MC 1197

Inventory to the Records of the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine & Furniture Workers, AFL-CIO (IUE) Local 401, Edison, NJ 1950-2003

By Meghan R. Vacca

April 26, 2004

Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries


Descriptive Summary

Creator: International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine & Furniture Workers
Title: Records of the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine & Furniture Workers, AFL-CIO (IUE) Local 401, Edison, NJ
Dates: 1950-2003
Quantity: 2 cubic feet
Abstract: Rutgers University Special Collections and University Archives became the final repository for the records and other ephemera of the IUE 401 Edison, NJ local chapter in early 2004. Local 401 was established to advocate the rights of Frigidaire Company employees. 401 also conducted business with Home Comfort Products, Edison Products Co., and White-Westinghouse. The following series have been created to group the documents: Administration, Contracts & Negotiations, Correspondence, Election, Health & Safety, and Newsletters. Included in the collection are materials from the national IUE, AFL-CIO and CWA, District Three IUE, Local 401 and 491 IUE, White Westinghouse, Frigidaire Company, Home Comfort Products and Edison Products Co. Company booklets, policies, meeting minutes and membership sign in books which relate to Local 401 are included as well.
Collection No.: MC 1197
Language: English
Repository: Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives

Administrative History of IUE Local 401

Rutgers University Special Collections and University Archives became the final repository for the records and other ephemera of the IUE 401 Local chapter in early 2004. The Edison, NJ chapter closed in 2003 when the Frigidaire Factory in Edison closed that same year. Local 401 was established to advocate the rights of Frigidaire Company employees. 401 also conducted business with Home Comfort Products, Edison Products Co., and White-Westinghouse. When the plant closed there was no need for Local 401.

Due to the lack of arrangement, missing documents and often mis-filing/labeling of documents it is difficult to put together a history of Local 401. The documents received present sporadic and disjointed snapshots of 401.

An exact date for the origin of Local 401 is unknown. The earliest document in the collection is a supplement between Local 401 Westinghouse Electric Corporation and IUE from 1950. The documents from the 1990's present the clearest picture of the local's functions as the most diverse and comprehensive information comes from this period. 401 was particularly involved with negotiations and meetings with, what they term, "the Company." The early 1990s saw the threat of a strike by Local 401. Thus much information regarding contracts and negotiations survive from this period.

A total of four presidents have been identified with rough dates of their term, Raymond Walling (1990-1995), Thomas Ruggiero (1995-1998, 1999-2001), Peter Wickersty (1998-1999), and Syed Shah (2003).

401 was active nationally as well. In 2002 401 attended the CWA National Convention, the 1992 25th IUE Constitutional Convention, and a 1998 IUE Leadership Conference.

Return to the Top


Scope and Content Note

The documents included in the collection range in date from 1950 to 2003 when the Frigidaire factory and Local 401 closed. The majority of documents, however, come from the 1990's and 2000-2001. One or two items are found from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. There is slightly more information from the 1980s. Judging from the order of documents received from Local 401 there was no systematic filing system kept. However, due to the abundance of information from the 1990s and relatively little information from the preceding period either a purge was done to the records prior to 1990, few items were kept and received and/or few documents were generated. It is important to note the dates on the folders encompass the documents inside but do also include gaps in documents.

The following series have been created to group the documents: Administration, Contracts & Negotiations, Correspondence, Election, Health & Safety, and Newsletters. Included in the collection are materials from the national IUE, AFL-CIO and CWA, District Three IUE, Local 401 and 491 IUE, White Westinghouse, Frigidaire Company, Home Comfort Products and Edison Products Co. Company booklets and policies which relate to Local 401 are included as well. The local IUE constitutions are also included. The majority of the collection relates to the functioning of Local 401 and the Frigidaire Company. Local 401 Executive Board meeting minutes as well as meeting minutes with Frigidaire management can be found in the collection and well as membership sign in books.

Return to the Top


Arrangement Note

The records of IUE Local 401 are arranged in the following series:

I. Administrative
II. Contracts & Negotiations
III. Correspondence
IV. Elections
V. Health & Safety
VI. Newsletters

Return to the Top


Separated Material

Three cubic feet of material are being kept for a period of 5 years to satisfy legal requirements and should be discarded after April 2009. Materials in temporary retention include un-issued member cards, special voting cards, reports on per capita dues, contact cards and receipts and vouchers.

Return to the Top


Restrictions

Restrictions Note

The entirety of this collection is open to research; however, personal information reflected in the documents may not be published with out the permission of those who are referenced.

