Wisconsin Citizen Action Records, 1975-1993 (bulk 1985-1989)


Summary Information
Title: Wisconsin Citizen Action Records
Inclusive Dates: 1975-1993 (bulk 1985-1989)

Creator:
  • Wisconsin Citizen Action
Call Number: Mss 1034; PH 6519; Audio 1436A

Quantity: 6.4 c.f. (16 archives boxes), 29 photographs, and 3 tape recordings

Repository:
Archival Locations:
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:
Records, 1975-1993 (mainly 1985-1989), of Wisconsin Citizen Action (WCA), a state-wide organization founded in 1978 as the Wisconsin Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition, an affiliate of the national coalition focusing on national energy policy and whose members consisted of labor unions, public interest organizations, citizen groups, and individuals. In 1982 the Wisconsin affiliate broadened its focus and changed its name to Wisconsin Action Coalition while remaining the Wisconsin chapter of the Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition. The Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition became Citizen Action and in the early 1990s, the Wisconsin affiliate became Wisconsin Citizen Action. The collection documents WCA's work on politically progressive issues such as national health care, labor union rights, and tax reform; and its involvement in election campaigns as a Political Action Committee (PAC), typically endorsing Democratic candidates. Prominent in the collection is material relating to the 1986 U.S. Senate election, in which WCA endorsed Democrat Edward Garvey over the Republican incumbent, Robert Kasten.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss01034
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Biography/History

Wisconsin Citizen Action (WCA) was founded in 1978 as the Wisconsin affiliate of Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition (C/LEC), a national organization. C/LEC was founded as a coalition who aimed to change national energy policy. At the time of its founding, the state organization went by the name Wisconsin Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition. In 1982, Wisconsin Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition changed its name to Wisconsin Action Coalition (WAC) and broadened its scope beyond energy concerns. Wisconsin Action Coalition kept its affiliation with Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition. Between 1983 and 1985 C/LEC built and was absorbed into Citizen Action. Citizen Action was founded to address issues beyond energy concerns that were shared by the constituents of C/LEC – labor unions, citizen groups, and public interest organizations. Nationally, C/LEC continued to exist, but as a smaller and less prominent part of Citizen Action. At this time WAC changed its name to Wisconsin Citizen Action. The switch from WAC to WCA was gradual, and this is reflected in the records.

C/LEC was an organization that brought together liberal citizens and labor unions after the combined impact of the Vietnam War, Black Power, and the counterculture had driven them apart in the late 1960s. It was organized during the second energy crisis to lead the opposition against the energy industry and change energy policy. During the 1980s, Citizen Action (which by this time had absorbed C/LEC) had a national membership of over 2,000,000 and was described as the largest, most effective grass-roots force on the left in American politics. In Wisconsin, they had nearly 200 organizational affiliates, in addition to individual members consisting of community, labor, and senior groups.

Wisconsin Citizen Action was a wide-spread and powerful grassroots organization. Its strength came from its constituency, which united senior citizens, labor unions, and politically left leaning people of all backgrounds. The organization grew quickly from its founding in 1978. WCA was headquartered in Milwaukee with field offices located in Madison, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, and Green Bay. It had a bout of financial problems in 1983-1984 when the records document a series of lay-offs. WCA recovered quickly though and was at the peak of its influence in the mid-to-late 1980s.

Following the 1986 U.S. Senate race in which Robert Kasten beat the WCA-backed Edward Garvey, several people filed complaints with the Federal Elections Committee against WCA. The complaints came from one of Garvey's challengers in the Democratic primary, Robert Kasten, and a small number of citizens. The allegations claimed that WCA engaged in political activities that were illegal for a non-profit organization. Simultaneously, other Citizen Action organizations were fighting similar allegations nation-wide. While Wisconsin Citizen Action was cleared of most of the charges, the defense strained the organization's finances and morale. Despite this decay, research indicated that WCA continued to operate, eventually changing its name to Citizen Action of Wisconsin.

