Greater Hartford Labor Council, AFL-CIO Records

Finding aid prepared by Daria D'Arienzo

Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1205

© 2005 University of Connecticut


Overview of the Collection
Repository:	Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.
Creator:	Greater Hartford Labor Council.
Title:	Greater Hartford Labor Council, AFL-CIO Records.
Dates:	undated, 1947-1982.
Quantity:	17 linear feet.
Identification:	MSS19830004
Language:	English.
Abstract:	The Greater Hartford Labor Council (GHLC) was formed in 1957. All local unions belonging to an international affiliated to the AFL-CIO or affiliated to the AFL-CIO directly are able to join the central labor body in their region upon payment of dues.

History

The Greater Hartford Labor Council (GHLC) was formed in 1957. The Hartford Central Labor Union (circa 1890s-October 1957) was the predecessor. The Greater Hartford Industrial Union Council (circa 1938-1957) was the CIO predecessor. The first regular monthly meeting of the GHLC was held on 2 October 1957. Peter J. Rossano served as the first president of the Council.

All local unions belonging to an international affiliated to the AFL-CIO or affiliated to the AFL-CIO directly are able to join the central labor body in their region upon payment of dues.

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Scope and Content

The collection includes official minutes, correspondence, legal and financial documents, publications, photographs and related ephemera pertaining to the Greater Hartford Labor Council and its predecessor organizations. The minutes for the GHLC are incomplete although the years 1968 through 1978 are more comprehensively documented. Within the files of the President and Recording Secretary of the GHLC are materials pertaining to community service and public education.

Of particular interest is the relationship of the GHIUC-CIO with the State Council and the allegations of communist sympathies within the labor movement.

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Arrangement

Series I: Hartford Central Labor Union—AFL (1949-1957). Contains financial records, including one ledger book of receipts and disbursements for 1955-1957.

Series II: Greater Hartford Industrial Union—CIO (undated, 1947-1957)is arranged into four subseries: Constitutions and Minutes, Correspondence and Subject Files, Financial Records, Connecticut State Industrial Union Council—CIO. Contains a copy of the GHIUC constitution and official minutes of meetings, incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, reports, publications, auditor's and other financial reports.

Series III: Administrative Policy and Finance (undated, 1956-1981) Arranged into four subseries: By-Laws and Constitutions, Committee On Political Education (COPE), Newsclippings and Financial Records. Contains administrative records of the GHLC, minutes, financial records and clippings pertaining to labor activity in Connecticut.

Series IV: Minutes (undated, 1957-1982) pertain to monthly Executive Board and Delegate meetings and includes agendas, roll sheet, associated correspondence, committee reports, financial reports, official officer election materials, dues and membership lists, strike and boycott information, information about donations of funds and services, materials about state and municipal political endorsements and printed materials.

Series V: General Administration (undated, 1957-1982) consist of the files of the President and Recording Secretary of the GHLC. Includes correspondence (AFL-CIO International and local affiliates), delegates credential forms, resolutions, financial materials, requests for moral and monetary support for boycotts and strikes, information about state and local political candidates prepared by the Committee on Political Education (COPE), flyers and brochures for labor educational opportunities, requests and thank yous letters for charity donations, and social event correspondence. Community service files include material from the Community Renewal Team, the Greater Hartford Process, and the Human Resources Development Institute.

Series VI: Connecticut State Labor Council (undated, 1957-1982) has two subseries: Minutes and Correspondence and Subject Files. Consists of records received by the GHLC as an affiliate of the CSLC including: correspondence, reports, press releases, convention and financial materials.

Series VII: Printed Materials, Photographs and Memorabilia (undated, ca., 1950-1978) is divided into three subseries: Printed Materials, Photographs and Memorabilia. The series includes newsletters and educational materials, photographs, membership cards, ribbons, audiotapes, and posters.

Series VIII: Royal Industrial Union (undated, 1946-1977) was collected by William E. Kuehnel, Chairman of the Retired Workers Chapter, Royal Industrial Union, Local 937, the series contains constitution, by-laws, correspondence, financial records, and newsletters.

Series IX: Greater Hartford Building and Construction Trades Council (undated, 1975-1982) contains records collected by William E. Kuehnel as Acting Secretary of the GHBCTC and includes minutes, correspondence, subject files, newsclippings and press releases.

The last two series are not part of Kuehnel's files as Recording Secretary of the GHLC but provide information of related interest to the activities of the GHLC.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

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Related Material

Archives & Special Collections has a substantial collection of records pertaining to Connecticut labor. See especially, the records of AFL-CIO, New England Region Records and Connecticut State Labor Council Records. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the reference desk.

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons:

Kuehnel, William E.

Organizations:

American Federation of Labor.

Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.)

Subjects:

Automobile industry workers—Connecticut.

Building trades—Connecticut.

Bylaws.

Collective labor agreements—Connecticut.

Connecticut—Charitable and social work.

Connecticut—Labor—Trade-unions.

Connecticut—Politics and government—1865-1950.

Connecticut—Politics and government—1951-

Constitutions.

Construction workers—Connecticut.

Hartford (Conn.)—Charitable and social work.

Hartford (Conn.)—Labor—Trade-unions.

Hartford (Conn.)—Politics and government.

Hartford Metropolitan Area (Conn.)

Industrial relations—Connecticut.

Labor education—Connecticut.

Labor laws and legislation—Connecticut.

Labor laws and legislation—United States.

Labor leaders—Connecticut.

Labor policy—Connecticut.

Labor unions and education—Connecticut.

Labor unions—Connecticut

Labor unions—Law and legislation—United States.

Labor unions—Political activity.

Legislation—Connecticut.

Legislation—United States.

Press releases.

Resolutions.

Strikes and lockouts—Connecticut.

Document Types:

Administrative Records.

Audiotapes.

Correspondence.

Financial Records.

Publications.

Occupations:

Labor union.

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Correspondence, 1957

1:2

Financial Records, 1957

1:3

Ledger Book, 1955-1957 (1 v.)

1:4

Membership and Dues Book, 1949-1957 (1 v.)

Series II: Greater Hartford Industrial Union—CIO, undated, 1947-1957

Subseries A:Constitutions and Minutes, undated, 1948-1955

2:5

Constitution, undated

2:6

Minute Book, 1948-1950

2:7

Minutes, 1949-1950

2:8

Minutes (notes), 1949-1955

2:9

Roll Call, undated, 1955

Subseries B: Correspondence and Subject Files, undated, 1948-1957

2:10

Board of Education, 1950-1951

2:11

Bulkley High School, 1950-1951

2:12-15

CIO, 1951-1955