United Steel Workers, Great Lakes Seamen Local 5000 records

This collection contains files acquired and created by the United Steel Workers--Great Lakes Seamen's Local 5000 office in Cleveland, Ohio. The eleven cubic feet of files span the years 1937-1981. Most files represent interests of the members of Local 5000 after 1960.

A relatively small portion of the administrative records of Local 5000 are present. Scattered sets of meeting minutes appear along with membership correspondence files. Financial records cover the years from 1953-1962.

The collection documents organizing elections held for the Great Lakes transportation companies that employed members of the Great Lakes Seamen's Union. Elections held to establish union representation for workers on the fleets of the Interlake Steamship Company, the Shenango Furnace company and the US Steel Corporation are several of those covered by Local 5000 files. These election files are found in the series on subject correspondence under company names.

The series of Contracts and Agreements forms a useful component of the collection for examining the terms of employment negotiated by labor and management. The years from 1937 to 1980 are covered. Most items are from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS; 1955, 1970, 1974, Undated; 2 file folders; arranged chronologically. Series contains an undated copy of the constitution for the Lake Sailor's Union and copies of the bylaws from 1955, 1970 and 1974 for Great Lakes Seamen's Locals 1104, 5000, and 7000.

MINUTES; 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972-3, 1975-1976, 1977 (scattered); 2 cubic feet; arranged by Local, then alphabetically. Series contains copies of minutes from various sources compiled at the office of Local 5000 of the Great Lakes Seamen's Union. Included in part are Executive Board minutes (August 1972, April-June 1974, August 1979), Civil Rights Committee minutes (1972-1973, 1976), Coast Guard 9th District meeting minutes (April-May 9166), minutes of meetings between Union representatives and the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company (August, December 1977), Winter Meeting minutes (1969, 1971, 1975-1976) and Colulmbia Transportation Company's minutes for meetings of Masters and Chief Engineers (March 1975). Arrangement is first by minutes related to Local 5000 in an alphabetical order. Following these minutes is a second alphabetical grouping for minutes from sources outside Local 5000.

MEMBERSHIP; 1960-1963; 0.5 cubic feet; arranged chronologically. Series contains correspondence regarding membership in Local 5000.

SUBJECT CORRESPONDENCE; 1946, 1952-1981; 6 cubic feet; arranged alphabetically. Series contains a subject file maintained at the office of Local 5000 in Cleveland, Ohio for the years 1946, 1952-1981. Among the more extensive files are those regarding the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the Canadian Maritime Union, Civil Rights, the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, the Coast Guard, the Columbia Transportation Company, Fleet Negotiations, Float Opportunities, House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Subcommittee, Independent Fleet Negotiations, Interlake Steamship Company, International Harvester Company, the Maritime Committee of the AFL-CIO, the Lcoal 5000 Newsletter, the Pickands-Mather Company, Safety Issues, the Shenango Furnace Company, US Steel Corporation, the Wilson Marine Transit Company, and Winter Navigation.

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD; 1955-1957, 1967, 1969; 0.25 cubic feet; arranged alphabetically. Series contains copies of reports compiled by the National Labor Relations Board regarding organizing elections to unionize positions with the lake fleets of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, Columbia Transportation company, the Great Lakes Steamship Company, the Pickands-Mather Company, and the Tomlinson Fleet Corporation, 1955-1957, 1967, 1969.

VESSEL LOCATION; April-May 1969; 0.25 cubic feet; arranged alphabetically by company fleet, then chronologically. Series contains reports filed daily by captains of lake vessels to note their location in route to their destination. Reports for the period April-May 1969 are present for fleets of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, the Hanna Mining Company, the US Steel Corporation, and the Wilson Marine Transit Company.

LOGS; January-September 1973; 2 file folders; arranged chronologically. Series contains the Activities Log of the Union Lodge Secretary for Local 5000.

OTHER REPORTS; 1945-1980; 0.5 cubic feet; arranged alphabetically. Series contains reports compiled from various sources and retained at the Local 5000 office in Cleveland, Ohio.

CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS; 1937-1980 (scattered dates); 2 cubic feet; arranegd alphabetically by company, then chronologically. Series contains contracts and agreements between marine transportation companies and unions representing the lake fleet crews. Of particular interest are files on the Boland and Cornelius Company (1953-1968), the International Harvester Company (1953-1971), the Republic Steel Corporation (1955-1968), and the US Steel Corporation (1954-1977).

DECISIONS; 1962, 1971, 1980; 3 file folders; arranged chronologically. Series contains formal decisions from grievance claims hearings.

RECORD OF INITIATION FEES, DUES, AND ASSESSMENTS FOR LOCAL 5000; 1953-1962; arranged chronologically. Series contains ledger books used to maintain account records for members of Local 5000.

TREASURER'S CASH BOOK FOR LOCAL 5000; 1953-1961; arranged chronologically. Series contains ledgers used to record payments made by the Treasurer of Local 5000 to cover operating expenses for the Local's office.

LOCAL 5000 FINANCIAL REPORT; 1968; arranged by item. Series contains a financial report for Local 5000 from 1968.

COLUMBIA TRANSPORTATION COMPANY OPERATIONS EXPENSE REPORTS; 1947-1977; arranged chronologically. Series contains reports detailing the expenses for operating the Columbia fleet. Included also are lists of licensed officers and stewards employed by Columbia.

Series contains a clippings file maintained by Local 5000 members regarding issues of concern to lake boat crews.