In the records, Wisconsin Citizen Action is referred to under different names during different periods. Those names are as follows: Wisconsin Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition, Wisconsin C/LEC, or WisC/LEC (1978-1983). Wisconsin Action Coalition, or WAC (1982-1993). Wisconsin Citizen Action, or WCA (1990-1993).

Timeline

1978 Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition formed
1982 Wisconsin Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition broadens focus and becomes Wisconsin Action Coalition
1984 Financial crisis, cutbacks and lay-offs at Wisconsin Action Coalition
1985 Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition is now a part of the broadly-focused Citizen Action
1986 Kasten vs. Garvey senatorial race
1986 Complaints against Wisconsin Action Coalition to Federal Elections Committee begin
1989 Records from Federal Elections Committee investigations conclude
1990 Wisconsin Action Coalition becomes Wisconsin Citizen Action

Reference

Battista, Andrew. “Labor and Liberalism: The Citizen Labor Energy Coalition,” Labor History  [journal online] (August 1999), available from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0348/is_3_40/ai_55449351; accessed February 18, 2007, quoting David Moberg.

Scope and Content Note

The records in this collection span the years 1975-1993, with the bulk of the material dating to the later half of the 1980s. The records document everyday activities of Wisconsin Citizen Action – canvassing (fundraising activity), personnel operations (staff meetings, contract negotiations, board meetings, etc.), and the organization's financial health in the form of budgets and fundraising reports. Although WCA had offices in several locations throughout the state, activities at the headquarters (Milwaukee office) are the most well-documented. The collection contains some files devoted to the issues with which WCA was involved, but most information concerning their activities is found within meeting minutes and convention materials. On a broader level, the records document the progressive agenda in Wisconsin and the nation during the 1980s. WCA was a social-action organization committed to a broad spectrum of liberal issues. Issues that factor prominently include energy reform, national/single-payer health care, and union rights. While the majority of the collection is text, it also includes three audio tapes and 29 photographs.

The WCA collection is divided into seven series: ADMINISTRATIVE, PERSONNEL AND FINANCIAL, CONFERENCES, ISSUES AND ACTIVITIES, KASTEN VS. GARVEY AND FEC COMPLAINT, PHOTOGRAPHS, and AUDIO RECORDINGS. These series do not reflect the original order of the records which was changed to provide better intellectual control and access to the collection.

The ADMINISTRATIVE series is the largest series in the collection. It contains general administrative records as well as a subseries of meeting minutes. The minutes are from meetings of Citizen Action Board 1984-1987, Citizen Action Directors 1985-1993, Milwaukee Steering Committee 1983-1984 and 1988, Wisconsin Citizen Action Staff 1985-1993, and Wisconsin Action Coalition Board 1984-1988. The Citizen Action Board and Citizen Action Directors meetings are small runs of minutes from meetings of representatives from all of Citizen Action’s state chapters. The minutes from the Milwaukee Steering Committee is contained within four folders. This committee directed the activities of the Milwaukee WCA chapter. The WAC Board meeting minutes is a larger run of minutes from the Wisconsin governing board. The Staff Meeting minutes are the most complete run of minutes. The Wisconsin staff met about seven or eight times per year, less at either end of the time span. These minutes document the general administration of WCA as well as much of its political activity. The minutes show what issues the organization focused on in a given year and lay out their activities surrounding those issues. Also contained within this series are the founding documents for Wisconsin Action Coalition in 1982. In addition there are also several miscellaneous memoranda that concern the administration of the organization.

The second series is titled PERSONNEL AND FINANCIAL. In order to accomplish its goals, the WCA had to do a lot of fundraising. This fundraising, called canvassing, is a labor-intensive activity that involves maintaining a staff who go door to door passing out educational material and soliciting donations. Canvassing therefore intertwines human resources and financial records. A heading entitled “Canvass” takes up the bulk of this series. It contains records related to canvassing activity – staffing in each office around the state, policies and procedures, and records of money raised. Due to the nature of the job, canvassing tends to have a very high employee turn-over rate. The materials here are representative of the personnel files in many other organizations that employ this kind of fundraising. There is much documentation of canvassers quitting or being asked to leave for a variety of reasons.

