Inventory of the Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305 Records, 1919-1970 (predominantly 1940s)

Prepared by Labor Archives and Research Center staff.
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
© 1999, revised 2011
San Francisco State University. All rights reserved.


Descriptive Summary

Title: Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305 Records
Date (inclusive): 1919-1970
Date (bulk): predominantly 1940s
Collection number: larc.ms.0092
Accession numbers: 1988/18, 1989/13, 1991/21, 1991/22
Creator: Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305
Extent: 5.1 cubic ft. (5 cartons, 3 boxes)
Repository: Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English.
Abstract: Consists of the records of Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305, originally founded in San Francisco and later including Marin County, Oakland, and Eureka. The collection spans the years 1919 to 1970, and includes minutes of the executive board, bylaws, correspondence, agreements, ledgers, a roll book, membership applications, clearance cards, organizing leaflets, legal cases, correspondence with the Grand Lodge, and records of a sister machinists union, Lodge No. 1414.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Labor Archives & Research Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote from materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Labor Archives & Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305 Records, larc.ms.0092, Labor Archives & Research Center, San Francisco State University.

Separated Materials

1 AMU Lodge No. 1305 button and 59 Greyhound Strike photos, summer 1969. Removed to the labor button collection and photograph collection respectively.

Related Collection

Related collections in the Labor History Archives includes the records of the International Association of Machinists Lodge No. 68 and Lodge No. 284.

Acquisition

These records were donated by JB Martin, Area Director of The Automotive Machinist Union, (AMU) local No. 1305, International Association of Machinists (IAM). The records were received on three separate occasions in 1988, 1989 and 1991 and accessioned as numbers 1988/18, 1989/13, 1991/21, 1991/22.

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Janette Martin in the summer of 1998.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog:
Labor unions--California--San Francisco.

