Rockford UAW-CIO (United Auto Worker- Congress of Industrial Organizations) Advocator, Volume 3 - 10, (1948-1955)

The Rockford United Labor AFL-CIO records are arranged in four series: administrative records, committee records, subject files, and publications and printed materials.  The collection traces the history of the organization from its founding in 1957.  Records dating from 1977 to the present remain with the organization, but will be transferred to the Center when they become inactive. The first series contains by-laws, minutes, correspondence, membership information, and financial records.  Although minutes from the first two meetings (July-August 1957) are missing, there are no other gaps.  The minutes contain committee reports, financial reports, and membership and election records.  Additional financial information is available in the auditor’s reports (1963-1969), the treasurer’s cash book (1957-1958), and the dues book (1957-1958).  Materials from Central Labor Union Conferences complete the series with information on topics such as labor and politics, inflation, and union strikes. Series two contains records of five committees: community services, credentials, education and farm labor, union label, and the Committee on Political Education (COPE).  The COPE records comprise the largest subseries consisting of correspondence, legislation reports, voter registration information, and pamphlets and newsletters.  The third series of subject files covers topics ranging from energy to labor laws to workmen’s compensation and occupational safety.  Series four comprises additional pamphlets, handbooks and manuals, news releases and photographs.  Also included in this series are incomplete runs of several Rockford labor newspapers, such as the Rockford Labor News, Rockford Trade Unions, and the Advocator, some national union publications are also in this series.  Photocopies have been made of these documents and are available for reproduction. The original newspapers are restricted and not open to the public. This collection primarily documents legislation affecting labor unions and the organization’s contributions to the community of Rockford.