A second heading is “Finance.” It contains annual budget reports and accounting statements. The Finance series holds a wealth of knowledge about WCA’s financial well-being, but it is rather dense and may require some background understanding of accounting and other personnel files.

The third heading is “1984 Lay-off.” This material documents the organization's 1984 contract negotiations and subsequent lay-offs. The records show WCA in crisis, and the consequences of its precarious financial position.

Lastly, there is a group of material in the Personnel and Financial series that documents activities that concern the over-arching health of WCA as an organization. These materials deal with matters of membership development and planning.

WCA attended many regional and national conferences; the CONFERENCES series contains records of these. The records document WCA's involvement with Citizen Action and other social organizing groups on a national level. There are records of nation-wide Citizen Action conferences and state-wide Wisconsin Citizen Action conferences. WCA also participated in the Midwest Academy, a conference for Midwestern progressive organizations. Records from these conferences illustrate how decisions were made regarding which issues to focus on; they also document the collaborative nature of political organizing in the U.S. This series runs from 1975-1991.

The ISSUES AND ACTIVITIES series consists of files that explicitly document the activities WCA participated in or organized to further their social activism goals. This series is not as large as one would imagine given the nature of this organization. It documents activities such as election campaign plans, a Folgers boycott, and lobbying activities. One significant event that is well documented here is Lobby Day, WCA organized this annual rally and march for several years. Materials date from 1980-1993.

The KASTEN VS. GARVEY AND FEC COMPLAINT series brings together materials related to WCA's activities in the senate race and the ensuing legal action against them. The first subseries, “Campaign,” contains items pertaining to WCA's work to help Garvey oust Kasten from his U.S. Senate seat in the 1986 election. These items include research on Kasten's voting records, materials promoting Garvey and materials documenting WCA's activities. The second subseries consists of the records of the legal action against WCA. Most prominent here are the letters between the Federal Election Commission and the office of LaFollete & Sinykin, lawyers for WCA. The series spans from 1985-1988.

The PHOTOGRAPHS series is divided into subseries mirroring the organization of the manuscript portion of the collection. It contains 29 photographs taken at various WCA functions. Events that were photographed are Staff-Board Retreat, January 17-18, 1991; Wisconsin Action Coalition convention, 1986; Wisconsin Action Coalition convention, 1987; Lobby Day, 1987; and Anti-Kasten Truth Dive, August 18-22, 1986. The pictures show the diversity of people involved with WCA. Unfortunately none of them are labeled so the identities of the individuals pictured are unknown. Recognizable figures in the photographs include Heather Booth – Director of Citizen Action (WAC convention 1986), Russ Feingold – U.S. Senator (WAC convention 1987) and Edward Garvey – U.S. Senate Democratic candidate (WAC convention 1986).

The AUDIO RECORDINGS series consists of three cassette tapes. Two tapes are recordings of a panel in 1978. The third is a radio commercial that aired during the Kasten vs. Garvey campaign. There are four versions of virtually identical advertisements on the tape. These advertisements include one directed against Kasten meant for a Wisconsin audience.

Administrative/Restriction Information
Acquisition Information

Presented by Jeff Eagan, Executive Director of Wisconsin Citizen Action, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 1994. Accession Number: M94-310


Processing Information

Processed by Cynthia Bachhuber (Practicum student), May 2007.