History

Automotive Machinist Lodge (AMU) No. 1305, a local lodge of the International Association of Machinists (IAM), obtained its charter on June 24th 1919. Local No. 1305 was originally based in San Francisco, first at 107 Valencia and then at 1750 Market Street, until it moved in 1988 to the current location at 150 South Blvd., San Mateo. Unfortunately no printed history of the AMU Local No. 1305 exists, but for a more general account of the IAM see Mark Perlman's The Machinists; a New Study in American Trade Unionism (1961). Richard Prime Boyden's unpublished thesis The San Francisco Machinists from Depression to Cold War 1930-1950, provides an account of machinists in the Bay Area.
The IAM was organized in Atlanta, Georgia in 1888 and principally centered on metal fabrication workers, initially representing skilled craftsmen who had completed a four year apprenticeship. AMU Lodge No. 1305 chartered a little over thirty years later and differed from the existing San Francisco machinist lodges in that it was primarily established to serve the needs of auto mechanics. The charter of 1919 marks the founding of what was then known as the Auto Mechanic Lodge No. 1305. A survey of the membership applications for the same year shows the candidates were young men in the auto and truck repair trade. Twenty years later although truck and car mechanics still accounted for the bulk of members, AMU Lodge No. 1305 also represented a diverse range of workers from bakery and brewery employees to mechanics employed on the maintenance of stevedoring machinery. The lodge during this period used both terms "Auto Mechanic Union, Lodge No. 1305" and "Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305". Gradually the former name appears to have fallen into disuse as membership continued to diversify.
The labor conditions peculiar to the war years influenced membership patterns in AMU Lodge No. 1305. The most significant change was the admission of the first women members. Their entry was eased by changes in IAM policies during the 1930s when the recruitment policy was widened to include factory workers. These 'production workers' did not have a four year apprenticeship and tended to be proficient in only a few procedures. Similarly, during World War II women who had not undergone the four year apprenticeship were admitted to Lodge No. 1305 as 'specialists' or 'helpers'. Prior to World War II, women were only encouraged to join the AMU Lodge No. 1305 sister lodge, Golden West Ladies Auxiliary No. 125, which was established in 1940. The goal of the ladies auxiliary was to "bring within the folds of our organization every wife, mother, sister and daughter". The Ladies Auxiliary was involved in social activities and also provided Lodge No. 1305 machinists with financial and moral support in times of industrial strife.
In the post war years trade jurisdiction for Lodge No. 1305 covered an array of moving equipment (forklifts, buses, automobiles, container carriers, lifts and cranes) vital to industries ranging from car rental to container shipping. Lodge No. 1305 also represented the City and County automotive workers of San Francisco, Golden Gate Ferries, Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Transit. In 1956 the AMU Lodge No. 1305 successfully sued the city in the Martin shop case which challenged the legality of the city's pay scales and vacation terms. The major employers of union members besides the city and county of San Francisco included Greyhound, UPS and Matson Terminal in Oakland. The geographic catchment area of Lodge No. 1305 was San Francisco, Eureka, Marin County and Oakland.
The history of a number of San Francisco and Bay Area machinist Lodges are interwoven with that of Lodge No. 1305 through merger or as a result of Lodge No. 1305 organizing. For instance, AMU Lodge No. 1305 organized Peninsula Auto Mechanics Lodge, AMU Lodge No. 1414. This local, chartered on June 9th 1936, was originally located in Redwood city before it moved in 1956 to San Mateo to share an office with local No. 1305. Similarly AMU Lodge No. 1305 organized Lodge No. 1101 of San Jose. By the mid 1970s Lodge No. 1305 had absorbed the automotive units of Lodge No. 238, a mixed local. In employer association agreements negotiated during World War II Lodge No. 1546, East Bay Automotive Machinist Lodge often acted in conjunction with Lodge No. 1305 and Lodge No. 1414.
Unlike other Bay Area machinist locals, such as the militant Lodge No. 284 in Oakland and Lodge No. 68 of San Francisco, AMU Lodge No. 1305 enjoyed peaceful relations with the Grand Lodge and in the war years especially, good relations with Bay Area employers. Notable events and achievements over the years include the elimination of piece work in the late 1930s, the 1965 motor car dealer strike and the 1969 Greyhound Strike. The Greyhound strike occurred in the summer of 1969 and involved three San Francisco locals, AMU No. 1305, IBT No. 665 and IBT No. 241. The AMU local No. 1305 was also involved in San Francisco politics including the election campaign for Harvey Milk
Over the years AMU Lodge No. 1305 has been affiliated with the following organizations: California Conference of Machinists, Northern California Machinists Automotive Trades District 190, Marin Labor Council, San Francisco Labor Council, California Federation of Labor and San Francisco Automotive Trade Council. Lodge No. 1305 also enjoyed close cooperation with San Francisco and East Bay Teamster locals, in particular, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local No. 665, Garage and Service Station Employees and Local IBT No. 241.

Scope and Contents

Consists of the records of Automotive Machinist Union, Lodge No. 1305, originally founded in San Francisco and later including Marin County, Oakland, and Eureka. The collection spans the years 1919 to 1970, and includes minutes of the executive board, bylaws, correspondence, agreements, ledgers, a roll book, membership applications, clearance cards, organizing leaflets, legal cases, correspondence with the Grand Lodge, and records of a sister machinists union, Lodge No. 1414.
The earliest materials contained in the collection are membership applications from 1919-1925 (predominantly from 1919). Other early material includes a Dues Ledger of 1919-1930, a list of members transferred, died or retired 1919-1926 and several Agreements with Bay Area employers during the 1930s. A ballot paper for a Lodge AMU No. 1305 executive election held in 1970 is the most current material. There are no agreements or correspondence from the period of the 1920s. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1940s and is comprised of agreements and related correspondence.
A button from AMU Lodge No. 1305 and photographs relating to the 1969 Greyhound Strike have been moved to the button and photograph collection respectively. No textual records concerning the Greyhound Strike are found in the collection, however the processor compiled a brief account of the 1969 Greyhound Strike which can be found in the Labor Archive ephemera collection, folder " Machinists, International Association of"

Arrangement

The files of the AMU Lodge No. 1305 are divided into 9 series: Minutes, Membership, Correspondence, Agreements, City Shop Cases, Health and Welfare, Elections, Law and Legislative Committee. Artifacts were removed to related collections.

