Title: Women's Trade Union League of Milwaukee Records
Inclusive Dates: 1948-1956

Creator:

• Women's Trade Union League of Milwaukee

Call Number: Milwaukee Mss 26

Quantity: 0.8 c.f. (2 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries’ Archives Department / Milwaukee Area Research Center; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

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

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Records of a group founded in 1949 to promote industrial democracy in the trade union movement and to secure the equality of women within labor unions. Specific activities included obtaining a medical health plan, securing equal rights in industry and government, and supporting local unions on strike, which are illustrated by files of correspondence, minutes, financial and membership records, conference reports and notes, and printed material. The League disbanded in 1956.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil00026

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The Milwaukee Chapter of the Women's Trade Union League was founded in 1949 to promote “industrial democracy” in the trade union movement and to secure the equality of women within union organization. The Milwaukee group was affiliated with the National Trade Union League of Washington, D.C.

The Milwaukee Chapter was active in promoting social reform in the first half of the decade of the 1950s. It was particularly active in both local and national efforts to obtain a medical health plan, and to secure equal rights for women in industry and in government. The Chapter also supported local Milwaukee unions in various strikes and other labor activities. It also provided a social organization for Milwaukee working women, and occasionally held parties and other functions for the membership and guests.

The national organization was disbanded in 1950, but the Milwaukee Chapter continued to function until 1956, when, despite an attempt at reorganization, a decline in interest and membership forced the termination of its activities.

The materials in the collection fall into two categories: those relating to the organization and activities of the Milwaukee chapter, and those concerning national and regional labor and social action organizations.

The first group consists of general correspondence from 1948 through 1955, and includes letters from local labor groups, the national office, the local membership, etc. There is also a small amount of correspondence with Congressman Clement Zablocki and with Senators Joseph McCarthy and Alexander Wiley. The minutes of both the membership meetings (1949-1955) and the Executive Board meetings (1949-1953) are present, as well as financial and membership records (1949-1955).

The materials relating to national and regional groups consist mostly of bulletins, newsletters, and information sheets concerning issues of the times. There is a large collection of materials from the Committee for the Nation's Health (1949-1953); the Bulletin of the New York Women's Trade Union League; and notes and reports of the Interstate Conferences of the Illinois and Wisconsin Trade Union Leagues and other similar organizations. For the most part, these materials are mimeographed or printed items.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Mrs. Anthony J. King, Milwaukee, Wis., April 1966.

Processing Information

Processed by R. Reed, January 1970.

Box   2 Folder   3	Bulletins, Announcements, Questionnaires, 1949-1955
	Committee for the Nation's Health
Box   2 Folder   8	1949-1952
Box   2 Folder   9	1953
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1	1948
Box   1 Folder   2	1949
Box   1 Folder   3	1950
Box   1 Folder   4	1951
Box   1 Folder   5	1952
Box   1 Folder   6	1953
Box   1 Folder   7	1954-1956
Box   1 Folder   8	Undated
Box   1 Folder   9	McCarthy, Joseph, 1951-1954
Box   1 Folder   10	Wiley, Alexander, 1949-1954
Box   1 Folder   11	Zablocki, Clement, 1949-1955
Box   2 Folder   2	Financial Records, 1949-1955
Box   2 Folder   6	Illinois and Wisconsin Leagues, Interstate Conferences, 1948-1951
Box   2 Folder   1	Membership Records, 1949-1956
	Minutes
Box   1 Folder   14	Executive Board Meetings, 1949-1953
Box   1 Folder   13	Membership Meetings, 1949-1955
Box   2 Folder   10	Miscellaneous Labor and Social Welfare Materials, 1949-1955
Box   2 Folder   5	National Women's Trade Union League of America, 1949-1950
Box   2 Folder   7	New York Women's Trade Union League, 1950-1954
Box   2 Folder   4	Newspaper Clippings, 1949-1951
Box   1 Folder   12	Organizational Materials, Constitution, By-Laws, 1949-1950