UAW President's Office: Walter P. Reuther Records
Collection
Identifier: LR000261
Scope and Contents
The papers of Walter Reuther reflect his career with the UAW from its beginning, although the documentation for the pre‑presidential period is less complete. In addition to UAW material, there are extensive files relating to his work as an officer of the CIO, the AFL‑CIO and the ALA. In addition, there is considerable material relating to international labor organizations, international affairs, other labor unions, organizations of various kinds and his work in the area of public affairs.
Important subjects covered in this collection are: Alliance for Labor Action American Motors AFL AFL‑CIO Atomic energy Automation Chrysler Corporation Civil rights Communism CIO Defense Detroit urban affairs Education Environmental conservation Equal employment opportunity Ford Motor Company General Motors Corporation Guaranteed annual wage Health plans Housing International affairs International Confederation of Free Trade Unions International Metalworkers' Federation Jurisdictional disputes Korean War production New Detroit Organizing workers Peace Pensions Racial integration Skilled trades Strikes Supplemental unemployment benefits Technological change Tractors for Freedom Unemployment UAW factionalism United Nations Wage stabilization Women workers World War II production
Among the important correspondents are: Addes, George F. Bannon, Ken Bevan, Aneurin Bluestone, Irving Bowles, Chester Burt, George Carey, James B. Cavanagh, Jerome P. Cisler, Walker L. Conway, Jack Cushman, Edward L. Dodds, William Douglas, Paul H. Edwards, George, Jr. Erlander, Tage Flemming, Arthur S. Fraser, Douglas Gerber, Martin Gettlinger, Larry Goldberg, Arthur J. Golden, Clinton S. Goodman, Leo Graedl, Adolphe Greathouse, Pat Haywood, Allan S. Higgins, Msgr. George G. Humphrey, Hubert E. Johnson, Lyndon B. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Robert Mazey, Emil McClellan, John L Meany, George Montgomery, Donald E. Morris, Ken Randolph, A. Philip Rauh, Joseph L., Jr. Reuther, Victor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, James Schnitzler, William F. Scholle, August Schrade, Paul Sinclair, Upton Stevenson, Adlai E Stonorov, Oskar Strachan, D. Alan Thomas, Norman Thomas, R. J. Truman, Harry S. Weinberg, Nat Wilkins, Roy Winn, Frank Wirtz, W. Willard Woodcock, Leonard Zwerdling, A. L. Series Description: Series I, UAW Local 174, 1936‑1939, Box 1: Correspondence, minutes, notes and other materials relating to Reuther's presidency of Local 174. Files are fragmentary. Some relate to organizing, the Kelsey-Hayes sit-down and other strikes and to factionalism.
Series II, UAW International Headquarters Files, 1936‑1946, Boxes 2‑33: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to Reuther's activities in various offices of the UAW prior to his election to the presidency of the union.
Subseries A: General Files, 1936‑1946, Boxes 2‑17: Files relating to Reuther's work as an officer of the UAW prior to his assumption of the presidency. During this period he was a member of the International Executive Board, a vice president, headed the Skilled Trades Department and the War Manpower and Consumer's Department and was director of Region 1A. Files relate to conventions, war production, factionalism, and to specific locals and regions.
Subseries B: General Motors Department, 1936‑1946, Boxes 17‑28: Material relating to the General Motors Department which was established in 1938 and which Reuther headed from 1939 through 1948. Files document relations between the UAW and GM including negotiations, GM locals, war production, and the 1945‑46 strike.
Subseries C: Government War Production Agencies, 1941‑1945, Boxes 29‑33: Material reflecting Reuther's work as a representative of labor with the Office of Production Management and the War Manpower Commission during World War II and with other government agencies engaged in war production administration. Files relate to efforts to achieve maximum production and to secure a voice for labor in war production planning.
Series III, UAW President's Office and International Headquarters Files, 1946‑1970, Boxes 34‑173: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and other material documenting the work of the President's Office during the administration of Walter Reuther. Files relate to an extensive range of subjects and include records from UAW conventions and the International Executive Board.
Series IV, UAW President's Office ‑ General Correspondence, 1942‑1970, Boxes 173‑203: Correspondence with UAW members, the general public, officials of other organizations and the government, prominent persons and personal acquaintances. It is mainly concerned with union matters, requests for help, requests for Reuther to serve on committees or for the UAW to lend support to institutions and causes.
Series V, UAW Regions, 1946‑1970, Boxes 204‑223: Memoranda and correspondence between the President's Office and the UAW's regional offices and between the regional offices and local unions. Included are reports, notes, clippings and other related materials. Files have reference to constitutional questions, negotiations issues, jurisdictional disputes, organizing and strikes.
Series VI, UAW Local Unions, 1946‑1970, Boxes 224‑273: President's office files concerning UAW local unions.
Subseries A: Revoked Bylaws, 1946‑1970, Boxes 224‑228: Files of the revoked bylaws of UAW local unions.
Subseries B: Local Union Correspondence, 1946‑1970, Boxes 229‑273: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, investigations, contract agreements, legal papers and other items. This subseries reflects the interaction between local union leadership and the president and his staff. However, it also contains correspondence with regional headquarters and with individual members. Among the subjects covered are administratorships, appeals cases, clarifications of UAW policy and procedures, elections, strikes and problems of individual members.
Series VII, UAW Public Review Board, 1957‑1970, Boxes 274‑285: Files of the Public Review Board which was created at the 16th Constitutional Convention of the UAW in April of 1957 with the stated purpose of insuring continued "high moral and ethical standards" in the administration of the union by further strengthening "the democratic processes and appeal procedures" as they affected individual members and subordinate bodies. The Board, composed of persons eminent in the fields of education, religion and the law, provided an impartial panel to which grievances could be appealed after the union's established procedures had been exhausted.
Subseries A: General Files, 1957‑1970, Boxes 274‑275: Correspondence, reports and clippings relating to the establishment of the Board, financial aspects of its operation and to its members.
