The position of International Representative was assigned through an appointment by the General Executive Board of the UE. International Representatives were responsible for directing the organizational work of one of up to fourteen UE geographical districts, and for performing these activities in conjunction with the District Council and Vice President of that particular region. Neil Brandt, Ed Bloch, Arthur Garfield, Charles Rivers, and Jim Brown all worked in varying districts in this capacity.
This collection contains records related to the efforts of five men in the role of International Representative for the UE. Neil Brant, Ed Bloch, Arthur Garfield, Charles Rivers, and Jim Brown all fulfilled this geographically defined organizing role at different points in time. Their cumulative records span from 1935 to the 1990s and contain correspondence, flyers, and other materials related to UE organizing activities during that period.
A majority of the collection consists of correspondence related to organizing activities. Several letters describe various hearings with the National Labor Relations Board involving the UE. Included in this category is a 1963 to 1965 case involving a dispute between the UE and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) regarding which union represented the workers at Star Expansion Industries, a plant in Mountainville, New York. More recent documents detail activities within western Pennsylvania.
A variety of flyers and other published materials detail the efforts of the UE in combating the perception that it was a communist organization. Material related to the UE’s opposition to the war in Vietnam is also included. More complete scope notes exist for each series.
The collection is arranged at the series level with folder level content description.
Series 7.2.1. Neil Brant, 1941-1947
Series 7.2.2. Ed Bloch, 1959-1972
Series 7.2.3. Arthur Garfield, 1948
Series 7.2.4. Charles Rivers, 1935-1938
Series 7.2.5. Jim Brown, 1990s
Records of the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America are closed for a period of twenty-five years after their creation. Usage of files in Series 7.2.5 regarding a grievance filed by Fred Tarr requires a signed confidentiality agreement.
The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.
Gift of the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America in 1976 and 1986.
This collection was processed by Shaun Hayes and Sean Kilcoyne in December 2008.
Federal Bureau of Investigation on the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)Records, 1940-1985, UE.9.5, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
UE Campaign Materials Collection, 1942-1990, UE.7.1, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
UE Organizers Records, 1937-2003, UE.7.3, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
UE Organizer Bulletins, 1937-1977, UE.7.4, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
UE International Representative Records, 1935-1972, UE.7.2, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Portions of this collection have been previously cited as the Papers of Neil Brant, UE:NO-IR-BrantN, Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh.
Series 7.2.1. Neil Brant 1941-1947
Scope and Contents note
This series contains detailed information on the union's participation in War Labor Board proceedings, which the federal government reestablished during World War II to resolve labor disputes and ensure continuous production during the war era. The main areas of dispute between the UE and the companies were contract negotiations, membership clauses, wage and maintenance rate increases and the use of mediators.
While these files contain information on a variety of companies, the majority of the material focuses on War Labor Board proceedings with the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company and General Motors Company. These materials consist of correspondence and memoranda between Neil Brant and other members of the UE, documenting the progress of the War Labor Board proceedings and the coordination of union activity across the country. At the local level, Brant corresponded with field organizers to monitor their activities and provide assistance in bargaining campaigns. Included is correspondence with UE National Director of Organization James Matles regarding the complexity of the organizational campaigns and with UE National Secretary/Treasurer Julius Emspak on financial matters. In addition to correspondence and memoranda, these files contain briefs, recommendations, reports, and directives from the National War Labor Board.
