Finding Aid to the California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO records

Lara Michels (adapting Richard C. Davis' 1976 inventory of the Records of the California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers at the Forest History Society)
The Bancroft Library
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
(510) 642-6481
bancref@library.berkeley.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: The Bancroft Library
Title: California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO records
Creator: California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 84/120 c
Physical Description: 98.75 linear feet (79 cartons)
Date (bulk): approximately 1945-1981
Abstract: Records of the California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO, dating from approximately 1945-1981.
Location of Materials: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language of Materials: English

Scope and Content

Fifteen series of records dating from approximately 1945 to 1981, including convention proceedings, correspondence, economic data, information bulletins, subject files, some records relating to district councils and local unions, materials relating to pension and health and welfare funds, and records relating to National Labor Relations Board cases, California Department of Employment cases, arbitration cases, and California Industrial Accident Commission cases.

Administrative History

The California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers was founded at a statewide convention held in San Francisco on January 16-18, 1947, and attended by representatives of lumber and sawmill unions affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, AFL, which issued a charter for this new organization on July 22. Some of the functions of the council had previously been performed by a state coordinating committee of lumber and sawmill workers. Historical files relating to the council's founding can be found in the Subject Files. The council held jurisdiction over all voluntary affiliated local unions and district councils chartered by the Brotherhood within California. There represented workers in production and maintenance of logging operations and mills and factories of the logging industry. Delegates to state council conventions were elected from each affiliated local union and district council. Members of the executive committee of the council were selected from five districts, representing the area within the jurisdiction of each of the Redwood, Northern California, and Central California District Councils, and the areas of Los Angeles and vicinity and San Diego and vicinity. Officers of the state council were nominated from the convention floor and elected by vote of the delegates. The state council provided services and assistance requested by affiliated units, including economic information; coordination of contract proposals; professional representation in negotiations, arbitrations, National Labor Relations Board cases, industrial accident cases, and Wage Stabilization Board cases; and other matters affecting the welfare of the members. The state council did not determine policy for or interfere with the autonomy and functions of local unions or district councils.
The economic representative was a professional labor relations specialist employed to perform most of the administrative and advisory work of the council. He provided information on federal and state procedures and regulations and other information on contracts and collective bargaining and economic conditions in the lumber industry and served as administrator of the health and welfare fund and the pension fund. During the period represented by these records, the economic representative was Daniel Johnston, who maintained offices in Los Angeles and performed his duties on a consulting basis.

Restrictions on Access

Cartons 1-21 are open to researchers. Cartons 22-79 include medical and other restricted personal information and are closed to researchers until 2056.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO records, BANC MSS 84/120 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Forest History Society, 1984.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Lara Michels. Much of the finding aid descriptive text has been taken from Richard C. Davis' 1976 inventory of the Records of the California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers at the Forest History Society (the previous owner of this collection).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL-CIO
Labor unions--California
Labor--California
Lumber trade--California
Lumber trade -- accidents
Industrial accidents--California

 

Series 1:  Annual convention proceedings 1948-1974

Physical Description: Carton 1

Scope and Content

These files contain summaries of remarks of speakers, committee reports, district reports, officers' reports, and appendices which include annual income and expenditures, convention registration lists, resolutions adopted, and minutes of annual meetings of the executive committee. Arranged chronologically.
 

Series 2:  Economic data on the lumber industry 1954-1975

Physical Description: Carton 2, folder 1-15

Scope and Content

Mimeographed bulletins containing economic facts and statistics concerning the lumber industry, financial data concerning several of the larger lumber companies, and other items of interest to lumber and sawmill workers. Bulletins, starting in 1956, were compiled from publications of the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Labor, the Bureau of National Affairs, Moody's Industrials, and similar references by Daniel Johnston, economic representative, for distribution at annual conventions to affiliated local and district councils.
 

