Although the collection consists of the records of the New York Office from 1961 to 1968, the records are far more comprehensive for the period after the office was reorganized in 1962. The materials include correspondence, telegrams, reports, texts of statements, and newspaper clippings. Since the correspondence is arranged both by individuals and by subjects, there is some duplication of correspondence. In addition, while the majority of the material is in English, the international scope of the organization is reflected by records in Spanish, French, and German.
The ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS OF THE NEW YORK OFFICE document the internal operation of the office. Although some correspondence for 1961 is contained in scattered files throughout the collection, the majority of information for that year is included in the outgoing correspondence of Bill Kemsley and Marvin Schlaff. The staff activities related to the United Nations and other organizations are reflected in the miscellaneous correspondence. There are also a few reports on activities for 1963-1964, correspondence and reports on the activities of individuals visiting the office, staff procedures for handling such things as telephone messages and correspondence, and miscellaneous correspondence not included in the various subject files.
The series CORRESPONDENCE comprises over a quarter of the collection. Also included here are statements on issues and activity reports. Among the correspondents are individuals associated with ICFTU, including New York office personnel, personnel of the Brussels headquarters, personnel of ICFTU regional organizations, and ICFTU consultants. These records cover a wide range of topics including routine business; activities related to Africa, Asia, and Latin America; and activities related to the United Nations and its various agencies. The emphasis of the informational records is concentrated on trade unions, development of trade, and economic development in Third World nations.
Included in the series UNITED NATIONS are letters, statements, memos, reports, and United Nations documents. Besides records created to inform and influence the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and various missions to the General Assembly, the documents illustrate activities directed toward United Nations' sponsored commissions, organizations, and appeals for human rights and international cooperation. Also documented here is ICFTU's involvement in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, from December 1962 through November 1967. Records concerning the conference include correspondence, reports, and statements relating to trade unions, trade questions, rights of workers, and economic development.
Within the series OTHER ICFTU ACTIVITIES OF THE NEW YORK OFFICE can be found correspondence, reports, press releases, and resolutions about vocational training, cooperatives, and the status of women and youth. Also in this series is information on the seventh and eighth world congresses of ICFTU.
The last two series in the collection are RECORDS RELATING TO VARIOUS COUNTRIES and RECORDS RELATING TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. Documented in these series are interests and concerns of ICFTU relating to such topics as human rights, rights of workers, political prisoners, unions, colonialism, and racial discrimination. These materials include correspondence, press releases, reports, resolutions, and statements on union activities around the world. Here are also newspaper clippings from 1962-1965 on some of the conflicts between ICFTU and one of its chief sponsors, the AFL-CIO.
