National and International Union Correspondence, 1947-1980

This series is primarily comprised of correspondence exchanged between federation staff and their counterparts in affiliated unions. The correspondence, frequently accompanied by related materials such as labor contracts, clippings, and printed matter, pertains to questions of AFL-CIO policy, organizing drives, strike settlements, and jurisdictional disputes. Dating from 1947 to 1980, the bulk of the materials cover the period 1961 to 1979, although the records from the 1960s are more extensive that those from the 1970s.

Records in this series offer insight into a wide variety of issues related to organized labor such as corruption, internal union democracy, civil rights, jurisdictional disputes, and the growth of unions in the public sector. Specifically, researchers can find information on the formation of the Alliance for Labor Action in the late 1960s, the controversy occasioned by the reversal of James Carey's 1965 reelection to the IUE presidency, the debate of A. Philip Randolph's 1961 memorandum on civil rights, the 1968 New York City strike by the AFT, and organizing efforts among Charleston, SC, hospital workers by Local 1199 of the Retail Workers Union.