Guide to the Service Employees International Union Local 585 Records, 1966-1989 AIS.1982.14

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Service Employees International Union Local 585 Records
Creator
Service Employees International Union. Local 585 (Blawnox, Pa.)
Collection Number
AIS.1982.14
Extent
214.2 Linear Feet (174 boxes)
Date
1966-1989
Abstract
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 585 was chartered in 1969 and represented health care employees, nonprofessional school district workers, and county civil servants in western Pennsylvania until 2002 when the local was disbanded. This collection contains information about Local 585 members and contract negotiations, typically organized by employer name.
Language
English .
Author
Zachary Brodt and Patrick Trembeth.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged into two series. The first is comprised of materials from the initial collection accession, which were arranged sometime in the 1990s. The second series contains all of the records added to the collection since 1982 and have not yet been more formally arranged.

Series I. Chapter Files: Education

Series II. Collection Additions

History

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 585 was chartered in 1969 after the passing of Pennsylvania Public Employees Act, Act 195, which established the right for public employees to organize and bargain collectively. The local represented three broad categories of workers in the Pittsburgh area: health care employees, nonprofessional school district workers, and county civil servants. In 1973, Rosemary Trump was elected president and under her tenure Local 585 grew to represent 15,000 workers throughout western Pennsylvania, becoming the second largest union in the region. While the number of employees in manufacturing unions declined, the number of employees in the service industry was on the rise and Local 585 was one of the few Pittsburgh area unions to increase its membership during the 1990s. In 1999, the local incorporated SEIU Local 29 which was also operating in Pittsburgh.

The 2000 election saw President Trump narrowly lose to newcomer Jim Neville, who was later removed by the international union under allegations that he violated the union's constitution. In March 2001, Local 585 was placed under the trusteeship of a member of SEIU District 925, who was then replaced that November by a trustee from Local 1199 Upstate in New York. In 2002, Local 585 was disbanded and its members were disbursed among three other industry specific SEIU locals: Local 668, government workers; Division 29/Local 47, commercial janitors and building maintenance services workers; and Local 1199P, health care workers.

Processing Information

Inventories for portions of this collection were completed by Kamilu Sani Fage, Kaitlyn Murphy, Allison Homulka, and Patrick Trembeth. This finding aid was completed by Patrick Trembeth and Zachary Brodt in February 2011.

Previous Citation

Service Employees International Union Local 585 Records, 1966-1989, AIS.1982.14, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Service Employees International Union Local 585 Records, 1966-1989, AIS.1982.14, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Copyright

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.

Accruals

Additional material received from SEIU #585 in 1989; Rosemary Trump donated material in 2003.

Acquisition Information

Gift of SEIU 585 in 1982.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Related Material

Rosemary Trump Papers, 1950-2005, AIS.2005.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Service Employees International Union Local 29 Records, 1967-1990, AIS.1995.09, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Service Employees International Union Local 668 (Pennsylvania Social Services Union) Records, 1970s-1990s, AIS.1981.09, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Scope and Content Notes

This collection contains contract negotiation information, grievances, member and seniority lists, and dues information from the various employers of members of Service Employees International Union Local 585. Also included are files regarding organization efforts in western Pennsylvania, as well as interunion rivalries and raids by other unions, such as the Teamsters, National Education Association and the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Executive board and membership meeting minutes from the 1970s are also present.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Service Employees International Union. Local 585 (Blawnox, Pa.)
    • Democratic Party (Pa.)
    • Service Employees International Union

    Personal Names

    • Trump, Rosemary T.

    Geographic Names

    • Pittsburgh (Pa.)
    • Blawnox (Pa.)

    Genres

    • Correspondence

    Other Subjects

    • Grievance arbitration -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Collective labor agreements -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Service industries workers -- Labor unions -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Labor unions -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Cleaning personnel -- Labor unions -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Labor
    • Labor unions -- Political activity -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List