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Albert Afterman collection on Local 10 Elections

Call Number

WAG.007

Date

1929-1974, inclusive

Creator

Afterman, Albert
American Institute for Marxist Studies (Role: Donor)

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

Albert Afterman was a longtime rank-and-file activist in the Amalgamated Ladies' Garment Cutters' Union, Local 10 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. He first ran as a convention delegate in 1944, and thereafter ran for various union offices, including manager in 1953 and local president in 1959 and 1974. Local 10 has a reputation for being a strategic local in the affairs of the international union. It has provided three international presidents, David Dubinsky (1932-1966), Mortimer Julian (1907-1908), Louis Stulberg (1966-1975). The local has also witnessed many conflicts between administration groups and rank-and-file groups. The collection consists primarily of material related to elections for officers in Local 10, including campaign flyers and other literature published by various factions within the local. Also included are notes for speeches and articles by Albert Afterman, correspondence and newspaper clippings.

Historical/Biographical Note

Albert Afterman was a longtime rank-and-file activist in the Amalgamated Ladies' Garment Cutters' Union, Local 10 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. He first ran as a convention delegate in 1944, and thereafter ran for various union offices, including manager in 1953 and local president in 1959 and 1974. Local 10 has a reputation for being a strategic local in the affairs of the international union. It has provided three international presidents, David Dubinsky (1932-1966), Mortimer Julian (1907-1908), Louis Stulberg (1966-1975). The local has also witnessed many conflicts between administration groups and rank-and-file groups.

In the 1920s the ILGWU was wracked by bitter conflict between the Communists and the "right" (mainly supporters of the Socialist Party). While the Communists and their supporters succeeded in gaining control of a number of locals and the New York Joint Board, they never commanded the same degree of support in Local 10. The high point of Communist support came in 1924 when they succeeded in winning a vote against a dues increase in the local. However, Dubinsky, then manager of the local, managed to have that vote reversed shortly afterward.

In 1929-1930, the Communists attempted to form a Needle Trades Industrial Union affiliated with the Trade Union Unity League (1929-1935). They met with little success and evidently returned to the ILGWU by 1934.

By the late 1930s, the Communist supported Rank and File slate could still count on the support of 25-30% of Local 10 members. However, control remained firmly in the hands of the administration group. The 1939 elections provided what proved to be the last seriously contested election for quite some time, when the ILGWU leadership ousted former ally Samuel Pearlmutter from the managership after a series of allegations of corruption in the local. The winning candidate, Isadore Nagler, though known as a staunch anti-Communist, was supported by the Rank and File group (they also supported Stulberg for assistant manager, but fielded their own slate for other offices).

Thereafter, Rank and File support steadily declined. In 1944 several Rank and File candidates were ruled off the ballot by the administration and several Rank and File leaders were subsequently suspended from the union. The results of the election, and the suspensions, were unsuccessfully challenged by the oppositionists. By the mid-1950s support for the Rank and File slate dipped below 10% in the local elections. During that period the opposition caucus concentrated its fire against undemocratic practices in the union, and aside from basic economic issues, consistently called for the use of voting machines, outside supervision of elections, and mailing rights for opposition slates.

In the 1960s, changes were beginning to take place in the local membership which would eventually change the complexion of local politics. In 1961, the cutters' local was accused of discriminating against black applicants. During this period, however, blacks, and especially Latinos, became an important part of Local 10 membership.

In the 1968 elections a new force entered the contest for control of the union. The Independent Cutters, made up of younger members, made many of the same demands for union democracy as the Rank and File slate, but also concentrated on the deteriorating status of cutters compared to other trades. Some of the Independent Cutters' candidates were denied places on the ballot, and those who did run were denied slate status. They later appealed unsuccessfully to the International and to the Department of Labor.

In 1971 and 1974 the younger Independent Cutters and the older Rank and File forces ran a joint slate; in 1971 receiving over 35% of the vote.

Albert Afterman was a longtime rank-and-file activist in the Amalgamated Ladies' Garment Cutters' Union, Local 10 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. He first ran as a convention delegate in 1944, and thereafter ran for various union offices, including manager in 1953 and local president in 1959 and 1974. Local 10 has a reputation for being a strategic local in the affairs of the international union. It has provided three international presidents, David Dubinsky (1932-1966), Mortimer Julian (1907-1908), Louis Stulberg (1966-1975). The local has also witnessed many conflicts between administration groups and rank-and-file groups.

In the 1920s the ILGWU was wracked by bitter conflict between the Communists and the "right" (mainly supporters of the Socialist Party). While the Communists and their supporters succeeded in gaining control of a number of locals and the New York Joint Board, they never commanded the same degree of support in Local 10. The high point of Communist support came in 1924 when they succeeded in winning a vote against a dues increase in the local. However, Dubinsky, then manager of the local, managed to have that vote reversed shortly afterward.

In 1929-1930, the Communists attempted to form a Needle Trades Industrial Union affiliated with the Trade Union Unity League (1929-1935). They met with little success and evidently returned to the ILGWU by 1934.

By the late 1930s, the Communist supported Rank and File slate could still count on the support of 25-30% of Local 10 members. However, control remained firmly in the hands of the administration group. The 1939 elections provided what proved to be the last seriously contested election for quite some time, when the ILGWU leadership ousted former ally Samuel Pearlmutter from the managership after a series of allegations of corruption in the local. The winning candidate, Isadore Nagler, though known as a staunch anti-Communist, was supported by the Rank and File group (they also supported Stulberg for assistant manager, but fielded their own slate for other offices).

Thereafter, Rank and File support steadily declined. In 1944 several Rank and File candidates were ruled off the ballot by the administration and several Rank and File leaders were subsequently suspended from the union. The results of the election, and the suspensions, were unsuccessfully challenged by the oppositionists. By the mid-1950s support for the Rank and File slate dipped below 10% in the local elections. During that period the opposition caucus concentrated its fire against undemocratic practices in the union, and aside from basic economic issues, consistently called for the use of voting machines, outside supervision of elections, and mailing rights for opposition slates.

In the 1960s, changes were beginning to take place in the local membership which would eventually change the complexion of local politics. In 1961, the cutters' local was accused of discriminating against black applicants. During this period, however, blacks, and especially Latinos, became an important part of Local 10 membership.

In the 1968 elections a new force entered the contest for control of the union. The Independent Cutters, made up of younger members, made many of the same demands for union democracy as the Rank and File slate, but also concentrated on the deteriorating status of cutters compared to other trades. Some of the Independent Cutters' candidates were denied places on the ballot, and those who did run were denied slate status. They later appealed unsuccessfully to the International and to the Department of Labor.

In 1971 and 1974 the younger Independent Cutters and the older Rank and File forces ran a joint slate; in 1971 receiving over 35% of the vote.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically.

The files are grouped into 1 series:

Missing Title

  1. I, General Files, 1929-1974

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists primarily of material related to elections for officers in Local 10, including campaign flyers and other literature published by various factions within the local. Also included are notes for speeches and articles by Albert Afterman, correspondence and newspaper clippings.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date; Albert Afterman collection on Local 10 Elections; WAG 007; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by the American Institute for Marxist Studies in 1982. The accession number associated with this gift is 1982.010.

Related Material at the Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, Local 64 Records (WAG 242)

Collection processed by

Daniel Soyer, 1983 and Daniel Michelson, 2010.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:44:09 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is in English

Edition of this Guide

Afterman, Albert WAG 7.doc

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012