Title: American Federation of Teachers. Local 223 (University of Wisconsin): Records
Inclusive Dates: 1930-1979

Creator:

• American Federation of Teachers. Local 223 (University of Wisconsin)

Call Number: U.S. Mss 77A

Quantity: 1.0 c.f. (3 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records, mainly 1930-1968, of the union local which represented faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1930- ). In 1968 and 1974 the local experienced several reorganizations and emerged as the United Faculty-American Federation of Teachers, Local 223. Included are a constitution, minutes (some pertaining to United Faculty), correspondence, fragmentary financial records, reports of salary studies, and membership lists.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us00077a

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Local 223 of the American Federation of Teachers was organized in 1930 at a faculty meeting of the University of Wisconsin Summer School for Workers in Industry. Early members were mainly instructors and teaching assistants whose primary concern was raising low salary levels. Following wide publicity and praise given to three thorough reports on salaries and recommendations for their increase, Local 223's membership reached a high of 127 in 1949. Other areas of concern to the union were academic freedom, the quality of education, and the labor movement in general. Active members in the 1930-1950 period included Charles Bunn and William Gorham Rice (Law); James Earley, Edwin Young, and Harold Groves (Economics); Walter Agard and Paul Mackendrick (Classics); and Lelia Bascom (English).

A failure to attract new members caused Local 223 to cease functioning in 1957. However, Professors Robert Ozanne and Francis D. Hole led a movement to reactivate the local in 1961. As membership remained small and national dues rose, however, individual faculty members decided to organize an independent local union and in 1968 established United Faculty. A core of about ten Local 223 members maintained the local's existence but by agreement continued to elect the same president elected by United Faculty. In 1974 United Faculty merged with Local 223 in order to gain the assistance of the national union yet retain its local autonomy.

The records include historical sketches, a constitution, minutes (some pertaining to United Faculty), correspondence, miscellaneous financial records, membership lists, committee papers, and clippings. There are large gaps in the minutes and the correspondence. The correspondence contains letters between officers and members, U.W. officials, legislators, the national and Wisconsin Federations of Teachers, and Madison labor organizations. Included in the committee papers are three influential salary reports produced by Local 223 in 1947, 1948, and 1949, as well as background information on salaries (1939-1953) and other committee papers on general educational policies and conditions.

A file of the local's newsletters is available in the Wisconsin Historical Society Library.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the American Federation of Teachers, Local 223, via Philip Altbach, H. Kent Geiger, Francis D. Hole, Harvey Juris, and Jack Ladinsky, 1953-1977. Accession Number: M66-476; M68-111; M69-57; M74-439, M74-446, M74-447; M75-85, M75-103; M76-13; M77-511; M80-353

Processing Information

Processed by Patrick Quinn and Karen Baumann, 1973, and Carolyn Mattern, 1986.

Box   1 Folder   1	Historical sketches and background information, 1937-1965, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Constitution and amendments, 1936-1979
Box   1 Folder   3-7	Minutes, 1930-1977
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   8-9	1932-1945
Box   2	1946-1968
Box   3 Folder   1-2	1969-1979
Box   3 Folder   3	Resolutions and policy statements, 1936-1974
Box   3 Folder   4	Membership lists and information, 1930-1976
Box   3 Folder   5	Monthly per capita reports, 1941-1964
Box   3 Folder   6	Miscellaneous financial materials, 1938-1975
	Committee reports
Box   3 Folder   7	General, 1935-1948
Box   3 Folder   8	Salaries and working conditions reports, 1946-1952
Box   3 Folder   9	Salary background information, 1939-1953
Box   3 Folder   10	Clippings, 1948-1961
Box   3 Folder   11	Miscellany, 1936-1970