Subseries B: Decisions, 1957‑1966, Box 276: Summaries of decisions reached by the Board.
Subseries C: Case Files, 1957‑1969, Boxes 277‑285: Files relating to cases #46 through #199, containing correspondence, grievance records, reports of investigations, testimony, clippings and a variety of material offered in evidence. In most instances these files document contacts between the appellants and the President's Office, action taken by the International Executive Board and final disposition by the Public Review Board. Because of the sensitive nature of some of these files, researchers wishing to examine them are required to first sign an Archives Restriction of Use Statement, which precludes the use of names and other personal information which could lead to the identification of individuals. These case files may not be photocopied.
Series VIII, CIO President, 1952‑1955, Boxes 286‑300, 1 Scrapbook: Reuther's Detroit office files relating to his three‑year presidency of the CIO.
Subseries A: Administrative and General Files, 1952‑1955, Boxes 286‑291, 1 Scrapbook: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other items relating to administration of the CIO.
Subseries B: CIO Unions, 1952‑1955, Boxes 291‑293: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material reflecting communication between the CIO and its affiliated unions. Files relate to organizing, jurisdictional problems and other matters.
Subseries C: International Affairs, 1952‑1955, Boxes 293‑294: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material documenting the CIO's relationships with foreign unions and international labor organizations. Files relate to fostering international organization within the labor movement and eliminating Communist influence.
Subseries D: Correspondence, 1952‑1955, Boxes 295‑298: Correspondence with other organizations, prominent individuals, goverment officials, and the general public.
Subseries E: AFL-CIO Merger, 1953‑1955, Boxes 298‑300: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other material relating to the lengthy negotiations and arrangements which preceded the merger of the CIO with the AFL. Files also relate to no‑raiding.agreements, jurisdictional problems and opposition within the CIO to the merger.
Series IX, AFL‑CIO Vice President, 1954‑1968, Boxes 301‑321: Files reflecting Reuther's work as vice president of the AFL‑CIO from 1955 until the disaffiliation of the UAW in 1968. This series is divided into the following subseries:
Subseries A: George Meany, President, 1955‑1968, Boxes 301‑303: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials reflecting Meany's administration of the AFL‑CIO. Much of the documentation relates to developing policy differences with Reuther leading to UAW disaffiliation. Subseries B: William F. Schnitzler, Secretary‑Treasurer, 1955‑1968, Boxes 303‑304: Correspondence, reports and other material chiefly related to the administration of financial affairs.
Subseries C: Executive Council and General Board, 1955‑1968, Boxes 304‑309: Agendas, resolutions, reports and other items documenting the actions of the Executive Council and the General Board.
Subseries D: Regions, Councils and Local Unions, 1954‑1968, Boxes 309‑311: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to Reuther's routine administrative contact with these entities and also to merger arrangements on the regional level.
Subseries E: General Files, 1954‑1968, Boxes 312‑321: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, notes, pamphlets and other items relating to the operation of the AFL‑CIO. These files reflect the interaction of Reuther and his staff with AFL‑CIO departments, his work on committees and his records from conferences and conventions or they are related to specific topics.
Series X, IUD President, 1955‑1968, Boxes 321‑338: Files relating to Reuther's work as President of the Industrial Union Department of the AFL‑CIO, which incorporated industrial unions formerly in the CIO and the industrial membership of many unions previously affiliated with the AFL.
Subseries A: Executive Board and Executive Committee, 1956‑1968, Boxes 321‑324: Transcripts of IUD Executive Board meetings plus agendas and some correspondence, notes and press releases. There is also correspondence and other material related to Executive Committee meetings.
Subseries B: Staff Members, 1955‑1968, Boxes 325‑329: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, reference materials, notes and other items relating to the work of various executive officers of the IUD. There is information on IUD finances, jurisdictional problems, atomic energy, common site picketing and administrative matters.
Subseries C: General Files, 1955‑1968, Boxes 329‑338: Correspondence, memoranda, convention materials, reports and other items relating to the operation of the IUD. There is information on building trades unions, common site picketing, the resolution of disputes arising between unions affiliated with the IUD and those affiliated with the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL‑CIO, jurisdictional problems, organizing and other matters.
Series XI, Alliance for Labor Action, 1968‑1970, Boxes 338‑341: Correspondence, notes, resolutions, press releases, publications and clippings relating to the ALA, which was formed by the UAW with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in May of 1969. The ALA was dissolved in January of 1972. Files relate to the founding of the ALA and to plans for community action, improved housing, organizing unorganized workers, tax reform and to no‑raiding agreements with AFL‑CIO unions.
Series XII, Labor Organizations, 1946‑1970, Boxes 341‑365: This series contains material relating to labor unions and organizations in the United States and Canada.
Subseries A: Labor Organizations (except IAM), 1947‑1970, Boxes 341‑356: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, publications, and other items relating to labor unions and labor associations with which Reuther dealt in an official capacity for the UAW, the CIO, the AFL‑CIO and the ALA. Files relate to organizing, negotiations, strikes, jurisdictional problems and factionalism.
Subseries B: International Association of Machinists, 1946‑1970, Boxes 356-365: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, agreements and other items relating chiefly to jurisdictional disputes between the UAW and the IAM.
Series XIII, Government and Politics, 1943‑1970, Boxes 366‑437: Files relating to Reuther's activities in the areas of government and politics, principally as President of the UAW, but also as an official of the CIO and the IUD.
Subseries A: Supreme Court, 1945‑1970, Box 366: Correspondence between Reuther and justices of the Supreme Court and material relating to Court appointments.
Subseries B: Executive Branch, 1946‑1970, Boxes 366‑408 1. Administrations, 1946‑70, Boxes 366‑370: Correspondence, memoranda and other materials pertaining to administrations of Presidents Truman through Nixon and Reuther's relationships with the presidents, vice presidents and their families. Files relate to policy matters, social occasions and presidential memorials. 2. Departments and Agencies, 1946‑70, Boxes 370‑382: Correspondence, memoranda, statements and other items relating to Reuther's work with various departments and agencies of the federal government. Files relate to government policies and regulations as they applied to the UAW; political, social and economic issues, government programs and foreign affairs. 3. Committees and Conferences, 1950‑69, Boxes 382‑408: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material relating to Reuther's participation, or that of his aides, in a large number of governmental committees, commissions, task forces, councils and White House conferences. Files cover a wide range of subjects including equal employment opportunity, labor‑management policy, auto safety and technological change.