 

Series I:  Minutes 1931-1943

Physical Description: 3 folders

Scope and Content Note

Includes attendance records of officers 1938-1943 and minutes of the executive board meeting 1931-1932 and 1936-1938. Executive board meetings for 1932-1936 are missing.
Box-folder 1/01

Meeting of the Executive Board, Minutes 1931-1932

Box-folder 1/02

Meeting of the Executive Board, Minutes 1936-1938

Box-folder 1/03

Records of Officers Attendance 1938-1943

 

Series II:  Membership 1919-1961

Physical Description: 35 folders

Scope and Content Note

Contains a number of materials relating to membership including: 1919-1920 membership application forms, a 1925 membership application belonging to F. L. Martin (a key figure who during his working life held every executive office at Lodge No. 1305), World War II clearance cards 1942-1943, (over half belong to women unionists), eight bound volumes of membership clearances 1942-1961, a dues ledger kept by the financial secretary 1919-1930, roll book 1943- 1961, (the inner leaf lists the 14 point agenda of meetings and the names of officers assigned as delegates to the San Francisco Labor Council etc.), thirty pages of a 1919-1926 ledger detailing members who had retired, transferred out, died or become reinstated, one honory retirement card issued in 1945 along with correspondence detailing why it was withdrawn in 1949, dues books and withdrawal cards 1934-1943, (belonging to the IBT local No. 665, Garage and Service Station employees).
Material in this series includes interesting demographic information concerning place of birth, previous and current employment, gender, age, and previous union membership.
Box-folder 1/04

Dues Ledger, Financial Secretary 1919-1930

Box-folder 1/05

Retired/died/transferred out & Reinstatements 1919-1926

Box-folder 1/06

Dues Books & Withdrawal Cards (IBT No. 665) 1934-1943

Box-folder 1/07

Clearance Cards 1942-1943

Box-folder 1/08

Membership Clearances 1942-1943

Box-folder 1/09

Membership Clearances 1945-1946

Box-folder 1/10

Membership Clearances 1952-1954

Box-folder 1/11

Membership Clearances 1954

Box-folder 1/12

Membership Clearances 1955

Box-folder 1/13

Membership Clearances 1956

Box-folder 1/14

Membership Clearances 1957

Box-folder 2/01

Membership Clearances 1961

Box-folder 2/02

Roll Book 1943-1961

Box-folder 2/03

Honory Service Retirement Card 1945-1949

Box-folder 3/01

Application for Membership, 'A' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/02

Application for Membership, 'B' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/03

Application for Membership, 'C' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/04

Application for Membership, 'D' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/05

Application for Membership, 'E' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/06

Application for Membership, 'F' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/07

Application for Membership, 'G' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/08

Application for Membership, 'H' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/09

Application for Membership, 'J' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/10

Application for Membership, 'K' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/11

Application for Membership, 'L' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/12

Application for Membership, 'M' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/13

Application for Membership, 'N' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/14

Application for Membership, 'O' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/15

Application for Membership, 'P' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/16

Application for Membership, 'R' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/17

Application for Membership, 'S' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/18

Application for Membership, 'U-V' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/19

Application for Membership, 'W' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/20

Application for Membership, 'X-Z' 1919-1920

Box-folder 3/21

Application for Membership, F L Martin 1925

 

Series III:  Correspondence 1924-1948

Physical Description: 7 folders

Scope and Content Note

Includes general correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, between AMU Lodge No. 1305 and the IAM Grand Lodge, as well as material from the National War Labor Board, miscellaneous World War II era literature, IAM organizing leaflets and strike sanctions 1924-1937. One letter written in 1936 requests skilled auto mechanics. The most interesting material in this series are telegrams which concern the 1934 San Francisco and General Waterfront Strike.
Box-folder 4/01

Strike Sanctions 1924-1937

Box-folder 4/02

Communications Lodge No. 1305 1925-1930

Box-folder 4/03

Communications Lodge No. 1305 1931-1947

Box-folder 4/04

Telegrams Re: 1934 San Francisco & General Waterfront Strike 1934

Box-folder 4/05

Correspondence Re: Employment Opportunities for Mechanics 1936

Box-folder 4/06

IAM Organizing Leaflets 1947-1948

Box-folder 4/07

NWLB & Misc. World War II Era Material 1941-1944

 