Contents List
Mss 1034
Series: Administrative
Minutes
Box   1
Folder   1-10
Citizen Action Board Meeting, 1984 December 8-9 - 1987 December 5-6
Box   1
Folder   11
Citizen Action Directors Meeting, 1985 September 5-6
Box   1
Folder   12
Citizen Action Directors Meeting and Conference, 1986 January 28-29
Box   2
Folder   1-11
Citizen Action Directors Meeting, 1986 June 9-10 - 1993 September 10-11
Box   2
Folder   12-15
Milwaukee Steering Committee, 1982-1985
Box   3
Folder   1-2
Milwaukee Steering Committee, 1984-1988
Box   3
Folder   3-44
Staff Meeting, miscellaneous dates, 1983-1991
Box   4
Folder   1-10
Staff Meetings, 1991 June 7 - 1993 August 20
Box   4
Folder   11-12
Staff Retreats, 1987-1988
Box   4
Folder   13
Staff-Board Retreat, 1991 January 17-18
Box   4
Folder   14-16
Wisconsin Action Coalition Board of Directors, 1986-1988, undated
Box   4
Folder   17-26
Wisconsin Action Coalition Board Meetings, 1985-1987
Box   5
Folder   1-14
Wisconsin Action Coalition Board Meetings, 1987 March 19 - 1988 November 30
Box   5
Folder   15
Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition Board Meeting, 1986 March 27
Box   5
Folder   16
Coordinating Team Memo, 1982 August 24
Box   5
Folder   17
Economic Development paper and clippings, 1985-1986
Box   5
Folder   18-20
Memos and Communication, 1983-1985
Box   6
Folder   1
Milwaukee County Budget Coalition, 1990
Box   6
Folder   2
Universal Health Care Campaign Proposal, 1990
Wisconsin Action Coalition
Box   6
Folder   3
Formation, undated
Box   6
Folder   4
Founding memo, 1982
Box   6
Folder   5
Organization, 1982
Box   6
Folder   6
Proposal, 1982
Box   6
Folder   7
Resolution originals, 1982
Series: Personnel and Financial
Canvass
Box   6
Folder   8
C/LEC Network Policies and Procedures, 1986-1987
Box   6
Folder   9
Director staffing, 1986
Box   6
Folder   10
Duluth, Eau Claire, Rochester, 1986
Box   6
Folder   11
Field and Phone Policies and Procedures, 1988
Box   6
Folder   12-17
General file, 1985-1989
Box   7
Folder   1-5
General file, 1990-1993
Box   7
Folder   6
Green Bay, 1986
Box   7
Folder   7
High School Recruitment Plans, 1986
Box   7
Folder   8
Madison, 1986
Box   7
Folder   9
Milwaukee, 1986
Box   7
Folder   10-11
Phone, 1986
Box   7
Folder   12
Plans, undated
Box   7
Folder   13
Policies and procedures, 1984-1985
Box   7
Folder   14-15
Study Committee, 1985-1986
Box   7
Folder   16
WAC-C/LEC Contract, 1982-1986
Finance
Box   8
Folder   1-8
Budget, 1983-1989
Box   8
Folder   9-11
Budget Status Reports, 1986-1987
Box   8
Folder   12
Canvass Review, 1985
Box   9
Folder   1-3
Canvass Study Committee and Financial Material, 1984-1985
Box   9
Folder   4
Certified Public Accountants' report, 1988
Box   9
Folder   5
Fundraising Committee, 1991
Box   9
Folder   6
Fundraising: Bingo, 1983
Box   9
Folder   7-8
Records, 1985-1986
, 1984 Lay-off
Box   9
Folder   9
Memo, 1983 December 22
Box   9
Folder   10
Board Directive, 1983 Winter -1984
Box   9
Folder   11
Contract Negotiations and Lay-offs, 1983-1984
Box   9
Folder   12
Salary Structure, 1983
Box   9
Folder   13
Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 1983 November
Box   9
Folder   14
Working Hours notices, 1983 November 28, 1984 March 23
Box   9
Folder   15
Unemployment Claims, 1984
Box   9
Folder   16
Proposed Contract Response, 1984 January
Box   9
Folder   17
Unemployment Claims Denial, circa 1984 January
Box   9
Folder   18
Seniority Rankings, 1984 February
Box   9
Folder   19-20