Subseries C: Congress, 1943‑1970, Boxes 408‑425: 1. Senate Correspondence, 1949‑70, Boxes 408‑411: Correspondence regarding legislation, hearings, issues, etc.
2. House of Representatives Correspondence, 1947‑70, Boxes 411‑412: Correspondence regarding legislation, hearings, issues, Etc. 3. Congressional Committees and Legislation, 1943‑70, Boxes 412‑425: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and testimony by Reuther and officers of the UAW and other unions, together with related materials. A great number of topics relating to labor, social policy and foreign policy in which Reuther and the UAW took an active interest are represented.
Subseries D: State and Local Government and Politics, 1946‑1970, Boxes 425‑430: Correspondence, memoranda and other materials relating to Reuther's interest in legislation, programs and politics on the state and local level.
Subseries E: Political Campaigns, 1946‑1970, Boxes 430‑437: Correspondence, memoranda and other items relating to Reuther's participation in political campaigns, chiefly on the national level. The 1968 Democratic Convention is extensively documented.
Series XIV, International Affairs, 1941‑1970, Boxes 438‑467: Files relating to Reuther's interest in fostering democratic international labor organizations and his contact with labor unions in other countries. This series also contains material relating to his work for peace and the solution of worldwide social and economic problems and material documenting his strong interest in supporting the United Nations. Files relate to the CIO and the AFL‑CIO as well as the UAW.
Subseries A: International Labor Organizations, 1945‑1969, Boxes 438‑448: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other items relating to UAW participation in international labor organizations and labor conferences. Some material relates to CIO and AFL‑CIO international labor policies. The role of the UAW in combating Communist influence in international labor organizations is well documented as is their active membership in the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the International Metalworkers' Federation.
Subseries B: Foreign Countries, 1941‑1970, Boxes 448‑462: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, itineraries and other items relating to other countries and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Some material relates to the period before Reuther's election to the presidency of the UAW or to his official positions in the CIO and the AFL‑CIO. Most of the material deals with labor concerns, but there is also considerable information on foreign policy concerns.
Subseries C: International Conferences, 1962‑1966, Box 463: Correspondence, agendas, position papers and other material having to do with Reuther's participation in Harpsund and Bilderberg Conferences dealing with broad international economic, political and labor problems.
Subseries D: United Nations, 1947‑1970, Boxes 463‑467: Correspondence, reports and publications regarding the United Nations and groups formed to further its programs. The UAW participated in many of these groups as an active supporter.
Series XV, Organizations, 1946‑1970, Boxes 467‑539: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and printed material relating to organizations with which Reuther had contact as UAW President or as an official of the CIO, the AFL‑CIO or the ALA. These groups are extremely diverse in nature. They include organizations devoted to health care, political and social reform, peace, civil rights, community relations and consumer protection. There are also groups of a charitable, religious, social, political, cultural, educational or testimonial nature.
Series XVI, Speeches and Publications, 1933‑1970, Boxes 539‑573: Reuther's speeches and publications and also his official statements, interviews, and press conference transcripts.
Subseries A: Speeches, 1937‑1970, Boxes 539‑563: Transcripts, drafts, notes and reference material for speeches and debates, together with some related correspondence. Some speeches are only in the form of notes.
Subseries B: Interviews and Press Conferences, 1949‑1970, Boxes 563‑564: Transcripts, reprints and reports of interviews given by Reuther and press conferences held by him, together with a small amount of related correspondence.
Subseries C: Publications, 1933‑1970, Boxes 565‑573: Drafts and published versions of pamphlets and magazine and newspaper articles written by Reuther and his collaborators. Files also contain correspondence, notes and background material. Included are several drafts of a book manuscript devoted to world peace.
Series XVII, Subject Reference Files, 1946‑1970, Boxes 573‑598: Published items, reports, reference data cards, notes and a variety of informational materials. In addition, there is extensive correspondence and memoranda relating to the gathering of this information or to the subject of the file or to UAW policy and actions.Files were used for the preparation of speeches, public statements, publications and for general background reference.
Series XVIII, Appointments and Invitations, 1939‑1970, Boxes 598‑616: Subseries A: Appointment Records, 1939‑1970, Boxes 598‑603: Appointment diaries, correspondence regarding appointments and annotated monthly schedules of Reuther's activities and itineraries.
Subseries B: Invitations, 1940‑1970, Boxes 603‑616: Correspondence, invitations, organizational brochures and other items relating to invitations from groups and individuals asking Reuther to speak or to participate in meetings, receptions or other functions.
Series XIX, Biographical Files, 1936‑1970, Boxes 616‑638, 2 Scrapbooks, 1 Card File: Subseries A: Biographical Material, 1938‑1970, Boxes 616‑626, Scrapbook: Correspondence, drafts of biographies, reports and clippings. These files relate to awards, degrees conferred on Reuther, physical attacks made on him and subsequent litigation and books written about him and his career.
Subseries B: Reuther Labor Foundation, 1951‑1970, Boxes 627‑630: Correspondence and financial and legal records of the foundation established by the Reuthers to use fees collected from such sources as speaking engagements and donations to support labor‑related causes.
Subseries C: Death of Walter and May Reuther, 1970, Boxes 630‑638, Scrapbook, Card File: Condolence messages, funeral arrangements and clippings relating to the deaths of the Reuthers in a plane accident on May 9, 1970.
Important subjects covered in this collection are: Alliance for Labor Action American Motors AFL AFL‑CIO Atomic energy Automation Chrysler Corporation Civil rights Communism CIO Defense Detroit urban affairs Education Environmental conservation Equal employment opportunity Ford Motor Company General Motors Corporation Guaranteed annual wage Health plans Housing International affairs International Confederation of Free Trade Unions International Metalworkers' Federation Jurisdictional disputes Korean War production New Detroit Organizing workers Peace Pensions Racial integration Skilled trades Strikes Supplemental unemployment benefits Technological change Tractors for Freedom Unemployment UAW factionalism United Nations Wage stabilization Women workers World War II production
Among the important correspondents are: Addes, George F. Bannon, Ken Bevan, Aneurin Bluestone, Irving Bowles, Chester Burt, George Carey, James B. Cavanagh, Jerome P. Cisler, Walker L. Conway, Jack Cushman, Edward L. Dodds, William Douglas, Paul H. Edwards, George, Jr. Erlander, Tage Flemming, Arthur S. Fraser, Douglas Gerber, Martin Gettlinger, Larry Goldberg, Arthur J. Golden, Clinton S. Goodman, Leo Graedl, Adolphe Greathouse, Pat Haywood, Allan S. Higgins, Msgr. George G. Humphrey, Hubert E. Johnson, Lyndon B. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Robert Mazey, Emil McClellan, John L Meany, George Montgomery, Donald E. Morris, Ken Randolph, A. Philip Rauh, Joseph L., Jr. Reuther, Victor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, James Schnitzler, William F. Scholle, August Schrade, Paul Sinclair, Upton Stevenson, Adlai E Stonorov, Oskar Strachan, D. Alan Thomas, Norman Thomas, R. J. Truman, Harry S. Weinberg, Nat Wilkins, Roy Winn, Frank Wirtz, W. Willard Woodcock, Leonard Zwerdling, A. L. Series Description: Series I, UAW Local 174, 1936‑1939, Box 1: Correspondence, minutes, notes and other materials relating to Reuther's presidency of Local 174. Files are fragmentary. Some relate to organizing, the Kelsey-Hayes sit-down and other strikes and to factionalism.
Series II, UAW International Headquarters Files, 1936‑1946, Boxes 2‑33: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to Reuther's activities in various offices of the UAW prior to his election to the presidency of the union.
Subseries A: General Files, 1936‑1946, Boxes 2‑17: Files relating to Reuther's work as an officer of the UAW prior to his assumption of the presidency. During this period he was a member of the International Executive Board, a vice president, headed the Skilled Trades Department and the War Manpower and Consumer's Department and was director of Region 1A. Files relate to conventions, war production, factionalism, and to specific locals and regions.
Subseries B: General Motors Department, 1936‑1946, Boxes 17‑28: Material relating to the General Motors Department which was established in 1938 and which Reuther headed from 1939 through 1948. Files document relations between the UAW and GM including negotiations, GM locals, war production, and the 1945‑46 strike.
Subseries C: Government War Production Agencies, 1941‑1945, Boxes 29‑33: Material reflecting Reuther's work as a representative of labor with the Office of Production Management and the War Manpower Commission during World War II and with other government agencies engaged in war production administration. Files relate to efforts to achieve maximum production and to secure a voice for labor in war production planning.
Series III, UAW President's Office and International Headquarters Files, 1946‑1970, Boxes 34‑173: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and other material documenting the work of the President's Office during the administration of Walter Reuther. Files relate to an extensive range of subjects and include records from UAW conventions and the International Executive Board.
Series IV, UAW President's Office ‑ General Correspondence, 1942‑1970, Boxes 173‑203: Correspondence with UAW members, the general public, officials of other organizations and the government, prominent persons and personal acquaintances. It is mainly concerned with union matters, requests for help, requests for Reuther to serve on committees or for the UAW to lend support to institutions and causes.
Series V, UAW Regions, 1946‑1970, Boxes 204‑223: Memoranda and correspondence between the President's Office and the UAW's regional offices and between the regional offices and local unions. Included are reports, notes, clippings and other related materials. Files have reference to constitutional questions, negotiations issues, jurisdictional disputes, organizing and strikes.
Series VI, UAW Local Unions, 1946‑1970, Boxes 224‑273: President's office files concerning UAW local unions.
Subseries A: Revoked Bylaws, 1946‑1970, Boxes 224‑228: Files of the revoked bylaws of UAW local unions.
Subseries B: Local Union Correspondence, 1946‑1970, Boxes 229‑273: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, investigations, contract agreements, legal papers and other items. This subseries reflects the interaction between local union leadership and the president and his staff. However, it also contains correspondence with regional headquarters and with individual members. Among the subjects covered are administratorships, appeals cases, clarifications of UAW policy and procedures, elections, strikes and problems of individual members.
Series VII, UAW Public Review Board, 1957‑1970, Boxes 274‑285: Files of the Public Review Board which was created at the 16th Constitutional Convention of the UAW in April of 1957 with the stated purpose of insuring continued "high moral and ethical standards" in the administration of the union by further strengthening "the democratic processes and appeal procedures" as they affected individual members and subordinate bodies. The Board, composed of persons eminent in the fields of education, religion and the law, provided an impartial panel to which grievances could be appealed after the union's established procedures had been exhausted.
Subseries A: General Files, 1957‑1970, Boxes 274‑275: Correspondence, reports and clippings relating to the establishment of the Board, financial aspects of its operation and to its members.
Subseries B: Decisions, 1957‑1966, Box 276: Summaries of decisions reached by the Board.
Subseries C: Case Files, 1957‑1969, Boxes 277‑285: Files relating to cases #46 through #199, containing correspondence, grievance records, reports of investigations, testimony, clippings and a variety of material offered in evidence. In most instances these files document contacts between the appellants and the President's Office, action taken by the International Executive Board and final disposition by the Public Review Board. Because of the sensitive nature of some of these files, researchers wishing to examine them are required to first sign an Archives Restriction of Use Statement, which precludes the use of names and other personal information which could lead to the identification of individuals. These case files may not be photocopied.
Series VIII, CIO President, 1952‑1955, Boxes 286‑300, 1 Scrapbook: Reuther's Detroit office files relating to his three‑year presidency of the CIO.
Subseries A: Administrative and General Files, 1952‑1955, Boxes 286‑291, 1 Scrapbook: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other items relating to administration of the CIO.
Subseries B: CIO Unions, 1952‑1955, Boxes 291‑293: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material reflecting communication between the CIO and its affiliated unions. Files relate to organizing, jurisdictional problems and other matters.
Subseries C: International Affairs, 1952‑1955, Boxes 293‑294: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material documenting the CIO's relationships with foreign unions and international labor organizations. Files relate to fostering international organization within the labor movement and eliminating Communist influence.
Subseries D: Correspondence, 1952‑1955, Boxes 295‑298: Correspondence with other organizations, prominent individuals, goverment officials, and the general public.
Subseries E: AFL-CIO Merger, 1953‑1955, Boxes 298‑300: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other material relating to the lengthy negotiations and arrangements which preceded the merger of the CIO with the AFL. Files also relate to no‑raiding.agreements, jurisdictional problems and opposition within the CIO to the merger.
Series IX, AFL‑CIO Vice President, 1954‑1968, Boxes 301‑321: Files reflecting Reuther's work as vice president of the AFL‑CIO from 1955 until the disaffiliation of the UAW in 1968. This series is divided into the following subseries:
Subseries A: George Meany, President, 1955‑1968, Boxes 301‑303: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials reflecting Meany's administration of the AFL‑CIO. Much of the documentation relates to developing policy differences with Reuther leading to UAW disaffiliation. Subseries B: William F. Schnitzler, Secretary‑Treasurer, 1955‑1968, Boxes 303‑304: Correspondence, reports and other material chiefly related to the administration of financial affairs.
Subseries C: Executive Council and General Board, 1955‑1968, Boxes 304‑309: Agendas, resolutions, reports and other items documenting the actions of the Executive Council and the General Board.
Subseries D: Regions, Councils and Local Unions, 1954‑1968, Boxes 309‑311: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to Reuther's routine administrative contact with these entities and also to merger arrangements on the regional level.
Subseries E: General Files, 1954‑1968, Boxes 312‑321: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, notes, pamphlets and other items relating to the operation of the AFL‑CIO. These files reflect the interaction of Reuther and his staff with AFL‑CIO departments, his work on committees and his records from conferences and conventions or they are related to specific topics.
Series X, IUD President, 1955‑1968, Boxes 321‑338: Files relating to Reuther's work as President of the Industrial Union Department of the AFL‑CIO, which incorporated industrial unions formerly in the CIO and the industrial membership of many unions previously affiliated with the AFL.
Subseries A: Executive Board and Executive Committee, 1956‑1968, Boxes 321‑324: Transcripts of IUD Executive Board meetings plus agendas and some correspondence, notes and press releases. There is also correspondence and other material related to Executive Committee meetings.
Subseries B: Staff Members, 1955‑1968, Boxes 325‑329: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, reference materials, notes and other items relating to the work of various executive officers of the IUD. There is information on IUD finances, jurisdictional problems, atomic energy, common site picketing and administrative matters.
Subseries C: General Files, 1955‑1968, Boxes 329‑338: Correspondence, memoranda, convention materials, reports and other items relating to the operation of the IUD. There is information on building trades unions, common site picketing, the resolution of disputes arising between unions affiliated with the IUD and those affiliated with the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL‑CIO, jurisdictional problems, organizing and other matters.
Series XI, Alliance for Labor Action, 1968‑1970, Boxes 338‑341: Correspondence, notes, resolutions, press releases, publications and clippings relating to the ALA, which was formed by the UAW with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in May of 1969. The ALA was dissolved in January of 1972. Files relate to the founding of the ALA and to plans for community action, improved housing, organizing unorganized workers, tax reform and to no‑raiding agreements with AFL‑CIO unions.
Series XII, Labor Organizations, 1946‑1970, Boxes 341‑365: This series contains material relating to labor unions and organizations in the United States and Canada.
Subseries A: Labor Organizations (except IAM), 1947‑1970, Boxes 341‑356: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, publications, and other items relating to labor unions and labor associations with which Reuther dealt in an official capacity for the UAW, the CIO, the AFL‑CIO and the ALA. Files relate to organizing, negotiations, strikes, jurisdictional problems and factionalism.
Subseries B: International Association of Machinists, 1946‑1970, Boxes 356-365: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, agreements and other items relating chiefly to jurisdictional disputes between the UAW and the IAM.
Series XIII, Government and Politics, 1943‑1970, Boxes 366‑437: Files relating to Reuther's activities in the areas of government and politics, principally as President of the UAW, but also as an official of the CIO and the IUD.
Subseries A: Supreme Court, 1945‑1970, Box 366: Correspondence between Reuther and justices of the Supreme Court and material relating to Court appointments.
Subseries B: Executive Branch, 1946‑1970, Boxes 366‑408 1. Administrations, 1946‑70, Boxes 366‑370: Correspondence, memoranda and other materials pertaining to administrations of Presidents Truman through Nixon and Reuther's relationships with the presidents, vice presidents and their families. Files relate to policy matters, social occasions and presidential memorials. 2. Departments and Agencies, 1946‑70, Boxes 370‑382: Correspondence, memoranda, statements and other items relating to Reuther's work with various departments and agencies of the federal government. Files relate to government policies and regulations as they applied to the UAW; political, social and economic issues, government programs and foreign affairs. 3. Committees and Conferences, 1950‑69, Boxes 382‑408: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other material relating to Reuther's participation, or that of his aides, in a large number of governmental committees, commissions, task forces, councils and White House conferences. Files cover a wide range of subjects including equal employment opportunity, labor‑management policy, auto safety and technological change.
Subseries C: Congress, 1943‑1970, Boxes 408‑425: 1. Senate Correspondence, 1949‑70, Boxes 408‑411: Correspondence regarding legislation, hearings, issues, etc.
