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Lockheed Labor Relations Collection
URB.LLR
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Lockheed Labor Relations Collection
Creator:
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
Identifier/Call Number: URB.LLR
Extent:
2.84 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1942-1946
Abstract: The
Lockheed
Labor Relations Collection
documents aspects of the Southern California Aircraft
Industry's involvement with the National War Labor Board during World War II. The collection
provides a historical summary of the West Coast Airframe Committee, as well as wage rates
and job classification standards.
Language of Material: English
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation is an aerospace development company known since 1995 as
Lockheed Martin. The history of the company dates back to 1912 with the establishment of the
Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company in San Francisco. It was renamed the Loughead Aircraft
Manufacturing Company in 1916 and relocated to Santa Barbara. In 1926 the company moved to
Hollywood and changed its name to the Lockheed Aircraft Company, then relocated to Burbank
in 1928. The company changed names again in 1932 and became the Lockheed Aircraft
Corporation.
In 1943 the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation organized a secret division of engineers under
the direction of Clarence "Kelly" Johnson to develop the first American jet fighter for the
U.S. Army's Air Tactical Service Command. The covert team adopted the code name "Skonk
Works," after the dilapidated factory in Al Capp's comic strip,
Li'l
Abner.
The division has operated under different names throughout the years,
including the Lockheed Advanced Development Company, Lockheed Advanced Development Projects,
and Lockheed Advanced Development Programs; today it is known officially as Skunk Works and
is owned by the Lockheed Martin Corporation.
As an aircraft company, Lockheed's labor and wage issues fell under the jurisdiction of
the National War Labor Board during World War II. In an effort to standardize California
aircraft plants, the National War Labor Board created the West Coast Airframe Committee,
which included the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and was responsible for carrying out the
board's directive orders. In 1946, the National War Labor Board was discontinued and
labor-arbitration duties returned to the National Labor Relations Board.
The
Lockheed Labor Relations Collection documents aspects of
the Southern California Aircraft Industry's involvement with the National War Labor Board
during World War II. The collection provides a historical summary of the West Coast Airframe
Committee, as well as wage rates and job classification standards.
The West Coast Airframe Companies included: Boeing Aircraft Company, Consolidated Aircraft
Corporation, Douglas Aircraft Company, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, North American
Aviation Incorporated, Northrop Aircraft Incorporated, Ryan Aeronautical Company, Vega
Aircraft Corporation, and Vultee Aircraft Incorporated.
The labor unions involved included: the International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft,
and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW-CIO); the National Union, United Aircraft
Welders of America; and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
(IAM).
The collection consists of directive orders and rulings of the National War Labor Board,
correspondence, post-hearing briefs, case number briefs, union applications and petitions,
and transcripts of proceedings before the board's West Coast Airframe Committee. The records
are arranged alphabetically.
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lockheed Advanced Development Company.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual,
or see the
Citing Archival Materials guide.
Holli Teltoe, 2015
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents