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Guide to the Records of Communications Workers of America, Local 1180 WAG 063

Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY, 10012
(212) 998-2630
gail.malmgreen@nyu.edu


Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives

Collection processed by Aaron Taub and Gail Malmgreen, 1996.

This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2009-06-30T13:50-0400 Description is in English.

Historical/Biographical Note

CWA Local 1180 had its origins in the Municipal Management Society (MMS), a group founded in 1954 to represent Grade 5 Clerks in the New York City civil service who were considered to have managerial responsibilities. The new organization soon had about 120 members, drawn from nearly every agency in city government.

In 1960 New York City agreed to collective bargaining with unions representing specific classes of workers employed in more than one department, and this ushered in a decade of rapid organization of municipal employees by several unions. The MMS, under president James Gaffney, launched a campaign to become the bargaining unit for administrative employees; this required affiliation with an AFL-CIO international union. After discussions with several unions, the MMS membership voted to join the Communications Workers of America, and in May 1965 the MMS was chartered as CWA Local 1180, the first public employees' local in the CWA. The new local proceeded to bargaining on behalf of approximately 2,000 members. After many grueling months of negotiations, its first contract was approved in April 1967.

The following decades saw the rapid growth of public-sector membership in CWA. The city's severe fiscal crisis of the 1970s resulted in some concessions affecting newer members, but Local President Leonard Katz and CWA District 1 Director Morton Bahr managed to protect the membership from massive layoffs. Expansion of the Department of Social Services created new administrative titles, many of them held by women and minorities. A state take-over of the court system in 1977 gave the Local its first experience with bargaining for state workers. The Local's staff grew to include full-time officers, grievance representatives, and managers of the Security Benefits Fund.

After a hard-fought election in 1979, Arthur Cheliotes took over as local president, pledging his opposition to the city's massive program of consolidation of administrative titles (known as "broadbanding") and promising to defend the principle of promotion by competitive exam. Cheliotes, representing a younger generation of leaders within the Local, involved the membership in a wide range of social and legislative issues, including workplace health and safety, participation in electoral campaigns, affordable housing, opposition to Apartheid, and support for labor rights at the national level. The local has an active education program through the Center for Worker Education at City College and the LEAP Program at Queens College. In March 1986 the local initiated a radio program dealing with issues of concern to public employees and other trade unionists. By 1988 the local represented 9,000 members in high-level supervisory titles, including administrator, principal administrative assistant, and computer associate; two thousand members were supervisors in welfare centers. From its beginnings as an association dominated by white males, the local has evolved into a union in which seventy per cent of the members are women, many of them African-American, Asian-American or Latino.

Sources:

Augsberger, Deborah. Twenty-five Years: Working for a Better New York, Local 1180, Communications Workers of America. New York: CWA Local 1180, 1991.

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Scope and Content Note

Series I: Constitution, Bylaws and Minutes, 1963-1986, contains a constitution and Executive Board minutes dating from the Municipal Management Society period (pre-1965), as well as minutes of the Board, of General Membership Meetings, committee meetings and meetings of the Security Benefits Fund Trustees, 1965-1986.

Series II: Correspondence, 1961-1986, includes exchanges with the CWA international, CWA District 1, Local 1180 members, officers and staff of other unions and organizations, and representatives of management.

Series III: Bargaining Files, 1965-1985, contains reports, drafts of union and management proposals, background reference material, documents reflecting bargaining activity of the Municipal Labor Committee and various New York City and state agencies and departments, with a separate section of files devoted to bargaining within the New York State Judicial Conference and the NYC courts.

Series IV: General Files, 1956-1984, contains correspondence and printed material relating to city and state agencies, including the Judicial Conference, the NYC Human Resources Administration, the NYC Department of Social Services, the Board of Education, the Health and Hospitals Corporation, the Port Authority and others, in which Local 1180 members are or have been employed. There are also files on job classifications, membership applications, benefits, organizing, civil service examinations, the Local's dealings with the NYC Office of Collective Bargaining, and background materials (including contracts) by and about other unions representing city employees.

Series V: Grievances and Arbitration Cases, 1968-1980, contains selected arbitrations awards and case files for 1974 and 1976, and grievance files, arranged alphabetically by name (with several additional files of miscellaneous grievances arranged chronologically).

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Container List

Series I: Bylaws, Constitution and Minutes

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Bylaws undated , 1966-1969
1 2 Constitution (Municipal Management Society) 1963-1964
1 3 Executive Board 1963
1 4 Executive Board 1964
1 5 Executive Board 1965
1 6 Executive Board 1966
1 7 Executive Board 1969
1 8 Executive Board 1970
1 9 Executive Board 1971
1 10 Executive Board 1972
1 11 Executive Board 1973
1 12 Executive Board 1974
1 13 Executive Board 1975
1 14 Executive Board 1976
1 15 Executive Board 1977
1 16 Executive Board 1978
1 17 Executive Board 1979
1 18 Executive Board Jan 1980-Mar 1980
1 19 Executive Board Apr 1980-Dec 1980
1 20 Executive Board 1981
1 21 Executive Board Jan 1982-Jun 1982
1 22 Executive Board Jul 1982-Dec 1982
1 23 Executive Board Jan 1983-Jun 1983
1 24 Executive Board Jul 1983-Dec 1983
1 25 Executive Board 1984
1 26 Executive Board 1985
2 1 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1968
2 2 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1969
2 3 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1970
2 4 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1971
2 5 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1972
2 6 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1973
2 7 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1974
2 8 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1975
2 9 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1976
2 10 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1977
2 11 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1978
2 12 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1979
2 13 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1980
2 14 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1981
2 15 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1982
2 16 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1983
2 17 Security Benefits Fund: Trustees 1984-1986
2 18 General Membership Meetings 1966
2 19 General Membership Meetings 1968
2 20 General Membership Meetings 1969
2 21 General Membership Meetings 1970
2 22 General Membership Meetings 1971
2 23 General Membership Meetings 1972
2 24 General Membership Meetings 1973
2 25 General Membership Meetings 1974
2 26 General Membership Meetings 1975
2 27 General Membership Meetings 1976
2 28 General Membership Meetings 1977
2 29 General Membership Meetings 1978-1979
2 30 General Membership Meetings 1978
2 31 General Membership Meetings 1979
2 32 General Membership Meetings 1980
2 33 General Membership Meetings 1981
2 34 General Membership Meetings 1982
2 35 General Membership Meetings 1983
2 36 General Membership Meetings 1984
2 37 General Membership Meetings 1973
2 38 General Membership Meetings 1982-1983
2 39 General Membership Meetings 1977
2 40 General Membership Meetings 1980-1983
2 41 General Membership Meetings 1974-1984
2 42 General Membership Meetings 1983
2 43 General Membership Meetings 1977-1983
2 44 General Membership Meetings 1976-1977
2 45 General Membership Meetings 1983
2 46 General Membership Meetings 1977
2 47 General Membership Meetings 1975
2 48 General Membership Meetings 1969-1975

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Series II: Correspondence

Box Folder Title Date
3 1 Communication Workers of America (CWA) International 1970-1981
3 2 CWA District 1 1966-1984
3 3 Local President 1961-1963
3 4 Local President 1964
3 5 Local President 1965
3 6 Local President 1966
3 7 Local President 1967
3 8 Local President 1968
3 9 Local President Jan 1969-Jun 1969
3 10 Local President Jul 1969-Dec 1969
3 11 Local President 1970
3 12 Local President 1971-1974
3 13 Local President 1975-1979
3 14 Local President 1980-1986
3 15 Local Vice-President 1979-1983
3 16 Executive Board 1969-1981
3 17 Members 1963-1973
3 18 Members 1974-1981

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Series III: Bargaining Files

Box Folder Title Date
4 1 Bargaining 1965-1968
4 2 Bargaining 1970-1971
4 3 Bargaining 1967 , 1971-1973
4 4 Bargaining 1974-1975
4 5 Bargaining 1976-1977
4 6 Bargaining 1978
4 7 Bargaining 1979
4 8 Bargaining 1980
4 9 Bargaining 1978
4 10 Bargaining 1982-1985
4 11 Bargaining: Judicial Conference 1970-1975
4 12 Bargaining: NYC Unified Court System 1978-1980
4 13 Agreements 1966-1971
4 14 Agreements 1972-1977
4 15 Agreements 1978-1982
4 16 Agreements (Other Public Employee Unions) 1971-1977

