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Summary
- Abstract:
- Includes records of the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, group of trade union locals, and its predecessor organizations:.
- Extent:
- 2 Reels
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO Records, 1921-1988, Undated. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council Records).
Background
- Scope and Content:
The records of the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council contain records of all its predecessor bodies; however, there are large and frequent gaps in the records, including an almost complete dearth of records for the 1950's and 1960's. The 1970's and 1980's are the best documented decades, represented by both correspondence and minutes. Of the other records retained by the labor council, the best source for early labor history in Schenectady is the minute book of the Schenectady Trades Assembly for 1928 to 1932. Unfortunately, these are the last minutes saved until 1981. There appear to be no surviving records of the Schenectady Area Industrial Union Council except for copies of its 1952 constitution.
The correspondence files generally consist of letters to legislators explaining the council's view on topics of the day, and these are a good record of the council's interests especially for the 1940's, 1970's and 1980's. Correspondence, especially in the later years, sometimes includes press releases and newspaper clippings.
- Biographical / Historical:
The Schenectady Trades Assembly, the earliest predecessor institution of the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, was chartered in 1898. However, no records before 1921 survive. In the early years of this century, the trades assembly consisted of a group of trade union locals working together for labor's goals.
In 1941, the Schenectady Trades Assembly changed its name to the Schenectady Federation of Labor and was rechartered by the AFL. The 1940's were a particularly busy time for the federation, as attested to by the amount of correspondence it produced.
The founding date of the Schenectady Area Industrial Union Council, CIO, is unknown, but by 1959 it had merged with the Schenectady Federation of Labor to form the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, representing unions in the combined AFL-CIO. The labor council now includes any AFL-CIO unions in Schenectady, Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties.
- Acquisition information:
- All items, but one, in this manuscript group were lent to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and subsequently micro-filmed as a part of the Harry Van Arsdale, Jr., Labor History Project. The originals have been returned to the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council. The provenance of the souvenir charter is unknown.
- Processing information:
Processed in 1990 by Geoffrey A. Huth.
- Arrangement:
The collection has no series, arranged chronologically.
- Physical location:
- The materials are located onsite in the department.
Subjects
- Subjects:
- Schenectady, New York
Labor
Labor unions -- Social aspects -- New York (State).
Labor unions -- New York (State) -- Schenectady.
Labor unions -- New York (State) -- Fulton county.
Labor unions -- New York (State) -- Montgomery County.
Labor unions -- New York (State) -- Schoharie County. - Names:
- Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
AFL-CIO.
Schenectady Trades Assembly, AFL.
Schenectady Federation of Labor.
Schenectady Area Industrial Union Council, CIO.
Contents
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Using These Materials
- ACCESS:
- The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
- RESTRICTIONS:
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Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
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This page may contain links to digital objects. Access to these images and the technical capacity to download them does not imply permission for re-use. Digital objects may be used freely for personal reference use, referred to, or linked to from other web sites.
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The Department of Special Collections and Archives is eager to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified so that appropriate information may be provided in the future.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Schenectady Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO Records, 1921-1988, Undated. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Schenectady Area Central Labor Council Records).