Series 3:  Information bulletins 1947-1975

Physical Description: Carton 2, folder 16-40

Scope and Content

Mimeographed numbered bulletins and other mimeographed information sheets and form letters distributed to local unions and district councils affiliated with the California State Council. They relate to administrative matters, workmen's compensation regulations, social security regulations, state council industrial accident services, medical, disability, and unemployment insurance, per capita taxes, resolutions, National Labor Relations Board policies, pension plans, elections, contracts, and other subjects. Folders for 1947-1971 constitute the council's master file. Folders for 1972-1975 are an incomplete set assembled from duplicates. Also included are some related correspondence, uniform contract provisions, and a mimeographed copy of the constitution and bylaws of the state council, as amended December 4, 1967. Arranged chronologically.
 

Series 4:  Old subject files 1947-1959

Physical Description: Carton 3

Scope and Content

Affiliations--Northwestern Council; Carpenters and Joiners resolutions; Central Oregon District Council minutes and correspondence; California State Federation of Labor conventions; Carpenters'(State Council of) conventions; Conference--Lumber and Sawmill representatives; Flood Relief; Forest Service Congressional Hearings; Jurisdictional Matters (dispute with International Brotherhood of Operating Engineers); Klamath Basin District Council; Lakeview unit (proposed Manufacturing Zone Fremont National Forest, Oregon, and Modoc National Forest, California Bulletins--Primary Manufacturing Zone); Legislation--proposed (S.B. 1677; A.B. 1081; S.B. 1253); Legislation; Newspaper (California Lumber Worker); Northwestern (Central Oregon Council, Bend); Northwestern Council Convention, 1956; Right to Work Initiative; Siskiyou County Supervisors (proposed use of jail labor on county buildings).
 

Series 5:  Subject files 1945-1974

Physical Description: Carton 4-7; carton 8, folder 1-12

Arrangement

Carton 4: Affliation; Local Union Assessment; [Benefits] Revised "Facts You Should Know" booklet (1966); California Labor Federation and California Labor COPE; California State Council of Carpenters; California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers historical files on the formation of the organization (1945-1947); Central California District Council; City of Hope, admittance procedure; Contributions; contract analysis; contract matters; Contract provisions. Carton 5: Conventions (California Labor Federation); Division of Labor Statistics, bulletins; Donation to State Council by Locals affiliated with Central Council; Elections code; Executive committee correspondence; flood relief (1965); Foremen, problems relating to; Forest fire fighting, wage rates; Forest Service, bidding on Forest Timber; Gyppo Contractors; Health and Welfare; Hutcheson, M.A. (1953); Immigration--Naturalization ("wet backs"); Importation of foreign lumber; legislation; legislative committee; Lumber industry negotiations (1951-1972); Merger between IWA-CIO and Lumber and Sawmill Workers, AFL). Carton 6: Proposed Rule 20--Bar Association; Referendum vote (bylaws amendments, tax increases); Resolutions. Carton 7: Resolutions; safety; Scroll (issued Bill Knight 1956); Social Security; Strike Benefits; Union Register (1975); United Brotherhood; Veterans, Re-employment rights. Carton 8: Wage and Hours law; Wage Claims, G and R Pallet Company; Wage-price freeze (1971); Wage Claim cases; Wages (1952 Wage Stabilization Board Case and Women and Minors, Industrial Welfare Commission; "We Don't Patronize" List; Western Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers.
 

Series 6:  Miscellaneous correspondence 1950-1979

Physical Description: Carton 8, folder 13-24

Scope and Content

Letters received and copies of letters sent, notes, drafts, and memoranda of the San Francisco office pertaining to routine administrative matters. Arranged alphabetically.
 

Series 7:  Subject files of Daniel Johnston (Los Angeles subject files) 1951-1973

Physical Description: Carton 9-14; carton 15, folder 1-14

Scope and Content

Correspondence, bulletins, memoranda, statements for services, and other records kep in the Los Angeles office of Mr. Johnston, relating to matters relating to his work as economic representative of the California State Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers. Headings include: agreements, correspondence relating to interpretation; bulletins issued by state council; conventions; Wage Stabilization Board cases; California Department of Employment correspondence; State Industrial Accident Commission correspondence; Miscellaneous correspondence with the State Council.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically and then by subject. Carton 9: 1951-1953. Carton 10: 1954-1956. Carton 11: 1957-1960. Carton 12: 1961-1963. Carton 13: 1964-1966. Carton 14: 1968-1971. Carton 15: 1972-1973.
 