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Series IV: General Files

Box Folder Title Date
5 1 Administrative Assistant 1966
5 2 Administrative Assistant: Exams 1969-1974
5 3 Administrative Assistant: Exams 1976
5 4 Administrative Associate: Exams 1968-1969
5 5 Administrative Associate: Exams 1970-1971
5 6 Administrative Associate: Exams 1972-1976
5 7 Administrative Manager 1973-1977 , 1984
5 8 Agency for Child Development 1976-1977
5 9 Agreements (Other Unions) 1971
5 10 AFSCME, DC 37 1964 , 1970-1978
5 11 AFSCME, Local 371 1969
5 12 Arbitration Awards: District 1 Locals 1973-1976
5 13 Arbitration Awards: District 1 Locals Jan 1977-Aug 1977
5 14 Arbitration Awards: District 1 Locals Sep 1977-1978
5 15 Assaults: Income Maintenance Centers 1974-1976
5 16 Bahr, Morton 1974-1975
5 17 Barnes, Carmen 1973-1974
5 18 Benefits: Dental Plan 1968
5 19 Benefits: Legal Plan 1978-1980
5 20 Benefits: Legal Plan 1981
5 21 Benefits: Legal Plan 1982
5 22 Benefits: Pensions 1968
5 23 Benefits: Prescriptions 1972-1973
5 24 Board of Education 1964-1969
5 25 Board of Education 1970-1972
5 26 Board of Education 1973-1977 , 1980
5 27 Board of Education: Bureau of Supplies 1975-1977
6 1 Board of Estimate 1968
6 2 Boulevard Center: Restructuring 1974
6 3 Broadbanding undated
6 4 Budgets 1975-1976 , 1981
6 5 Bureau of Child Welfare 1967-1970
6 6 Bureau of Child Welfare 1972-1976
6 7 Bureau of Medical Assistance 1972-1976
6 8 CETA: Board of Education Organizing undated
6 9 Citizens’ Committee for the Children of New York 1976
6 10 City of Hope 1973
6 11 Civil Defense: Titles 1973
6 12 Civil Service Commission 1970 , 1974
6 13 Classification and Compensation 1967-1979
6 14 Clerical Salaries/Benefits 1981
6 15 Coalition of Black Trade Unionists 1980-1982
6 16 Committee on Civil Service and Labor 1973
6 17 Community Services Committee 1978 , 1980
6 18 Conference: District 1 1968
6 19 Cornell University: Training Programs 1973
6 20 CWA: COPE 1973
6 21 CWA: District 1 1982
6 22 CWA: Local 1181 (merger w/1180) 1972-1973
6 23 CWA: Local 1183 1973
6 24 CWA: National Conventions 1970-1980
6 25 CWA: Structure Review Committee Report 1970
6 26 Department of Buildings 1965
6 27 Department of Consumer Affairs 1971-1972
6 28 Department of Corrections 1976-1977
6 29 Department of Finance 1967-1971
6 30 Department of Health 1967-1972 , 1975-1977
6 31 Department of Health: Performance Evaluation 1977
6 32 Department of Highways 1969-1970
6 33 Department of Hospitals 1965-1969
6 34 Department of Mental Health 1968-1970
6 35 Department of Parks 1963 , 1971 , 1975-1977
6 36 Department of Personnel 1966-1974
6 37 Department of Personnel 1975-1978
6 38 Department of Probation 1976-1977
6 39 Department of Social Services 1967-1969
6 40 Department of Social Services 1970-1971
6 41 Department of Social Services 1972-1975
6 42 Department of Social Services 1972-1978
6 43 Department of Social Services: Advisory Committee 1973
6 44 Department of Social Services: Case Intake and Management 1975
6 45 Department of Social Services: Caseload Redistribution 1974
6 46 Department of Social Services: Directory May 1974
6 47 Department of Social Services: Division of Location and Support 1972-1976
6 48 Department of Social Services: Face-to Face Recertification 1972-1977
6 49 Department of Social Services: Field Auditors undated
7 1 Department of Social Services: Office Managers 1967-1968
7 2 Department of Social Services: Office of Community Services 1973
7 3 Department of Social Services: Salary Inequities 1967-1968
7 4 Department of Social Services: Surplus Food Depots 1968-1970
7 5 Department of Social Services: Theft of Checks 1970 , 1972
7 6 Department of Social Services: Training 1969-1972
7 7 Department of Social Services: Department of Traffic 1968-1970
