Reel 43

Scope and Contents Along with the plans for the 25th Anniversary celebration, the importation of British West Indian farm workers into New York and New Jersey becomes the dominant issue in the papers this month. On this subject, see Mitchell's letter of complaint to the Department of Labor, see Mitchell's letter of complaint to the Department of Labor (1), a reply from New Jersey Governor Robert Meyner (10), a 17-page WDL report on "The Plight of the British West Indian and Bahamian Migrants" (28), and a...

Scope and Contents A one-day celebration on October 17 commemorated the 25th Anniversary of the NAWU; the papers include a speech by Albert Whitehouse, Director of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department (17). There are two highly informative letters from Mitchell to Galarza summing up his impressions of the AWOC organizing campaign during his recent visit to California (3, 27), as well as several letters from Galarza on his complaint that the workers recruited by AWOC were all being sent into UPWA (22, 24,...

Scope and Contents The dispute between the NAWU and UPWA concerning jurisdiction over the workers organized by the AWOC continued; see especially Mitchell's letters to Galarza and NSF Executive Secretary Fay Bennett on his talks with AFL-CIO officials on the problem (Nov 23) and Galarza's report on the AWOC campaign (Nov 6). On Mitchell's plans to set up a Southern AWOC, see his long letter to Dr. Frank A. Graham (Nov 27) and his draft of "A Program to Organize Southern Agricultural Workers" (n.d. [Nov])....

Scope and Contents "Data on Hired Farm Labor", a report by Clay L. Cochran of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department staff; AWOC leaflets; magazine article by Mitchell, "Farming is Big Business"; article, "The Voice of the Disinherited: A Brief History of the Agricultural Workers Union, 1934-1959"; "A Program for Organizing Hired Farm Workers in the South"; "Draft of a Proposed Program on Hired Farm Labor"; report by Mitchell on "Operations of the National Sharecroppers Fund, Inc."; Report of the New York...

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Folders 1573a and 1573b -- Routine correspondence with the Union Life Insurance Co., with local secretaries, etc. Folders 1573c to 1573g -- Not Filmed

Scope and Contents A sudden crisis developed when Mitchell was informed by Walter Reuther that the AFL-CIO was about to revoke the NAWU's charter. As Mitchell and Galarza soon learned, the NAWU was caught in an internal AFL-CIO political battle between Reuther and George Meany, which involved the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and the UPWA as well. Fortunately, Mitchell typed up detailed memoranda after each of the crucial meeting held during the crisis; the papers include memoranda on Mitchell's conversations with...

Scope and Contents The union's crisis remained at a standstill until May 6, when George Meany telephoned Mitchell to inform him of the AFL-CIO Executive Council's decision that the NAWU must return its charter; see Mitchell's memorandum on the conversation (May 6). Negotiations began almost at once with the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union to formulate a merger agreement; see Mitchell's detailed memorandum to Leon Schachter on arranging the merger (May 19), his letter to Galarza on the telephone conversation...