San Francisco Labor Council Records, 1906-1965

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Summary

Title:
San Francisco Labor Council records
Dates:
1906-1965
Creators:
San Francisco Labor Council
Abstract:
Correspondence and other records relating to activities of the San Francisco Labor Council (SFLC), the local affiliate of the AFL-CIO. The collection covers all facets of the San Francisco labor movement following the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 through early 1965. It reflects the wide spectrum of interests of the SFLC, including labor disputes, fair employment, automation, wages, housing, health and welfare benefits, local politics, and community service. In addition to correspondence, there are personal papers of leaders, subject files, publications, district labor council files, labor organization files, committee records, specific activity files, and financial records.
Extent:
217.5 linear feet (174 cartons, 4 packages)
Language:
Collection materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Labor Council records, BANC MSS 69/139c,The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection covers all facets of the divergent activities of the San Francisco labor movement following the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 through early 1965. Reflected is the wide spectrum of interests of the San Francisco Labor Council, the local affiliate of the AFL-CIO. These include labor disputes, health and welfare benefits, wages, fair employment, housing, automation, local politics, and a host of community service-oriented organizations. Especially represented are the personal papers and affairs of John A. O'Connell (1873-1948), who served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Council from 1913 until 1948, and George W. Johns, who served in the same capacity from 1950 until 1972. In addition to these personal papers, the collection contains correspondence, subject files, publications, district labor Council files, labor organization files, committee records, specific activity files, and financial records.

The collection has been divided into three sections, or series. Series 1., Cartons 1-36 contain materials from the period 1906-1939, subdivided as to Correspondence, Council Files, Subject Files, and Publications, and then alphabetically arranged.

Series 2., Cartons 37-116 comprise correspondence from 1940 through 1964, with Cartons 112-116 being material to be interfiled for the period 1933-1958. Cartons 37-111 are alphabetically arranged for each year, and in an effort to maintain the filing order of the Council, the papers are subdivided into Subject Files, District Labor Council Files, and Labor Organization Files for each year.

The remaining containers are Series 3. Cartons 117-175 and Packages 1-4 comprise a miscellany of committee records, specific activity files, publications, and financial material.

A key to arrangement, detailed carton contents listing, and a refined subject cross-reference guide for the 1906-1939 Correspondence Files found in Cartons 1-22 can be found in the attached PDF guide.

Biographical / historical:

The San Francisco Labor Council is the local body of the AFL-CIO. It was organized in November 1892 as the successor to a series of earlier and less sturdy San Francisco central labor bodies. It received its charter from the American Federation of Labor in May 1893 to be the coordinating regional body for labor cooperation and unity. In August 1958 it merged with the San Francisco Congress of Industrial Organizations' Industrial Union Council, some 3 years after the national AFL-CIO merger.

Through the major San Francisco Bay Area labor disputes of 1901 and the general strike of 1934, the Council grew under its motto "in unity is strength." By 1970, the Council was the primary voice of organized labor in San Francisco, representing almost 150 AFL-CIO unions, with a combined membership of approximately 200,000 trade unionists in the city and county. The largest locals came from the service and retail trades, the various machinist and building trades and the numerous marine industries.

Acquisition information:
The San Francisco Labor Council records were given to The Bancroft Library in 1969 by the San Francisco Labor Council.
Processing information:

Initially processed by Bancroft Library staff in 1972, this collection was given a detailed typed finding aid. This electronic finding aid is a condensed version of the original finding aid and intellectually arranged at the box level to present a clearer summary of the collection's contents. For additional details regarding the specific contents of each carton in the collection, see the Supplemental PDF of the Detailed Original Container listing linked from this finding aid. This original listing does not precisely mirror the arrangement of this finding aid. To use this supplemental listing locate the carton number for which you desire a more complete picture of contents.

Accruals:

No future additions are expected.

Physical location:
Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Bancroft Library staff
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-10-17 21:56:59 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Some materials in these collections 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 the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Labor Council records, BANC MSS 69/139c,The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
Contact:
510-642-6481
bancref-library@berkeley.edu
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