. The bulk of the material deals with administrative matters, contract negotiations, donations to (and requests for donations from) charitable organizations, health, welfare and retirement benefits, garment manufacturers, other ILGWU departments and locals, and relations with the AFL-CIO. Some of the correspondence addresses the changing ethnic makeup of the union's membership, particularly the steady increase in Hispanic workers during the 1950s and 1960s. Other items concern the adoption of children orphaned after World War II. A small amount of Martin Cohen's personal correspondence is also included. Significant organizations represented include the AFL-CIO (including correspondence with George Meany), City of Hope, Histadrut, the Jewish Daily Forward, the Jewish Labor Committee, and the New York Cloak Joint Board (ILGWU).



At the end of the collection there are posters that were created by the local to be displayed in the shops and factories. The posters advertise the benefits of membership and dues, the Union Health Center, holiday pay, severance pay, overtime pay, new contract benefits, and information on filing complaints. Some of the posters also include Spanish.