Toledo Central Labor Union records

Collection – Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-0028

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The records document the years 1890-1963 with the majority of minutes, business agent's reports, correspondence, tax records, financial ledgers, and attendance records covering the years 1890-1894, 1897-1918, and 1942-1959.

Dates

Creation: 1890-1963

Extent

8.27 Cubic Feet (18 legal document boxes)

1 Volumes (1 loose volume)

Creator

Central Labor Union (Toledo, Ohio) (Organization)

Scope and Contents

The records of the Toledo Central Labor Union (CLU) provide detailed information regarding the development of local unions and their cooperative efforts within the Toledo area from 1890 to approximately 1960.

The minutes are an excellent source for studying the development of new unions, the political, legislative, and civic activities of unions, the support given unions on strike or involved in grievance/arbitration hearings, and cooperative actions undertaken in support of unions not only within northwest Ohio but also throughout the nation. The minutes are complete for 1890-1894, 1897-1900, 1904-1918, January-June 1927, and 1942-1959, however, the gaps occurring weaken the full potential research value of this record series.

Another important series in this collection is the CLU business agent's reports, 1900-1913, 1916-1925. Although gaps do occur, these reports provide valuable insights into the progress of member unions and the daily activities of the agent--unions meetings attended and expenses incurred.

Correspondence is scattered throughout the years 1918-1925 and includes circular letters regarding legislation, strikes, and CLU activities and correspondence with Toledo City Council. Financial records include state and federal tax reports (1944, 1946-1957); financial ledgers including information on accounts--expenditures and receitps (1911-1920, 1944-1946, 1950-1963); per capita tax records (1907-1908, 1914-1927, 1933-1934) providing information on union membership and dues; financial records documenting the Willys-Overland strike (1919-1920); and payroll registers (1951-1955).

Attendance records (1919-1920, 1930-1935, 1937); officers ballots (1908, 1909, 1924, 1933); Board of Control members (1953); Board of Business Agents' records (1912, 1934); questionnaires, forms, and programs complete the collection. The records are arranged by series and by date. Loose materials are identified and filed separately following the volume with page reference given.

Biographical / Historical

On May 17, 1879, in response to a call issued for the purpose of establishing a central organization for unions in the Toledo area, delegates from printers', cigarmakers', lake seamen's, ironmolders', and carpenters' unions met and formed the Trade and Labor Council of Toledo and Vicinity. In 1881, the Council was reorganized as the Central Toledo Labor Union.

The Central Labor Union's (CLU) main goal was the thorough organization of all labor. Specifically the CLU was in favor of prison labor reform, compulsory education, and equal pay for equal work for both sexes. Methods to achieve these objectives included legislative lobbying without supporting a political party as a group, withdrawing support (buying of products/services) of those businesses illustrating anti-union tendencies, grievance and arbitration hearings and if necessary, the strike.

Throughout the history of the CLU, its members have been affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Those unions organized by the Congress of Industrial Organizations were not admitted to the CLU until the merger of the two (AFL-CIO) in 1955.

The CLU has evolved to the present day Toledo AFL-CIO Council. At the writing of the manuscript register, Harry P. Morell was President and Dale Stormer was the Secretary-Treasurer. As of October 1997, Mr. Ron Coughenour serves as Executive Secretary, with an office at 2300 Ashland Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43620.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

Proceedings, 1890-1959
Correspondence, 1918-1925
Reports, October 1900-July 1925
Financial records, 1907-1963
Printed material, 1922, undated

Related Materials

Researchers may also be interested in the records of the Central Labor Union of Toledo and Vicinity (MSS-090), available at the University of Toledo's Ward M. Canaday Center.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records of the Toledo Central Labor Union were transferred to the Center for Archival Collections on April 1, 1976, by Stephen P. Gietschier, Co-Director of the Ohio Labor History Project with the cooperation of Dale Stormer, Secretary-Treasurer of the Toledo Area AFL-CIO Council.