University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Drivers. Local 360 (Milwaukee, Wis.).

Records, 1936-1947.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DT

10 cubic ft. (8 archives boxes, and 2 oversize archives boxes)


ABSTRACT: Contains the business records of a labor union representing drivers for local laundries and dry cleaning businesses in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The records document the business operations of a union local and its dealing with local business and the union members. Includes daily correspondence related to dues and membership procedures, member suspension and discharge notices, employee/employer conflicts, letters to members, financial records, and meeting minutes of the local and the executive committee. Most of the records are the business correspondence to and from Mr. Alois Mueller, the union secretary.


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: This collection documents the daily business operations of the Laundry and Dry Cleaning Drivers Local 360 from 1936-1947.

The majority of these records are correspondence created by the Local Secretary, Mr. Alois Mueller. The correspondence largely pertains to the Secretary's routine business responsibilities such as delinquent dues notices, suspension and termination notices, documenting employer and employee conflicts, changes in union procedures, correspondence to and from the international organization, and financial analyses of local businesses.

The records provide a limited picture because of the nature of the correspondence. The majority of the correspondence is outgoing (delinquent dues notices, etc.) with a limited amount of incoming correspondence; the response is usually not found. Complaint and arbitration documents included in the records provide insight into employer/employee conflict and the union strategy for resolution. Correspondence files for 1941 contain solicited letters from members which provide insight into actual working conditions. Correspondence after the start of World War II detail the effects of rubber rationing and other war related labor issues on the local. The financial reports and meeting minutes provide a summary overview of the Local's activities.

Joint Council No. 50 was formed by the Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers in Milwaukee to assist separate locals in securing better working conditions. Minutes of the meetings provide a detailed summary account of labor and union related issues in the Milwaukee area.

Unsorted Material from the Laundry and Dry Cleaning Strike in 1939 contain picket duty rosters and numerous slips of paper with notations representing license plate numbers or descriptions of persons apparently crossing picket lines. Newspaper photographs of persons affected by the strike and editorial cartoons are also included. While the nature of these records do not provide a clear picture of the strike, they do allow some insight into the organization and effects of the strike.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:
Laundry and Dry Cleaning Drivers. Local 360 (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1936-1947. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DT. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:
MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION DT BOX FOLDER
Applicant's Membership Reports, 1946-1948 1 1
Bank Account Statements, 1937-1946 1 2
Cash Book, 1936-1940 [volume 11] 10
Cash Book, 1940-1943 [volume 12] 10
Correspondence, 1937 1 3
Correspondence, 1938 1 4-5
Correspondence, 1939 2 1-2
Correspondence, 1940 2 3-5
Correspondence, 1941 2 6
Correspondence, 1941 3 1
Correspondence, 1942 3 2-3
Correspondence, 1943 3 4-5
Correspondence, 1944 4 1-3
Correspondence, 1945 4 4-6
Correspondence, 1946 5 1-4
Correspondence, 1947 5 5-6
Correspondence, undated 5 7
Day Book, 1936-1938 [volume 6] 9
Day Book, 1938-1940 [volume 7] 9
Day Book, 1940-1941 [volume 8] 9
Day Book, 1941-1943 [volume 9] 10
Day Book, 1943-1946 [volume 10] 10
Driver's Daily Time Records, 1943 6 1
Driver's Wholesale Account Records, 1946 6 2
Dues Book, 1937 [volume 13] 10
Federated Trade Council of Milwaukee Letter Releases, 1941-1946 7 3
Financial Returns Filed with the IRS and Related Material, 1937-1947 6 4
Joint Council No. 50, Minutes of Meetings, 1937-1939 8 1
Joint Council No. 50, Minutes of Meetings, 1940-1942 8 2
Joint Council No. 50, Minutes of Meetings, 1943-1946 8 3
Lists of Union Members, 1939-1946 8 4
Miscellaneous Bills, Invoices and Receipts, 1937-1947 7 1-2
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1937-1939 [volume 1] 9
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1939-1940 8 4
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1939-1941 [volume 2] 9
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1941-1943 [volume 3] 9
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1943-1946 [volume 4] 9
Regular and Special Union Meeting Minutes and Executive Board Meeting Minutes, 1946-1947 [volume 5] 9
Union Insurance Policies, 1941-1947 7 3
Unsorted Material, Laundry and Dry Cleaning Strike, 1939 7 4
Wisconsin Driver's Dairy and Condensery Employees Union Conference Minutes, 1940-1946 7 5
Wisconsin State Federation of Labor Letter Releases, 1942-1946 7 6

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Last edited on Thursday, June 26, 2003.
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