2. House of Representatives Correspondence, 1947‑70, Boxes 411‑412: Correspondence regarding legislation, hearings, issues, Etc. 3. Congressional Committees and Legislation, 1943‑70, Boxes 412‑425: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and testimony by Reuther and officers of the UAW and other unions, together with related materials. A great number of topics relating to labor, social policy and foreign policy in which Reuther and the UAW took an active interest are represented.
Subseries D: State and Local Government and Politics, 1946‑1970, Boxes 425‑430: Correspondence, memoranda and other materials relating to Reuther's interest in legislation, programs and politics on the state and local level.
Subseries E: Political Campaigns, 1946‑1970, Boxes 430‑437: Correspondence, memoranda and other items relating to Reuther's participation in political campaigns, chiefly on the national level. The 1968 Democratic Convention is extensively documented.
Series XIV, International Affairs, 1941‑1970, Boxes 438‑467: Files relating to Reuther's interest in fostering democratic international labor organizations and his contact with labor unions in other countries. This series also contains material relating to his work for peace and the solution of worldwide social and economic problems and material documenting his strong interest in supporting the United Nations. Files relate to the CIO and the AFL‑CIO as well as the UAW.
Subseries A: International Labor Organizations, 1945‑1969, Boxes 438‑448: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and other items relating to UAW participation in international labor organizations and labor conferences. Some material relates to CIO and AFL‑CIO international labor policies. The role of the UAW in combating Communist influence in international labor organizations is well documented as is their active membership in the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the International Metalworkers' Federation.
Subseries B: Foreign Countries, 1941‑1970, Boxes 448‑462: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, itineraries and other items relating to other countries and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Some material relates to the period before Reuther's election to the presidency of the UAW or to his official positions in the CIO and the AFL‑CIO. Most of the material deals with labor concerns, but there is also considerable information on foreign policy concerns.
Subseries C: International Conferences, 1962‑1966, Box 463: Correspondence, agendas, position papers and other material having to do with Reuther's participation in Harpsund and Bilderberg Conferences dealing with broad international economic, political and labor problems.
Subseries D: United Nations, 1947‑1970, Boxes 463‑467: Correspondence, reports and publications regarding the United Nations and groups formed to further its programs. The UAW participated in many of these groups as an active supporter.
Series XV, Organizations, 1946‑1970, Boxes 467‑539: Correspondence, memoranda, reports and printed material relating to organizations with which Reuther had contact as UAW President or as an official of the CIO, the AFL‑CIO or the ALA. These groups are extremely diverse in nature. They include organizations devoted to health care, political and social reform, peace, civil rights, community relations and consumer protection. There are also groups of a charitable, religious, social, political, cultural, educational or testimonial nature.
Series XVI, Speeches and Publications, 1933‑1970, Boxes 539‑573: Reuther's speeches and publications and also his official statements, interviews, and press conference transcripts.
Subseries A: Speeches, 1937‑1970, Boxes 539‑563: Transcripts, drafts, notes and reference material for speeches and debates, together with some related correspondence. Some speeches are only in the form of notes.
Subseries B: Interviews and Press Conferences, 1949‑1970, Boxes 563‑564: Transcripts, reprints and reports of interviews given by Reuther and press conferences held by him, together with a small amount of related correspondence.
Subseries C: Publications, 1933‑1970, Boxes 565‑573: Drafts and published versions of pamphlets and magazine and newspaper articles written by Reuther and his collaborators. Files also contain correspondence, notes and background material. Included are several drafts of a book manuscript devoted to world peace.
Series XVII, Subject Reference Files, 1946‑1970, Boxes 573‑598: Published items, reports, reference data cards, notes and a variety of informational materials. In addition, there is extensive correspondence and memoranda relating to the gathering of this information or to the subject of the file or to UAW policy and actions.Files were used for the preparation of speeches, public statements, publications and for general background reference.
Series XVIII, Appointments and Invitations, 1939‑1970, Boxes 598‑616: Subseries A: Appointment Records, 1939‑1970, Boxes 598‑603: Appointment diaries, correspondence regarding appointments and annotated monthly schedules of Reuther's activities and itineraries.
Subseries B: Invitations, 1940‑1970, Boxes 603‑616: Correspondence, invitations, organizational brochures and other items relating to invitations from groups and individuals asking Reuther to speak or to participate in meetings, receptions or other functions.
Series XIX, Biographical Files, 1936‑1970, Boxes 616‑638, 2 Scrapbooks, 1 Card File: Subseries A: Biographical Material, 1938‑1970, Boxes 616‑626, Scrapbook: Correspondence, drafts of biographies, reports and clippings. These files relate to awards, degrees conferred on Reuther, physical attacks made on him and subsequent litigation and books written about him and his career.
Subseries B: Reuther Labor Foundation, 1951‑1970, Boxes 627‑630: Correspondence and financial and legal records of the foundation established by the Reuthers to use fees collected from such sources as speaking engagements and donations to support labor‑related causes.
Subseries C: Death of Walter and May Reuther, 1970, Boxes 630‑638, Scrapbook, Card File: Condolence messages, funeral arrangements and clippings relating to the deaths of the Reuthers in a plane accident on May 9, 1970.
Dates
- 1933 - 1970
- Majority of material found within 1946 - 1970
Creator
- Reuther, Walter, 1907-1970 (Person)
Language of Materials
Material entirely in English.
Access
Collection is open.
Use
Restrictions: Series VII, Subseries C: Case Files, Boxes 277-285: Researchers are required to sign a Restricted Use Statement which precludes the use of names and other personal information which could lead to the identification of individuals. These case files may not be photocopied.
Refer to the Walter P. Reuther Library
Rules for Use of Archival Materials.Restrictions: Researchers may encounter records of a sensitive nature – personnel files, case records and those involving investigations, legal and other private matters. Privacy laws and restrictions imposed by the Library prohibit the use of names and other personal information which might identify an individual, except with written permission from the Director and/or the donor.