Series 8:  Records relating to District Councils 1950-1969

Physical Description: Carton 15, folder 15-20

Scope and Content

Records relating to Northern California District Council, Redwood District Council, Central California District Council. Consists of one folder for each district, containing correspondence between the state council and the district council, memoranda, and minutes of meetings of the district council. Southern California correspondence is largely between the San Francisco office; N.G. Cordil, district representative in Los Angeles; and WIlliam H. Knight, president of the state council.
 

Series 9:  Correspondence with former local unions 1948-1961

Physical Description: Carton 16; carton 17, folder 1-43

Scope and Content

Incoming and outgoing letters between the state council and local unions relating to National Labor Relations Board compliance matters, mergers of locals, membership of locals in the state council, administration, and miscellaneous matters. Following a folder on "Miscellaneous Locals," arrangement is by number assiged the local union.
 

Series 10:  Correspondence with local unions 1948-1975

Physical Description: Carton 17, folder 44-68; carton 18

Scope and Content

Typical files contain correspondence between the state council and the local union, form letters, agreements, memoranda, copies of letters from locals addressed to employers, lists of contract reopening dates, National Labor Relations Board petitions, lists of employees, notices of elections, and other records relating to membership of the local in the state council, per capita taxes, recognition by employers of the local as a collective bargaining unit, elections, contract negotiations, and other matters. Arranged by local union number.
 

Series 11:  Records relating to the Lumber Industry Health and Welfare Fund (The Hazard Trust) and Pension Fund 1956-1974

Physical Description: Carton 19; carton 20, folder 1-2

Scope and Content

Correspondence and other records relating to benefits and to membership in the Joint Committees of the Lumber Industry Health and Welfare and Pension Funds. Also included are incomplete minutes of the Joint Employment Union Committee of the Lumber Industry Health and Welfare Fund; correspondence and memoranda concerning investment of funds; copies of the plan and trust agreement; copies of amendments to the plan. Daniel Johnston was administrator of the fund, which provided for life, hospitalization, convalescent care, medical, and surgical insurance. Also in this series are files relating to the administration of the Lumber Industry Pension Fund.
 

Series 12:  Records relating to National Labor Relations Board cases 1947-1975

Physical Description: Carton 20, folder 3-85; carton 21

Scope and Content

Included are standard blank forms issued by NRLB; form letters from J.L. Hazard, secretary-treasurer of the state council, to affliated locals and district councils; correspondence with NLRB officers and with local unions; lists of locals in compliance; contract analyses; lists of employees; sample ballots; memoranda; and other records. Subjects include compliance with the Labor-Management Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act of 1947, petitions for recognition and certification of locals as collective bargaining agents, and jurisdiction of particularl locals. Blank forms are followed by NLRB correspondence and related documents; petitions for representation certificates, arranged by district council; and case files relating to NLRB certification of representatives.
 

Series 13:  Records relating to California Department of Employment cases 1953-1974

Physical Description: Carton 22; carton 23, folder 1-5

Scope and Content

Relating to unemployment and disability insurance cases. Includes briefs, correspondence, memoranda, printed claim forms, and materials relating to dealings between the state council and the Department of Employment. Case files are arranged alphabetically. Includes records relating to unemployment insurance benefit claims arising out of the strike against Pickering Lumber Company in 1962-1963.

Restrictions on Access

Files in this series are restricted and closed to researchers until 2056.
 

Series 14:  Records relating to arbitration cases 1954-1974

Physical Description: Carton 23, folder 6-24

Scope and Content

Correspondence, memoranda, briefs, and other records concerning grievances under collective bargaining contracts, referred to the state council from local unions.

Restrictions on Access

Files in this series are restricted and closed to researchers until 2056.
 

Series 15:  Case files relating to claims before the California Industrial Accident Commission 1949-1975

Physical Description: Carton 24-79

Scope and Content

Correspondence, memoranda, applications for hearings, petitions, and other records relating to claims for disability compensation and medical benefits before panels of the California State Industrial Accident Commission. Arranged alphabetically by name of claimant.

Restrictions on Access

Files in this series are restricted and closed to researchers until 2056.