Return to the Top


Name and Subject Tracings

Personal Names

Csizmadia, Zsuzanna
Fire, Edward
International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine & Furniture Workers, AFL-CIO
Labor disputes -- New Jersey --Edison
Labor union -- Elections
Labor union locals -- New Jersey -- Edison
Labor union meetings -- New Jersey -- Edison
Labor union members -- New Jersey -- Edison
Labor union -- Officials and employees
Labor unions
Martinez,Carmelo
Ruggiero, Thomas
Shah, Syed
Strikes and lockouts
Walling, Raymond
Wickersty, Peter

Return to the Top


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

When citing material from this collection please reference: Guide to the Record of the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers, AFL-CIO (IUE) Subgroup: Local 401, Edison, NJ ca. 1950-2003 (MC 1197), Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Processing Note

Ten cubic feet were received from Local 401. Five cubic feet were discarded for a lack of relevance or as duplicates, three cubic feet have been retained unprocessed, for scheduled temporary term-retention, and two cubic feet have been retained for the permanent collection.

The records arrived at Rutgers University in disarray and no inherent order could be determined. After a cursory examination, series groupings were created. Folders were reorganized and grouped into these series. In some cases documents were already grouped in folders, they then were re-foldered in acid free folders and the title on the original folder was used. Occasionally, the titles on the folders did not reflect the folders' contents. Apparently file folders were re-used but not always re-labeled. Undated items are included at the end of folders. The folders are arranged alphabetically according to series followed by subject followed by date. Undated folders are included in the alphabetical listing.

A selective sampling method was used to preserve examples of routine material such as election announcements, publicity/propaganda, employee relieve letters, and incident reports. These items did not seem to provide information about Local 401 but are important to identify as being significant to the life of Local 401. Duplicates, which made up a significant portion of the records, were eliminated as was routine material not having any specific value. These included leadership binders not related to the IUE, Frigidaire, Home Comfort Products, or Edison Products Co.; receipts and vouchers prior to 1998: miscellaneous office paperwork and mail regarding ordering union jackets, bibles, bible stands, etc.

Staples were not removed from attached items as the documents are relatively recent in creation and were most likely attached with stainless steal staples. Paperclips, however, were removed and the attached items were then micro-foldered in acid free paper. Dates and/or headings are included on the micro-folders to identify the contents.

Return to the Top


Annotated Bibliography

Bernhardt, Debra. How to Keep Union Records: A Guide for Local Union Officers and Staff. Labor's Heritage Press (Silver Spring, MD), 1993. This guide was useful for determining series, items to be kept, items to be discarded, records retention and dates governing temporary retention. Examples of records retention in other repositories are also included in the guide.