Working Contract Proposal, 1984 February
Box   10
Folder   1
Notice to Robison regarding Seniority, 1984 February 21
Box   10
Folder   2
Board Poll regarding contract language, circa 1984 March
Box   10
Folder   3
Notice to Levie regarding lay-off, 1984 March 9
Box   10
Folder   4
Notices to Board regarding lay-off, 1984 March 9, March 19
Box   10
Folder   5
Notice to Levie regarding rescinding lay-off, 1984 March 19
Box   10
Folder   6
Notice to Eagan regarding lay-off, 1984 March 23
Box   10
Folder   7
Notice to Robison regarding contract language, 1984 March 23
Box   10
Folder   8
Union Notice to employees after contract signed, 1984 May 22
Box   10
Folder   9
Staff Changes, 1984 December
Box   10
Folder   10
Job Description, 1985 February
Box   10
Folder   11
Leadership Development, 1984
Box   10
Folder   12
Organizational Planning, 1986
Box   10
Folder   13-14
Wisconsin Action Coalition Affiliation forms, 1982-1983
Series: Conferences
Box   10
Folder   15
Canvasser Convention, 1991
Box   10
Folder   16-19
Midwest Academy Retreat, 1985 August 2-4 - 1988 June 17-19
Box   10
Folder   20
Midwest Academy Retreat, 1988 June 17-19
Box   10
Folder   20
Citizen Action PR, 1988
Box   10
Folder   21
Papers presented at Midwest Academy retreats, 1975-1978
Box   11
Folder   1
Placid Harbour Progressive Conference, 1985 October 4-5
Box   11
Folder   2-7
Wisconsin Action Coalition Convention, 1983, 1985-1987
Box   11
Folder   8
Wisconsin Action Coalition Convention Resolutions, 1987
Box   11
Folder   9
Wisconsin Action Coalition Convention Senior Calling Sheets, 1986
Box   11
Folder   10
Wisconsin C/LEC Convention budget, 1982
Box   11
Folder   11-12
Wisconsin C/LEC Convention planning files, 1982
Box   12
Folder   1
Wisconsin C/LEC Convention review, 1982
Box   12
Folder   2
Wisconsin C/LEC community founding delegates caucus, 1982
Box   12
Folder   3
Wisconsin C/LEC labor founding delegates caucus, 1982
Box   12
Folder   4
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Convention, 1982
Box   12
Folder   5
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Convention Resolutions, 1982
Series: Issues and Activities
Box   12
Folder   6
86th Assembly election, 1991 October
Box   12
Folder   7
Bovine Growth Hormone materials, 1990
Box   12
Folder   8
Campaign for a Clean Congress press release, 1993 February 11
Box   12
Folder   9
Campaign materials, 1991
Box   12
Folder   10
Citizen Action newspaper clippings, 1985-1986
Box   12
Folder   11
Environmental issues, 1986
Box   12
Folder   12
Folgers Boycott, 1990-1991
Box   12
Folder   13-15
General Activity file, 1983-1986
Box   12
Folder   16
Health Care lobbying, 1988-1993
Box   13
Folder   1
Health Care lobbying nationwide, 1987-1988
Box   13
Folder   2
Issue agenda, 1986 Spring
Box   13
Folder   3-6
Lobby Day, 1983, 1987, 1991
Box   13
Folder   7
Lobby Day community group recruitment, 1983
Box   13
Folder   8
Lobby Day Media Coverage, 1987
Box   13
Folder   9-11
Medicare Overcharge Measure, 1988-1990
Box   13
Folder   12
Miscellaneous issue file, 1983-1986
Box   13
Folder   13
Resolutions, undated
Box   14
Folder   1
Unemployment Discount Grant, 1984
Box   14
Folder   2
Wisconsin Political Evaluation, 1987
Series: Kasten vs. Garvey and FEC Complaint
Subseries: Campaign
Box   14
Folder   3
Anti-Kasten Free Media plans, 1986
Box   14
Folder   4-5
Anti-Kasten Truth Drive, 1986 August 18-22; 1986 October-November
Box   14
Folder   6
Anti-Kasten Central American policy, 1986 July-August
Box   14