7 8 Direct Care Services 1973
7 9 Division of Field Audit 1970 , 1973-1974
7 10 Dues 1963-1966 , 1970-1973
7 11 Education 1974 , 1981-1982
7 12 Education Committee 1974 , 1978-1981
7 13 Education Fund 1974 , 1980-1982
7 14 Elections 1968 , 1975-1979
7 15 Elections 1981-1983
7 16 Elections: Stewards 1974-1975
7 17 Emergency Control Board 1961-1975
7 18 Emergency Pay Policy 1976
7 19 Environmental Protection Administration 1968
7 20 Environmental Protection Administration 1967-1977
7 21 Exams 1974
7 22 Executive Board: Miscellaneous 1974-1980
7 23 Family Assistance Act 1970
7 24 Finance Administration 1972-1977
7 25 Finances 1972-1980
7 26 Fire Department 1967 , 1970-1971
7 27 Food Stamp Program 1976-1977
7 28 Grievance Committee 1977 , 1979
7 29 Grievance Representative: Applications 1976
7 30 Health and Hospital Corporation 1970-1972
7 31 Health and Hospital Corporation 1973-1974
7 32 Health and Hospital Corporation 1975-1976
7 33 Health and Hospital Corporation: Personnel Review Board 1973
7 34 Health and Hospital Corporation: Personnel Review Board 1974 , 1977
7 35 Health and Hospital Corporation: Taylor Law Penalty Appeals 1976-1977
7 36 Health and Hospital Corporation: Layoffs/Strike Proposals 1977
7 37 Health Services Administration 1969-1976
7 38 Home Attendant Services 1976-1978
7 39 Housing Authority 1966-1977
7 40 Housing and Development Administration 1969-1975
7 41 Housing and Development Administration 1976-1978
8 1 Human Resources Administration 1964-1972
8 2 Human Resources Administration Jan 1973-Apr 1973
8 3 Human Resources Administration May 1973-Jun 1973
8 4 Human Resources Administration Jul 1973-Dec 1973
8 5 Human Resources Administration 1974-1978
8 6 Human Resources Administration 1975-1981
8 7 Human Resources Administration: Hours and Scheduling 1972 , 1974
8 8 Human Resources Administration: Housing Procedure Meeting 1976
8 9 Human Resources Administration: Income Maintenance Centers: Hours 1974 , 1976-1977
8 10 Human Resources Administration: Security Task Force 1972 , 1977-1978
8 11 Human Resources Administration: WIN Program undated
8 12 Human Resources Administration: Workers’ Attitude Survey 1977
8 13 Hunter College: Income Maintenance Training Project 1976
8 14 Income Maintenance Centers: CPCU 1975
8 15 Income Maintenance Project 1976
8 16 Income Maintenance Training Committee 1976-1977
8 17 Institute of Municipal management 1966
8 18 Insurance: Group Life undated
8 19 Judicial Conference 1966-1974
8 20 Judicial Conference 1975-1979
8 21 Judicial Conference: Bargaining 1974-1979
8 22 Labor Organizations: Titles Represented 1973-1974
8 23 Law Department 1973
8 24 Leave Regulations undated
8 25 Legislative 1967-1968 , 1974-1981
8 26 Legislative Committee 1976-1980 , 1983
8 27 Local Officers (List) 1966
8 28 Long Island Federation of Labor 1977-1981
8 29 Managerial: Confidential 1975
8 30 Medicaid: Training Materials 1974-1980
8 31 Membership Applications 1956-1957
8 32 Membership Committee 1975-1976
8 33 Meeting Notices 1969-1976
9 1 Municipal Labor Committee 1966-1967
9 2 Municipal Labor Committee 1971-1974
9 3 Municipal Labor Committee 1975
9 4 Municipal Labor Committee 1978-1982
9 5 Municipal Labor Committee 1973-1979
9 6 Municipal Service Administration 1973-1976
9 7 Neponsit Home 1967-1974
9 8 New York City Central Labor Council 1968 , 1970-1984
9 9 New York City Council, CWA 1974-1975
9 10 New York State Charter Revision Committee 1975
9 11 New York State Conference of Public Employee Associations Jan 1973-Mar 1973
9 12 New York State Conference of Public Employee Associations Apr 1973-1975
9 13 Occupational Safety and Health 1970-1973
9 14 Office of Collective Bargaining 1966-1968
9 15 Office of Collective Bargaining 1969-1972
