The 1988 Additions (which were donated to the Historical Society in 1978) cover the period 1937-1974 and are divided into two general categories: internal administrative records of the union, and subject files, plus a small group of miscellany. The administrative records include important documentation not available in the materials received from the union in earlier donations-chiefly minutes of the executive board, 1940-1968, officers' correspondence, 1937-1965, and convention files, 1938-1964. As a result of this new material, the overall quality of the collection as a resource for research is greatly improved.

The ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS pertain to the international union and document the activities of its officers, activities in the headquarters, and interactions between the international and its local membership. Included is a constitution; materials pertaining to biennial elections, biennial conventions, and executive board meetings; officers' correspondence; and publications.

The biennial election records cover the period 1954-1966 and generally document the union's election procedures on both an international and local level. The biennial convention files date from 1938 to 1964 and include proceedings, resolutions, and correspondence. Additional information about the biennial conventions may be found in the holdings of the Society Library. (This material partially duplicates the archival record.)

Records of the International Executive Board meetings include minutes, resolutions, and correspondence. These records document, although not completely, the 4th through the 71st IEB meetings and cover the period 1940-1968. Also included is detailed information on votes and decisions of the board, 1945-1967. Of special note among the material on conferences is material pertaining to ACA's 1966 affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The officers' correspondence covers the period 1937-1973 and is arranged chronologically by officer. One folder contains correspondence sent to international executive board members, 1953 to 1965. Also included are various publications issued by and for ACA members and covering the period from 1941 to 1952. Additional publications are available in the Society Library.

The SUBJECT FILES are arranged alphabetically. Most material is arranged by company name and thereunder by union, although there are a few exceptions to this. Most company files include correspondence, together with agreements, arbitration, and negotiation material. On the whole, they provide good coverage of labor-management relations. Some material filed under the heading “Local Records” consists of minutes, by-laws, correspondence, and miscellaneous records of several ACA locals. Also in the subject files are materials which document ACA's loss to the Communication Workers of America in the 1966 election at Western Union, a scrapbook of newspaper clippings documenting a strike by radio and cable workers in the early half of 1948, materials on ACA's position on the Western Union-Postal Telegraph merger, and records concerning ACA activity during the McCarthy era. The subject files also include publications issued by various unions and companies (especially COMSAT), materials concerning ACA's relation with Congress of Racial Equality, Federal Communications Commission hearings and dockets, and material pertaining to labor spies.

The MISCELLANY includes examples of election ballots, letters to the international union regarding opportunities for employment, newspaper clippings, statements, and arbitration awards concerning related unions.