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| Box | Folder | | Allis Chalmers, Boston, Massachusetts, 1942-1944 | 1 | 01-03 |
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| Folder | | Allis Chalmers, Case 211, 1942 | 04-06 |
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| Folder | | Allis Chalmers, LaPorte, Indiana, 1942-1944 | 07-08 |
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| Folder | | Allis Chalmers, Norwood, Ohio, 1942-1944 | 09-10 |
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| Folder | | Allis Chalmers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1942-1944 | 11-15 |
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| Folder | | Allis Chalmers, West Allis, Wisconsin, 1942-1945 | 16-18 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence, 1941-1947 | 19-31 |
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| Box | Folder | | Expense Reports, 1942-1944 | 2 | 01-02 |
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| Folder | | Memoranda, 1944-1947 | 03-05 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence with General Motors, General, 1942-1944 | 06-12 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence with General Motors, Delco Appliance, 1942-1943 | 13-14 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence with General Motors, Eastern Aircraft, 1943-1944 | 15-18 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence with General Motors, Frigidaire, 1942-1944 | 19-21 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence with General Motors, Packard, 1943-1944 | 22-23 |
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| Folder | | General Motors, War Labor Board Case, 1942-1943 | 24-25 |
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Series 7.2.2. Ed Bloch 1957-1972
Scope and Contents note
This series encompasses the records of Ed Bloch during his time as an UE International Representative in District 4, which was comprised of New York City and Northern New Jersey, from 1957 to 1972. Materials include bargaining agreements, meeting minutes, organizing flyers, and correspondence related to particular labor issues of the era including wages, health care, and employer responses to work stoppages. Campaigns of note involve UE Local 402 from the Thermatron division of Wilcox and Gibbs in Long Island City, and a dispute between the UE and the IBEW over workers at Star Expansion Industries in Mountainville, New York, from 1963 to 1965.
As this collection spans some of the more turbulent times in American history, there is also significant evidence of the UE’s involvement in the larger political sphere. Efforts on behalf of political prisoners and fired workers typify the variety of cooperative action documented within this collection. Materials issued on behalf of the Trade Union Division of the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy attest to the UE’s involvement against the Vietnam War and nuclear proliferation.
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| Box | Folder | | National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, 1966-1971 | 3 | 1 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence, 1964-1970 | 2 |
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| Folder | | Westinghouse, Dover-GE, 1958-1960 | 3 |
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| Folder | | IUE, District 4, 1962-1964 | 4 |
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| Folder | | Other Union Contracts, 1966-1967 | 5 |
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| Folder | | Organizer Reports, 1965-1970 | 8 |
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| Folder | | Organizers-NJ, 1966-1967 | 9 |
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| Folder | | Daburn Cable & Electronics, 1966-1971 | 10 |
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| Folder | | Bijur, 1959-1971 | 11 |
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| Folder | | Audel, 1968-1972 | 12 |
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| Folder | | UE Local 417, 1968 | 13 |
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| Folder | | Groov Pin, 1967-1970 | 14 |
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| Folder | | Local 124 Organizing Committee, 1958 | 15 |
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| Box | Folder | | Seth Thomas Div. General Time, 1966-1970 | 4 | 1 |
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| Folder | | H.E. Smith Company, 1965-1972 | 2 |
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| Folder | | Local 448, Johnston Machine, 1968-1972 | 3 |
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| Folder | | Paeco, 1964-1968 | 4 |
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| Folder | | M. Chasen & Son, 1965-1971 | 5 |
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| Folder | | A.J. Desimone, 1962-1964 | 6 |
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| Folder | | Lite Industries, 1966-1968 | 7 |
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| Folder | | Lazzara, 1966-1971 | 8 |
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| Folder | | Julius Schmid, 1967-1970 | 9 |
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| Folder | | Local 402 Thermatron Current, 1969-1971 | 10 |
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| Folder | | UE Local 404, 1971 | 11 |
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| Folder | | District 4 Newspaper, 1965 | 12 |
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| Folder | | UE District 4, 1963-1970 | 13 |
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| Folder | | Grievance Forms, Blank, undated | 14 |
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| Folder | | Chester Cable, 1966 | 15 |
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| Folder | | Health Plans, 1969 | 16 |
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| Folder | | Chatham Electronics, 1963-1967 | 18 |
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| Folder | | Sentinel Plastics, Inc., 1964-1967 | 19 |
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| Box | Folder | | Thermatron, 1962 | 5 | 1 |