Folder   7
Anti-Kasten Energy PAC contributions, 1986 March
Box   14
Folder   8
Anti-Kasten environmental policy, 1986 July-October
Box   14
Folder   9
Anti-Kasten environmental policy plans, 1986 May
Box   14
Folder   10-11
Anti-Kasten tax policy, 1986 April-July
Box   14
Folder   12
Central American study, 1986
Box   14
Folder   13
Central American voter education, 1986
Box   14
Folder   14
Citizen Action electoral report, 1986 November
Box   14
Folder   15
Citizen Action Press Kit, undated
Box   14
Folder   16
Congressional Voting Records, 1985-1986
Box   14
Folder   17
Election Results clippings, 1986 November
Electoral plans
Box   15
Folder   1
1986
Box   15
Folder   2
Madison, 1986
Box   15
Folder   3
Milwaukee, 1986
Box   15
Folder   4
Garvey Literature, 1986
Box   15
Folder   5
Garvey Health Care Meeting, 1985 November 12
Box   15
Folder   6
Garvey newspaper clippings, 1986
Box   15
Folder   7
Garvey Press Kit with newspaper clippings, 1986 April-October
Box   15
Folder   8
Garvey Press Kits and anti-Kasten leaflets, 1986
Box   15
Folder   9-10
General Garvey campaign, undated
Box   15
Folder   11
Kasten Club Report, 1986
Box   15
Folder   12
Kasten Club Report, update, 1986
Box   15
Folder   13-14
Kasten newspaper clippings, 1985-1986, 1988-1990
Box   15
Folder   15
Kasten voting records, 1981-1986
Box   15
Folder   16
Liability laws hearing, media coverage, 1986
Box   15
Folder   17
Liability laws, PAC contributions to Kasten, 1979-1986
Box   15
Folder   18
Liability laws tour, media coverage, 1986
Box   15
Folder   19
Milwaukee election statistics, 1986
Box   15
Folder   20
Nader vs. Kasten newspaper clippings, 1986
Box   15
Folder   21
Other Democratic candidates, 1985
Box   15
Folder   22
Wisconsin Action Coalition Garvey Group, 1986
Box   15
Folder   23
Wisconsin Action Coalition senior radio spot, 1986 October-November
Subseries: Federal Elections Committee Proceedings
Box   15
Folder   24
Prosser Tax Status Attack, 1986 July
Box   16
Folder   1
MUR 2222: Flynn Complaint press, 1986 August
Box   16
Folder   2
Kasten IRS Complaint, 1986 October
Box   16
Folder   3
MUR 2263: Complaint, 1986 October
Box   16
Folder   4
MUR 2222: Response to Flynn Complaint, 1986 October
Box   16
Folder   5
Letter to Milwaukee Archdiocese regarding Complaint, 1986 October 15
Box   16
Folder   6
MUR 2263: Response to Prosser, 1986 November
Box   16
Folder   7
MUR 2222 and 2263: 2nd Response, 1987
Box   16
Folder   8
MUR 2263: 3rd Response 1987, Comey/Gunerman complaints
Box   16
Folder   9
LaFollette and Sinykin correspondence, 1986 November, 1988 February
Box   16
Folder   10
National Republican Senatorial Committee complaint, 1988 March - June
Box   16
Folder   11
MUR 2263: Council Finding, 1988 May 26
Box   16
Folder   12-13
MUR 2633: Complaint, 1988 June
MUR 2222 and 2263
Box   16
Folder   14
Response, 1988 June
Box   16
Folder   15
Final response, 1988 July 12
Box   16
Folder   16
MUR 2764: Complaint, 1988 November
Box   16
Folder   16
MUR 2764: Resolution, 1989 July
PH 6519
Series: Photographs
Box   1
Folder   1
Staff-Board Retreat, 1991 January 17-18
Wisconsin Action Coalition convention
Box   1
Folder   2
1986
Box   1
Folder   3
1987
Box   1
Folder   4
Lobby Day, 1987
Box   1
Folder   5
Anti-Kasten Truth Drive, 1986 August 18-22
Series: Audio Recordings
Physical Description: Cassette tapes 
1436A/1
Chichetti and Panel, 1978 October 26
1436A/2
Chichetti, Questions, 1978 October 25
1436A/3
Senior Citizen Radio Spot, 1986 October 17