Series IV:  Agreements 1930-1951

Physical Description: 51 folders

Scope and Content Note

Contains agreements and related correspondence, between Lodge No. 1305 and Bay Area employers and trade associations. Seven files from the 1940s are arranged alphabetically by independent shop or employer association. Twelve files of 1940s independent shop agreements are also arranged alphabetically by shop name. The remaining 31 agreements from the 1930s-1940s are arranged alphabetically by employer association. The majority of agreements date from the war years and also include correspondence with the National War Labor Board, (NWLB). Much of the correspondence between San Francisco employers, Lodge No. 1305 and the NWLB concerns requests to raise the prevailing wage rates to combat the shortage of skilled machinists. The agreement and related correspondence between the automobile dealers of San Mateo and Lodge No. 1414, also describe the extent of union organization on the peninsula in 1939. Seven large files, 1935-1947, contain agreements and negotiations with the motor car dealers, which indicates the large number of auto mechanics who were members of Lodge No. 1305.
Box-folder 4/08

List of Agreements 1945-1946

Box-folder 4/09

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'A' 1945-1947

Box-folder 4/10

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'B-C' 1945-1947

Box-folder 4/11

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'D-H' 1945-1947

Box-folder 4/12

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'I-M' 1945-1947

Box-folder 4/13

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'N-R' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/01

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'S' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/02

Independent Shops/ Trade Associations, 'T-Z' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/03

Independent Shops, 'A' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/04

Independent Shops, 'B' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/05

Independent Shops, 'C' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/06

Independent Shops, 'D-E' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/07

Independent Shops, 'F-G' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/08

Independent Shops, 'H-K' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/09

Independent Shops, 'L-N' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/10

Independent Shops, 'O-Q' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/11

Independent Shops, 'R' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/12

Independent Shops, 'S' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/13

Independent Shops, 'T-U' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/14

Independent Shops, 'V-Z' 1945-1947

Box-folder 5/15

Automotive Council Inc. 1937-1949

Box-folder 5/16

Automobile Dealers, San Mateo, Lodge No. 1414 1939

Box-folder 5/17

Bakery Employers 1930-1949

Box-folder 5/18

Body Builders, CA Metal Trade Association 1937-1943

Box-folder 5/19

Body Builders, CA Metal Trade Association 1944-1947

Box-folder 6/01

Breweries, CA State Brewers Institute 1941-1947

Box-folder 6/02

Building Material Dealers Association 1937-1947

Box-folder 6/03

California Bakers Association 1932

Box-folder 6/04

Challenge Cream & Butter Association 1940-1947

Box-folder 6/05

Draymens Association 1936-1947

Box-folder 6/06

San Francisco Employers Council 1942-1945

Box-folder 6/07

San Francisco Employers Council, before the 10 th Regional War Labor Board 1944

Box-folder 6/08

San Francisco Employers Council 1946-1947

Box-folder 6/09

Milk Dealers Association 1940-1942

Box-folder 6/10

Motor Car Dealers 1935-1942

Box-folder 6/11

Motor Car Dealers 1941-1944

Box-folder 6/12

Motor Car Dealers 1941-1947

Box-folder 6/13

Motor Car Dealers includes, Presidents Report of the Motor Car Dealers Association 1941-1947

Box-folder 6/14

Motor Car Dealers 1941-1947

Box-folder 6/15

Motor Car Dealers 1941-1947

Box-folder 6/16

Motor Car Dealers 1948-1950

Box-folder 6/17

Motorcycle Dealers 1938-1947

Box-folder 6/18

Out of Town Contracts 1940-1951

Box-folder 6/19

Rubber Institute 1939-1947

Box-folder 6/20

Truck Owners Association 1938-1947

Box-folder 6/21

United Parcel Service 1949

Box-folder 6/22

Waterfront Employers Association 1937-1942

Box-folder 6/23

Waterfront Employers Association 1943-1947

Box-folder 6/24

Wreckers 1941-1946

 

Series V:  City Shop Cases 1946-1956

Physical Description: 8 folders

Scope and Content Note

Contains the legal transcripts and correspondence with the union lawyer, Milton Marks, on five cases involving the union suing the City of San Francisco over pay and working conditions for its members. Newspapers clippings follow the court battles, all of which had a successful out come.
Box-folder 7/01