History
Walter P. Reuther was born in Wheeling, West Virginia on September 1, 1907, the son of an active unionist. He left high school at fifteen to become an apprentice toolmaker to help support his family. He moved to Detroit in 1926 and worked at the Briggs Manufacturing Company and the Ford Motor Company. During this period he completed his high school education and attended what is now Wayne State University for three years.
In 1933 he was dismissed by Ford, possibly as a result of his organizing activities. At that point he and his brother, Victor, withdrew their savings and embarked on a bicycle trip through Europe. The trip took them to the Soviet Union, where they worked at an automobile plant in Gorki, returning to the United States via the Far East in 1935.
In Detroit, Reuther became intensely involved in the newly‑formed United Automobile Workers Union, founding and becoming the first president of the West Side Local 174, and at the 1936 convention he was elected to the International Executive Board. At the 1942 convention he was elected a vice president.
He was a leader with his brothers, Victor and Roy, in the General Motors sit‑down strikes of 1936 and 1937. During an organizing campaign in 1937, he was beaten by Ford "service men" in an incident that came to be known as the "Battle of the Overpass." Early the next year he was the victim of an attempted kidnapping, also attributed to Ford "service men."
Reuther served as director of the General Motors Department of the UAW from 1939 to 1948. He also served as director of the Fair Practices and Anti‑Discrimination Department, which was created in 1946 with William Oliver as co‑director.
Even before the United States' entry into World War II, Reuther conceived the idea of mass production of military planes using automobile plant facilities. Despite initial opposition by industry, the "Reuther Plan," as it was known, was implemented once the country entered the war. During the war, he served on the War Manpower Commission and with the Office of Production Management.
At the war's end, Reuther demanded a wage increase in negotiations with General Motors, coupled with the stipulation that GM not pass the cost along to the consumer through increased prices which would erode the advantage gained for the workers and contribute to inflation. Reuther failed to commit GM to this principle despite a 113‑day strike, but the confrontation established him as an innovative negotiator whose sights were set on broader goals than those of traditional unionists.
At the the convention in March of 1946, after a bitter contest in which he took a strong anti‑Communist position, Reuther was elected president of the UAW, an office he held until his death. Later that year, he was elected a vice president of the CIO. In 1948 he was again the victim of an physical attack. His assailant, who was never apprehended despite intense efforts by the UAW, severely damaged Reuther's right arm with a shotgun blast.
In 1952 Reuther succeeded Philip Murray as president of the CIO, and he led in efforts to merge the CIO and the AFL, which came about in December of 1955. He then became a vice president of the AFL‑CIO and president of the Industrial Union Department. Disagreements over social issues, organizing unorganized workers, international labor and foreign policy,the Vietnam War and other matters, in which Reuther urged a more activist stance, led to the withdrawal of the UAW from the AFL-CIO in 1968. In 1969 the UAW formed the Alliance for Labor Action with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in order to further some of the programs Reuther had advocated while in the AFL‑CIO.
Under Reuther's leadership, the UAW gained for its members, among other collective bargaining breakthroughs, the guaranteed annual wage, supplemental unemployment benefits, cost‑of‑living escalator and annual improvement factor provisions, pension plans, health insurance for workers and their families and profit‑sharing plans. During his twenty‑four-year administration, the UAW established its identity as a powerful, well organized union, successful in protecting the rights and interests of its members, yet responsive to its social responsibilities.
Reuther saw that improved living conditions for workers could not be achieved solely at the bargaining table and, consequently, used his influence to further needed social reforms. Throughout his career he fought discrimination, and he was an active participant in the civil rights movement from its inception. In addition, he worked for improved housing, better education, medical care, consumer rights and environmental causes. He was also intensely interested in international affairs. He devoted considerable effort to working for peace and a strong United Nations organization, and he sought to create a structure of international labor organizations independent of Communist control.
He advocated union participation in the political process through political. action committees, and under him, the UAW played a leading role in working for candidates sympathetic to their objectives. He also devoted much time to appearances before congressional committees to urge legislation favorable to labor and the social issues he championed. He served on numerous governmental panels studying such issues as atomic energy and technological change. He also worked energetically to better conditions in Detroit and Michigan, and in his last years, strove to effect urban reconciliation and remedy the causes of the 1967 Detroit riot.
Because of the prominent public role that he played, Reuther participated in an extraordinary number of organizations and was a friend and confidant of many of the most prominent individuals in the country in various spheres. He was recognized as an effective orator and he maintained a busy schedule of speaking appearances. During his lifetime he was the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees.
His career was cut short when he and his wife, May, who had shared in his beliefs and his work from the time of their marriage in 1936, were killed in the crash of a small plane while on their way to the UAW educational center at Black Lake, Michigan. They are survived by two daughters, Linda and Lisa.
In 1933 he was dismissed by Ford, possibly as a result of his organizing activities. At that point he and his brother, Victor, withdrew their savings and embarked on a bicycle trip through Europe. The trip took them to the Soviet Union, where they worked at an automobile plant in Gorki, returning to the United States via the Far East in 1935.
In Detroit, Reuther became intensely involved in the newly‑formed United Automobile Workers Union, founding and becoming the first president of the West Side Local 174, and at the 1936 convention he was elected to the International Executive Board. At the 1942 convention he was elected a vice president.
He was a leader with his brothers, Victor and Roy, in the General Motors sit‑down strikes of 1936 and 1937. During an organizing campaign in 1937, he was beaten by Ford "service men" in an incident that came to be known as the "Battle of the Overpass." Early the next year he was the victim of an attempted kidnapping, also attributed to Ford "service men."
Reuther served as director of the General Motors Department of the UAW from 1939 to 1948. He also served as director of the Fair Practices and Anti‑Discrimination Department, which was created in 1946 with William Oliver as co‑director.
Even before the United States' entry into World War II, Reuther conceived the idea of mass production of military planes using automobile plant facilities. Despite initial opposition by industry, the "Reuther Plan," as it was known, was implemented once the country entered the war. During the war, he served on the War Manpower Commission and with the Office of Production Management.
