ILGWU Legal Department Records

The Legal Department records do not comprehensively document the ILGWU legal activities, instead focusing on specific cases or series of cases.



Two ILGWU cases are documented in the Legal Department records. The first case involved the Kellwood Corporation, and the second involved the Donnelly Garment Company. The records relating to the Kellwood case (5780/107, 5780/107 AV, 5780/107 P) include court documents, correspondence and memoranda, surveys of strikers, organizing leaflets and newsletters (from both the union and the company), Steve Honeyman's draft accounts of the strike, audio and transcripts of Honeyman's interviews with ILGWU members and staff, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other printed material. The Donnelly Garment Company's case against the ILGWU is documented primarily through transcripts of the case, legal briefs, and related court documents.



Records on series of cases are the most general and extensive of the Legal Department records. They include records on ILGWU cases in the U.S. courts (5780/081), records documenting cases before the National War Labor Board (5780/085), and records relating to a wide variety contract negotiations, arbitration proceedings, and courts cases (5780/063).



Researchers may find complementary material in the other parts of the ILGWU records, such as the papers of the international leadership, especially the papers of ILGWU presidents (Series IV); the records of local unions in instances where these affiliates were involved in litigation or arbitration (Series III); and the collective bargaining agreements (Series VI). Related collections at the Kheel Center include decisions of the Coat and Suit Industry's Impartial Chairman (6036/015) and decisions of the Dress Industry's Impartial Chairman (6036/017).



For the Legal Department records of 5780/081, the collection has been arranged into six series. Series I includes correspondence, legal documents, evidence, and memoranda relating to important cases from the 1950's to the early 1980's. Series II consists of case summaries composed of excerpts from reports of the Legal Department to the General Executive Board. Series III consists of incomplete case files on miscellaneous cases with little or no detail. Series IV consist of contract histories include correspondence and negotiations related to particularly critical agreements. Series V contains subject files dealing various aspects of union administration and internal affairs, especially with political finance, the Union Health Center and Unity House, arranged in alphabetical order. Series VI contains miscellaneous agreements.