University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada. Local 18 (Milwaukee, Wis.).

Records, 1893-1994.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DQ

2.6 cubic ft. (6 archives boxes, and 1 small archives box)

ABSTRACT: Records of the local which represented theatrical workers and motion picture projectionists, including proceedings of the national conventions (1893-1926); minutes (1903-1933); a constitution; minutes of the Wage Scale Committee (1927-1933) and the Executive Board (1913-1933); agreements, correspondence, applications for membership, and reports (1894-1944); and combined convention proceedings (1893-1926); and a history of theater in Milwaukee (1994).

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: Records of the local which represented theatrical workers and motion picture projectionists. The theaters mentioned most often in the collection are the Davidson, Modjeska, Oriental, Palace, Riverside, Saxe, and Uptown. The majority of the Alliance's correspondence concerns financial matters, especially expenses accrued by members on official business. Other topics covered in the correspondence includes reprimands of Alliance members, legislation relating to theater workers, wages expected for workers, and a few undated letters concern lockouts.

The minutes of the Wage Scale Committee (1927-1933) include an itemized report of expenses, a few documents predicting how many vaudeville shows and films there would be in Milwaukee, and the union's position on wages at several local theaters. The minutes also document meetings with theater owners to discuss wages; dates and times of the meetings are given , but not the actual items discussed. The minutes of the Executive Board (1913-1933) usually contain a brief description of each topic discussed at the meetings, and sometimes provide information on specific employee problems at the theaters.

The undated job descriptions provide wage schedules for the types of jobs and theaters, job descriptions, and a blank contract.

The minutes (1903-1933) of meetings largely concerns the election of officers and disbursing money for relief and employment. The minutes also contain the by-laws of the organization.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada. Local 18 (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1893-1994. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DQ. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following items were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

Milwaukee (Wis.)--History--Sources.
Theatres--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Employees.
Trade-Unions--Motion picture industry--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Records and correspondence.

MILWAUKE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION DQ	BOX	FOLDER
Anniversary Materials, 1972-1994	6	4
Applications for Membership, 1901-1920	1	1
Combined Convention Proceedings, 1893-1926	7	1
Constitution and By-Laws, undated	1	2
Executive Board, 1911-1930	1	3
Executive Board, 1931-1933, undated	1	4
General Correspondence, 1894-1900	1	5
General Correspondence, 1901	1	6
General Correspondence, 1902	1	7
General Correspondence, 1903	1	8
General Correspondence, 1904	1	9
General Correspondence, 1905	2	1
General Correspondence, 1906	2	2
General Correspondence, 1908-1911	2	3
General Correspondence, 1912-1913	2	4
General Correspondence, 1914-1915	2	5
General Correspondence, 1916-1918	2	6
General Correspondence, 1919	2	7
General Correspondence, 1920-1925	3	1
General Correspondence, 1926-1927	3	2
General Correspondence, 1928	3	3
General Correspondence, 1929	3	4
General Correspondence, 1930	3	5
General Correspondence, 1931	4	1
General Correspondence, 1932	4	2
General Correspondence, 1933-1934	4	3
General Correspondence, 1935-1939	4	4
General Correspondence, 1939-1945	4	5
General Correspondence, undated	4	6
History of Theater in Milwaukee, 1994	6	6
Job Descriptions and Information, undated	4	7
Legislation Relating to Theatre Workers, undated	4	8
Membership, 1912-1923	4	9
Meetings, Minutes, 1903-1925	5
Meetings, Minutes, 1925-1933	7	2
Miscellaneous Materials, 1916-1974	6	5
Receipts, 1894-1906	6	1
Transfer Cards, 1906-1927	6	2
Wage Scale Committee, 1922-1933	6	3