At the war's end, Reuther demanded a wage increase in negotiations with General Motors, coupled with the stipulation that GM not pass the cost along to the consumer through increased prices which would erode the advantage gained for the workers and contribute to inflation. Reuther failed to commit GM to this principle despite a 113‑day strike, but the confrontation established him as an innovative negotiator whose sights were set on broader goals than those of traditional unionists.
At the the convention in March of 1946, after a bitter contest in which he took a strong anti‑Communist position, Reuther was elected president of the UAW, an office he held until his death. Later that year, he was elected a vice president of the CIO. In 1948 he was again the victim of an physical attack. His assailant, who was never apprehended despite intense efforts by the UAW, severely damaged Reuther's right arm with a shotgun blast.
In 1952 Reuther succeeded Philip Murray as president of the CIO, and he led in efforts to merge the CIO and the AFL, which came about in December of 1955. He then became a vice president of the AFL‑CIO and president of the Industrial Union Department. Disagreements over social issues, organizing unorganized workers, international labor and foreign policy,the Vietnam War and other matters, in which Reuther urged a more activist stance, led to the withdrawal of the UAW from the AFL-CIO in 1968. In 1969 the UAW formed the Alliance for Labor Action with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in order to further some of the programs Reuther had advocated while in the AFL‑CIO.
Under Reuther's leadership, the UAW gained for its members, among other collective bargaining breakthroughs, the guaranteed annual wage, supplemental unemployment benefits, cost‑of‑living escalator and annual improvement factor provisions, pension plans, health insurance for workers and their families and profit‑sharing plans. During his twenty‑four-year administration, the UAW established its identity as a powerful, well organized union, successful in protecting the rights and interests of its members, yet responsive to its social responsibilities.
Reuther saw that improved living conditions for workers could not be achieved solely at the bargaining table and, consequently, used his influence to further needed social reforms. Throughout his career he fought discrimination, and he was an active participant in the civil rights movement from its inception. In addition, he worked for improved housing, better education, medical care, consumer rights and environmental causes. He was also intensely interested in international affairs. He devoted considerable effort to working for peace and a strong United Nations organization, and he sought to create a structure of international labor organizations independent of Communist control.
He advocated union participation in the political process through political. action committees, and under him, the UAW played a leading role in working for candidates sympathetic to their objectives. He also devoted much time to appearances before congressional committees to urge legislation favorable to labor and the social issues he championed. He served on numerous governmental panels studying such issues as atomic energy and technological change. He also worked energetically to better conditions in Detroit and Michigan, and in his last years, strove to effect urban reconciliation and remedy the causes of the 1967 Detroit riot.
Because of the prominent public role that he played, Reuther participated in an extraordinary number of organizations and was a friend and confidant of many of the most prominent individuals in the country in various spheres. He was recognized as an effective orator and he maintained a busy schedule of speaking appearances. During his lifetime he was the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees.
His career was cut short when he and his wife, May, who had shared in his beliefs and his work from the time of their marriage in 1936, were killed in the crash of a small plane while on their way to the UAW educational center at Black Lake, Michigan. They are survived by two daughters, Linda and Lisa.
Extent
351 Linear Feet ((572 MB, 65 SB) 3 scrapbooks, 1 card file)
Abstract
The papers of Walter Reuther reflect his career with the UAW from its beginning, although the documentation for the pre‑presidential period is less complete. In addition to UAW material, there are extensive files relating to his work as an officer of the CIO, the AFL‑CIO and the ALA. In addition, there is considerable material relating to international labor organizations, international affairs, other labor unions, organizations of various kinds and his work in the area of public affairs.
Arrangement of Materials
Arranged in 19 series - Series 1 (Box 1), Series 2 (Boxes 2-33), Series 3 (Boxes 34-173), Series 4 (Boxes 173-203), Series 5 (Boxes 204-223), Series 6 (Boxes 224-273), Series 7 (Boxes 274-285), Series 8 (Boxes 286-300), Series 9 (Boxes 301-321), Series 10 (Boxes 321-338), Series 11 (Boxes 338-341), Series 12 (Boxes 341-365), Series 13 (Boxes 366-437), Series 14 (Boxes 438-467), Series 15 (Boxes 467-539), Series 16 (Boxes 539-573), Series 17 (Boxes 573-598), Series 18 (Boxes 598-616), and Series 19 (Boxes 616-638, 2 scrapbooks, 1 cardfile). Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject or chronologically, depending upon the series.
Series 2, 7, and 10 are divided into 3 subseries. Series 6, 12, and 19 are divided into 2 subseries. Series 8, 9, 13, and 16 are divided into 5 subseries. Series 14 is divided into 4 subseries.
Series 2, 7, and 10 are divided into 3 subseries. Series 6, 12, and 19 are divided into 2 subseries. Series 8, 9, 13, and 16 are divided into 5 subseries. Series 14 is divided into 4 subseries.
Acquisition Information
The materials were acquired by Walter P. Reuther Library in 1967.
Transfers
Approximately 2,000 photographs have been transferred to the Archives Audiovisual Collection, together with tapes of Reuther being interviewed or speaking at conventions or on the radio. In addition, an extensive collection of Reuther memorabilia, including such items as original art work, sculpture, posters, buttons, gavels, banners, ashtrays, hats, award certificates, honorary degrees, keys, medallions, plaques, trophies and trays, has been placed in the Archives Audiovisual Collection.
Copies of UAW convention proceedings, president's and secretary-treasurer's reports and pamphlets received with this collection have been added to the Archives Library.
Copies of UAW convention proceedings, president's and secretary-treasurer's reports and pamphlets received with this collection have been added to the Archives Library.
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the UAW President's Office: Walter P. Reuther Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Walter P. Reuther Library.
- Date
- 1968
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 1980-05: Description and finding aid revised with new material incorporated by Margaret Raucher.
Repository Details
Part of the Walter P. Reuther Library Repository
Contact:
5401 Cass Ave.
Detroit MI 48202 USA
5401 Cass Ave.
Detroit MI 48202 USA