Case No. 359,886, Legal Documents, Part I 1946-1947

Box-folder 7/02

Case No. 259,886, Legal Documents, Part II 1947

Box-folder 7/03

Case No. 362,422 & No.13,556, Legal Documents 1946-1948

Box-folder 7/04

Case No. 13,556 Legal Transcripts 1947-1948

Box-folder 7/05

Case No. 381,550, Adams V City of San Francisco 1948

Box-folder 7/06

Case No 17,925, Martin V City of San Francisco 1956

Box-folder 7/07

City Shop Case Correspondence 1946-1948

Box-folder 7/08

City Shop Cases, Newspaper Clippings 1946-1947

 

Series VI:  Health and Welfare 1924-1949

Physical Description: 3 folders

Scope and Content Note

Includes a 1924 IAM circular on safety in garage and automobile shops, a 1949 life insurance plan for members employed by Four Brake Services, and 5 booklets on "group insurance programs", which describe health and insurance plans offered by East Bay and San Francisco employers of car mechanics. See also material under series VIII, law and legislative committee, 1939.
Box-folder 7/09

IAM Circular : Recommendations for Controlling Health & Hazards in Garage and Automobile Shops 1924

Box-folder 7/10

Proposed Health and Life Insurance Plans

(Employer Scheme, Four Brake Service)
1949

Box-folder 7/11

Group Insurance Programs, Car Mechanics

(Various Employer Schemes)
1949

 

Series VII:  Elections 1925-1970

Physical Description: 3 folders

Scope and Content Note

Contains a number of ballots for local executive elections, many of which are annotated with the numbers of vote cast for each candidate, 1925-1970. Also includes the official ballot for amendments at the 24th IAM Convention which was held in San Francisco in 1956. The series includes more general political material relating to union sponsored politicians.
Box-folder 7/12

Ballots, Annual Election of No. 1305 Executive Officers 1925-1970

Box-folder 7/13

Election Material, Poll Guides, 'How Your Representative Voted' Etc. 1956-1957

Box-folder 7/14

Official Ballot on Amendments to the Constitution, 24th IAM Convention, SF 4-13 Sept 1956.

 

Series VIII:  Law & Legislative Committee 1926-1960

Physical Description: 23 folders

Scope and Content Note

Primarily concerns the annual update of bylaws and includes detailed correspondence between Lodge No. 1305 and the Grand Lodge. However, the scope of the Law and Legislative Committee was broad. The series includes interesting material on salaries, health insurance, sick benefits, holiday pay, and vacations alongside inventive measures to boost attendance at meetings. For instance the folder "Law and Legislative 1939", includes correspondence to and from the Grand Lodge concerning the wisdom of conducting raffles with cash prizes of $5.00, $10.00 and $15.00 at every Lodge meeting. Many files in this series contain correspondence from the Ladies Auxiliary, Golden West Lodge No. 125. Other significant files include Bylaws Master copy 1926- 1938 and the 1939 Sick Benefit Bylaws. The series also includes a number of bound membership copies of the local bylaws.
Box-folder 7/15

Auto Mechanics Union Lodge No. 1414, Bylaws 1937

Box-folder 7/16

Automotive Trade Union Council District No. 1 1937-1938

Box-folder 7/17

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws, Master Copy 1926-1938

Box-folder 7/18

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1928-1938

Box-folder 7/19

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1927-1939

Box-folder 7/20

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1939

Box-folder 7/21

Law & Legislative Committee, Sick Benefits 1939

Box-folder 7/22

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1940

Box-folder 7/23

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1941

Box-folder 7/24

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1944-1945

Box-folder 7/25

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1946

Box-folder 7/26

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1947

Box-folder 7/27

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1948

Box-folder 7/28

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1950

Box-folder 7/29

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1951

Box-folder 7/30

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1952

Box-folder 7/31

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1953

Box-folder 7/32

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1954

Box-folder 7/33

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1955

Box-folder 7/34

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1956

Box-folder 7/35

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1957

Box-folder 7/36

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1958

Box-folder 7/37

Law & Legislative Committee Bylaws 1960