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| Folder | | Negotiations-Thermatron, 1962 | 2 |
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| Folder | | Thermatron, Willcox & Gibbs, Contract, 1961 | 3 |
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| Folder | | Thermatron, Willcox & Gibbs, 1960 | 4 |
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| Folder | | Thermatron, Willcox & Gibbs File, 1959 | 5 |
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| Folder | | Metal Finding Co., 1957-1963 | 6 |
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| Folder | | UE Contracts, 1960-1964 | 7 |
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| Folder | | UE Local 414, 1965-1969 | 8 |
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| Folder | | Local 402 Thermatron-Past, 1964-1968 | 9 |
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| Folder | | International Diode, 1964-1968 | 10 |
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| Folder | | Mallory-Randall, 1967-1970 | 11 |
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| Folder | | Local 422, Int'l Production Service & Sales (Lido), 1965 | 12 |
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| Folder | | Bel Fuse, 1966-1967 | 13 |
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| Folder | | Electrospace, Local. 431, 1968 | 14 |
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| Folder | | Ed Block Mail, 1966 | 15 |
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| Folder | | Rond Plastics, Plainfield, NJ, App. Globe Robber #152, 1973 | 16 |
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| Folder | | Con Rac Corp., Organization. Literature, 1967 | 18 |
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| Folder | | Mallory Randall Campaign, 1967-1968 | 19 |
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| Box | Folder | | Harman Karoon, 1964 | 6 | 1 |
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| Folder | | Circular Letters, 1962-1963 | 2 |
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| Folder | | Eastern Electronics Corp., 1965 | 3 |
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| Folder | | Atlas Rawhide, 1965 | 4 |
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| Folder | | NLRB Star Expansion, 1964-1965 | 5 |
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| Folder | | Star Expansion Election Campaign, 1964 | 6 |
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| Folder | | Star NLRB, 1964-1965 | 7 |
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| Folder | | Star Expansion, 1963-1966 | 8 |
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| Folder | | Company &Legal-Star Expansion, 1964-1965 | 9 |
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| Folder | | Leaflets, Star Expansion, 1963-1968 | 10 |
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| Folder | | Chemolene, 1964-1966 | 11 |
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| Folder | | Chemolene-Unpaid Vacations, undated | 12 |
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| Folder | | Ingersoll Rand, 1959 | 14 |
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Series 7.2.3. Arthur Garfield 1948
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of letters and telegrams related to Arthur Garfield’s role as an International Representative for the UE. The correspondence mostly details the progress of negotiations between the United Auto Workers and General Motors. Telegraphs between Garfield and UE headquarters in Dayton, Ohio, detail his unionizing efforts across the Midwest. The materials date from 1948. There are a small number of flyers and bulletins promoting the UE and encouraging workers to organize.
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| Box | Folder | | Correspondence, 1948 | 7 | 1 |
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| Folder | | Correspondence, 1948 | 2 |
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Series 7.2.4. Charles Rivers 1935-1944
Scope and Contents note
This series includes a small body of material owned by UE organizer, Charles Rivers. Rivers served as International Representative of District 2, which covered all of New England. The papers in this series relate to the National Amalgamation Convention of the Independent Metal and Allied Unions which transpired in 1935, a year prior to the founding of the UE. Conference proceedings include meeting minutes and the individual constitutions of both The Federation of Metal and Allied Unions and the Electrical and Radio Union, one of the several independent unions which combined the following year to form the UE. A 1938 text published by the UE entitled
Labor Unity in the Electrical Manufacturing Industry includes a number of letters, proposals, and statements from the early development of the organization, while the 1944
UE Handbook for Locals and Organizers details policy contract negotiations, the War Labor Board, and information addressing other crucial union activities.
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| Folder | | Proceeding of the National Convention of Independent Metal and Allied Unions, 1935 | 3 |
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| Volume | | Labor Unity in the Electrical Manufacturing Industry, 1938 | 1 |
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| Volume | | Handbook for Organizers and Local Unions, 1944 | 2 |
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Series 7.2.5. Jim Brown 1990s
Access Restrictions
Usage of files in Series 7.2.5 regarding a grievance filed by Fred Tarr requires a signed confidentiality agreement.
Scope and Contents note
Jim Brown was a UE field organizer and later an international representative in District 6, which is located in western Pennsylvania. These records contain information regarding locals he worked with in organizing and negotiating contracts. Extensive files exist for Locals 612 at Industrial Ceramics Inc., Local 625 and 626 at ASEA Brown Boveri Inc.
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| Box | | Jim Brown Records [RESTRICTED] | 08-13 |
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