The St.Louis Coalition of Labor Union Women us a chapter of the National CLUW which was founded in Chicago in March 1974. Its main purpose is to help union women attain their rights as workers, The National CLUW proposes a program that includes: helping women workers organize; lobbying for progressive legislation; supporting ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; educating women about their health, safety, and rights on the job. Membership is open to members and retirees of the bonafide collective bargaining organizations.
In October 1974 the St.Louis CLUW was founded. Betty Finneran, a teacher at Roosevelt High School, accepted the chapter's charter as its first president. The Group adopted the objectives of the National Coalition and began actively supporting that organization on nationwide issues affecting women workers. However, much of the St.Louis CLUW's efforts have been concentrated in the state and local area. The chapter supported the ratification of ERA in Missouri, the right of collective bargaining for public employees, and the Adult Abuse Remedies Bill in the Missouri General Assembly. Local strikes such as the Quick Shop 1975 Strike, the 1979 St.Louis Teachers' Strike, and the 1980 Bus Drivers' Strike in the St.Louis Special School District received the full support of the group.
CLUW assisted families of air traffic controllers in the area during the 1981 nationwide PATCO strike. St.Louis CLUW opposed the closing of the Homer G. Phillips Hospital and supported the unsuccessful efforts to reopen it. Work by the organization helped defeat the "right to work" law in Missouri.
The St.Louis CLUW has also sponsored seminars, workshops and conferences to teach women about job safety and collective bargaining. In October 1985, the chapter had about 50 members from a broad section of labor unions in the area.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The St.Louis Coalition of Labor Women Records, 1974-1983, document the activities of the
coalition on a local and national level. The collection is divided into two series and arranged
chronologically.
The first series contains the papers of the local chapter of CLUW. The records reflect the group's efforts in helping union women achieve their goals as set forth by the national organization. Correspondence and resolutions of the St.Louis CLUW show opposition to a "right-to-work" law in Missouri and the closing of Homer G. Phillips Hospital. CLUW supported the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, the 1979 St.Louis Teachers' Strike, the 1980 Bus Drivers' Strike of the St.Louis Special School District, the 1975 St. Louis Quick Shop Strike and Local boycotts of J.P. Stevens' product and Red Coach Lettuce.Notable correspondence include: James L. Conway (Mayor of St.Louis 1976-1980), United States Senator Thomas F. Eagleton, United States Senator John C. Danforth, State Senator Harriett Woods, United States Congressman Richard Gephardt, and State Senator Norman Merrell.
Flyers, pamphlets and brochures reflect the activities of St.Louis CLUW in educating union > women through seminars, meetings, and conferences about sexual harassment, abortion, equal pay for equal work, job safety and health, and support for victims of abuse. Also documented are CLUW's assistance to the local families of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers strikers in 1981-1982. Some photographs taken at meetings are included, as well as membership lists and newsclippings.
The second series consists of minutes and correspondence from the National Executive Committee of CLUW, resolutions, CLUW news, and promotional material. These reflect efforts of the national organization in obtaining the rights of working women. Topics include legislation favorable to workers, health and safety, boycotts, strikes, the right to collective bargaining, the Equal Rights Amendment, sexual harassment, and abortions.
Correspondence with local chapters outlines programs and training available for promoting and obtaining the major goals of CLUW. The CLUW News, 1978-1981 informs the membership about the activities of the local chapters as well as national CLUW. Material that deals with some other organizations such as Planned Parenthood, League of Women Voters and the YWCA, have been filed in the appropriate collections. Duplicates have been returned to the donor.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
SERIES 1- ST.LOUIS CLUW RECORDS, 1976-1984, FOLDERS 1-12
Arranged chronologically. Includes, correspondence, constitutions, bylaws, meeting notices
and minutes, press releases, resolutions, membership lists, newsclippings and seven photographs.
SERIES 2 - NATIONAL CLUW RECORD, 1974-1983, FOLDERS 13-25
In chronological order are: minutes,correspondence, resolutions, statements of purpose,
constitution, bylaws from the National Executive Board; copies of CLUW News, promotional
and fundraising materials, and union pamphlets are included.
.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1, FOLDERS 1-12
SERIES 1 - ST.LOUIS CLUW RECORDS, FOLDERS 1-12
1. Correspondence, 1976-1980
2. Correspondence, 1981
3. Correspondence, 1982-1983
4. Constitution, Bylaws, March 10, 1975 - November 22, 1975
5. Meeting Minutes and Notes, 1977-1984
6. Meeting Minutes and Notes, n.d.
7. Notice of Meetings, 1975-1983
8. Press Releases, Resolutions, Statement, 1975-1983
9. Membership Lists, 1982
10. Newsclippings, 1974-1982, Journal, Bread and Roses, 1981
11. Correspondence, Missouri Labor Groups, 1980-1982
12. Photographs, 1981
BOX 2, FOLDERS 12-25
SERIES 2 - NATIONAL CLUW RECORDS, FOLDERS 13-25
13. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, 1977
14. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, July 7, 1980 - August 20, 1980
15. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, October 20, 1980 - December 18, 1980
16. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, 1981
17. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, 1982
18. Correspondence, Minutes of National Executive Board, 1983
19. Correspondence to state and Local Chapters, 1977-1982
20. Correspondence, Re: Conventions, 1980-1983
21. Resolutions, Statements of Purpose, 1974-1981
22. CLUW News, 1978-1982
23. Constitution, Bylaws, 1977-1982
24. Promotional Material - Fundraising, n.d.
25. Union Pamphlets, 1980
INDEX
Abortion, f.1, 3, 7, 16, 22
Air Traffic Controllers, f.2, 3, 5, 11, 22
Abuse, Adult, f.1, 2
Bus Drivers' Strike, St.Louis Special School District, f.7, 8, 10
Boycotts, f.1
Calloway, DeVerne, f.5
Coalition of Labor Union Women, St.Louis, f.1-25
Collective Bargaining, f.1-8, 11, 13-25
CLUW News, f.22
Conway, James, f.1
Domestic Violence, f.1, 2
Eagleton, Thomas F., f.1, 2, 3
Equal Rights Amendment, f.5-11, 13-23
Gephardt, Richard, f.2
Homer G. Phillips Hospital, f.1, 5, 7
Labor Women, f.1-25
Lippman, Winnie, f.7, 11
Malone, Ora Lee, f.1, 9, 10
Merrell, Norman, f.3
Occupational Safety and Health, f.1-8, 11, 14-19
PATCO Strike, 1981 (Professional Air Traffic Controllers), f.2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 22
Quick Shop Strike, 1975, f.8
Right-to Work, f.1, 3
Schlafly, Phyllis, f.14, 16, 22
ST.Louis Teachers' Strike, 1979, f.5
Sexual Harassment, f.2, 5, 7, 14, 16, 21, 22
Special School District, f.7, 8, 10
Strikes, 1-3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 22
Van Uum, Betty, f.2, 3
Wheeler, Doris, f.2
Woman in Labor Unions, f.1-25
Woods, Harriett, f.3
Young, Robert, f.3
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ONE UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143