9 16 Office of Collective Bargaining 1973
9 17 Office of Collective Bargaining 1974-1976 , 1982
9 18 Office of Collective Bargaining: Board of Certification 1974-1976
9 19 Office of Collective Bargaining: Health Advisory Committee 1971-1972
9 20 Office of Collective Bargaining: Summary of Digest Decisions 1968-1975
9 21 Office of Labor Relations 1964-1969
9 22 Office of Labor Relations 1972-1973
9 23 Office of Labor Relations 1974-1976 , 1981
10 1 Office of the Comptroller 1974
10 2 Office of the Mayor 1964-1978
10 3 Organizing Drives 1963-1969
10 4 Parking Violations Bureau 1973 , 1977
10 5 Pensions 1970-1973
10 6 Police Department 1964-1969
10 7 Police department 1970-1977
10 8 Port Authority: Employee Relations Panel 1976-1982
10 9 Port Authority: General Info 1979-1981
10 10 Port Authority: Job Specifics 1979-1981
10 11 Port Authority: Management Memos 1966-1969 , 1978-1982
10 12 Port Authority: Organizing Campaign 1981-1982
10 13 Port Authority: Organizing Committee 1981-1982
10 14 Port Authority: Personnel Department 1981-1982
10 15 Port Authority: Salaries 1976-1981
10 16 Public Assistance: New Application Process 1974
10 17 Public Employees Contracts: CWA (Survey) 1977
10 18 Public Employees Council, CWA 1971 , 1973
10 19 Public Employees Local Presidents’ Meetings (CWA District 1) 1977-1980
10 20 Publicity: General 1964-1976
10 21 Recognition/Representation 1963-1969
10 22 Retired Members 1968-1974
10 23 Salary Deferments 1975
10 24 Security: I.M.C.’s 1975
10 25 Security Benefits Fund 1967-1973
10 26 Security Benefits Fund 1974-1978
10 27 Security Benefits Fund 1979
10 28 Security Benefits Fund 1980
10 29 Security Benefits Fund Jan 1981-Jun 1981
10 30 Security Benefits Fund Jul 1981-Dec 1981
10 31 Security Benefits Fund Jan 1982-Jun 1982
10 32 Security Benefits Fund Jul 1982-Dec 1982
11 1 Security Benefits Fund 1983
11 2 Security Benefits Fund 1983
11 3 Security Benefits Fund 1983
11 4 Security Benefits Fund 1985
11 5 Security Benefits Fund 1986
11 6 Security Benefits Fund Handbook undated
11 7 Security Benefits Fund State Supreme Court Case 1982
11 8 Segal, Martin E., Company 1974-1975 , 1980
11 9 Shorthand Reporters/Photostat Operators 1974
11 10 Social Services: Legislation 1969-1970 , 1976-1977
11 11 Soundview Center 1974
11 12 Staff, Local 1180 1965-1984
11 13 Stewards 1973
11 14 Stewards: Lists undated
11 15 Stewards’ Training 1967 , 1972-1973
11 16 Summer Hours Dispute 1975
11 17 Taxi and Limousine Commission 1973
11 18 Time Record: A. Cheliotes 1978
11 19 Titles and Codes 1974
11 20 Transfers 1974-1975
11 21 Transit Authority 1966-1975
11 22 Transportation Administration 1971-1977
11 23 Treasurer’s Reports 1982
11 24 Tremont Center 1974
11 25 Tri-Partite Panel 1966-1967
11 26 Tri-Partite Panel (Opposition to) 1974
11 27 Uniformed Firefighters’ Association 1974
11 28 U.S. Department of Labor 1974
11 29 U.S. Department of Labor: Manpower Administration Grants 1974
11 30 Veterans I.M.C. 1975-1977
11 31 Watkins, Ted 1974-1975
11 32 Welfare Chapter 1966
11 33 Welfare Reform 1974-1977
11 34 Wyckoff Center: CRT Machines 1974
11 35 Youth Services Agency 1974 , 1976

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Series V: Grievances and Arbitration Cases

Box Folder Title Date
11 36 Arbitration Award (Board of Education) 1974
11 37 Arbitration Case #1-72-215 1974
11 38 Arbitration Case #1-73-102 1974
11 39 Arbitration Case #A-269-72 1974
11 40 Arbitration Case #A-319-73 1976
11 41 Grievances: Department of Social Services 1968-1972
11 42 Grievances: Department of Social Services 1973-1976
11 43 Grievances: Miscellaneous 1968-1972 , 1974 , 1980
12 Jan-66 Grievances: A to G undated
13 Jan-74 Grievances: H to Z undated

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