Return to the Top


Detailed Description of the Records/Container List

I. Administrative, 1963-2003
Files related to the general functioning of Local 401. The majority of the documents in this series relate to meetings, conferences, and national IUE issues.
Box Folder
1 1 CWA National Convention 2002
2 District #3 IUE Constitution ca. 1963
3 Ed Fire (International President) 1997
4 25th IUE Constitutional Convention Amendments Nov. 1992
5 IUE AFL-CIO News, Memoranda and President's Report 1994
6 IUE Leadership Conference 1998
7 Job Destruction Penalty Act 1996
8 Labor Employment Action Project (1 of 2) 2003
9 Labor Employment Action Project (2 of 2) 2003
10 Local 401 Arbitration Hearing Apr.-July 2000
11 Local 401 Committees 1998-1999
12 Local 401 Constitutions n.d.
13 Local 401 Cora Epps vs. Franco Cortes 1996-1997
14 Local 401 Executive Board Minutes 1993-1994
15 Local 401 Executive Board Minutes (1 of 2) 1994-1995
16 Local 401 Executive Board Minutes (2 of 2) 1996-1998
17 Local 401 Executive Board 1997
18 Local 401 Executive Board Sign in Register 1984-1990
19 Local 401 Executive Board Sign in Register 2000-2002
20 Local 401 Financial Procurement Committee 1993-1999
21 Local 401 Financial Reports 1992-1999
22 Local 401 Grievance Forms 1997-2001
23 Local 401 IUE Membership Sign in Book 1976-1997
24 Local 401 Meeting Materials (Dec.) 1992
25 Local 401 Meeting Materials (Jan. 6) 1993
26 Local 401 Meeting Materials (Jan.) 1994
27 Local 401 Meeting Materials (Nov. 2) 1994
28 Local 401 Meeting with the "Company" 1996-1997
29 Local 401 Meeting with the "Company" 2000
30 Local 401 Meeting with the "Company" 2001
31 Local 401 Meeting with Ruth Slater and Irma Lopez 1996
32 Local 401 Member Lists 2003
33 Local 401 New Employees 1997-1998
34 Local 401 Recreation Materials 1973-1993
35 Local 401 Relieve Letters 1996-2003
36 Local 401 Retirements 1991-1998
37 Local 401 Staff Lists 1995-1996
38 Local 401 Summer School 1997-2003
39 Local 401 Zsuzsanna Csizmadia vs. Thomas Ruggiero 1996
40 Local 491 Grievance against Edison Products Co. 1963-1981
41 Per Capita- Fund-Transfers-Dues Restructuring 1992
42 Westinghouse Booklets n.d.
II. Contracts and Negotiations, 1950-2001
Files include local and national IUE agreements, contracts and negotiating material. Westinghouse, Frigidaire and Edison Products Company contractual negotiations and agreements are also represented.
Box Folder
1 44 Agreements between Edison Products Company and IUE 1983-2001
45 Agreements between Frigidaire Company, Home Comfort Products, and IUE Local 401 1988-2001
46 Agreement between IUE and WCI 1980
47 Agreement between White-Westinghouse and IUE Locals 401, 491, 680, 711, 744, and 746 1983 1986
Box Folder
2 1 Home Comfort Products and Local 401 1989-1994
2 Home Comfort Products and Local 401 1995-1996
3 Local 401 Language Changes and Contract Proposals 1998
4 Local 401 Negotiation Materials 1992-1995
5 Local 401 Strike Paper Negotiation 1992-1995
6 Local Supplements between Local 401 to Agreement between Westinghouse Electric Corporation and IUE 1950-1956
7 Union 1998 Local Contract 1998
III. Correspondence, 1976-2003
Files include correspondence to and from Presidents, letters to IUE locals from IUE national, letters issued from presidents to the Executive Board and members.
Box Folder
2 8 To IUE Locals from IUE National 1987-2001
9 To Local 401 Executive Board 1990-1997
10 To Local 401 Members 1976-1999
11 President Raymond Walling 1990-1995 1986
12 President Peter Wickersty 1998-1999
13 President Thomas Ruggiero 1995-2001
14 President Syed Shah 2003
15 Miscellaneous 1995-2001
IV. Elections, 1991-2003
Files include election results and campaign propaganda for Local 401.
Box Folder
2 16 Local 401 Election Propaganda 1996-1998
17 Local 401 Election Propaganda and Results 2001-2001
18 Local 401 March Election Results 1998
19 Local 401 March Election Protest 2001 1986
20 Local 401 Re-Run Election 2002
21 Local 401 Results 1992-2003
22 Local 401 Shop Steward Election Materials (1 of 2) 1991-1995
23 Local 401 Shop Steward Election Materials (2 of 2) 1996-2003
24 Local 401 Trustee Election Materials 1992-2002
V. Health and Safety, 1983-2003
Files include materials relating to insurance, company safety programs and committees, community service and incident reports.
Box Folder
2 25 Carmelo Martinez Interview 1995
26 Local 401 Donation to the Needy 1992-1999
27 Edison Products Company Insurance (1 of 2) n.d.
28 Edison Products Company Insurance (2 of 2) n.d.
29 Electrolux 2000-2003
30 Family Leave of Absence Act (FLOA) April 1990
31 Forklift Operation and Powered Trucks Aug. 1997
32 Incident/Injury Reports 1983-2001
33 Insurance Benefits 1991-2000
34 Motor Vehicle Task Force Jan. 1995
35 New Jersey Department of Labor 2003
36 Procedures and Committees 1989-1996
37 Rights and Duties of Unions under the Americans with Disabilities Act 1992
38 Safety Eyewear-Glasses 2001
39 Vision 2000 Training and Related Materials 1986-1994
VI. Newsletters, 1993-2003
Files include national newsletters and memoranda, as well as local and District Three newsletters. Newsletters received from other organizations are also included.
Box Folder
2 40 Current Events IUE-CWA 2001-2003
41 District 3 (1 of 3) 1993-1995
42 District 3 (2 of 3) 1996
43 District 3 (3 of 3) 1997-2001
44 Other 1998-2003
45 Voice of 401 1985-1992