University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

Christoffel, Harold, 1912- .

Oral history interview, 1987.

UWM Manuscript Collection 40

2 audio cassette tapes

ABSTRACT: An oral history interview by Stanley Mallach and Joseph Broderick with Harold Christoffel, president of the United Automobile Workers Union, Local 248 at the Allis-Chalmers Corporation (ACC) plant in West Allis, Wisconsin from the late 1930s until February 1945, when he entered military service, at Christoffel's home outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 23 June 1987. The interview deals with the founding and operations of the CIO News (Wisconsin) and West Allis plant newspapers and the role of these publications in labor relations at ACC and in the rise of the CIO in Wisconsin. Also contains information about conflicts between ACC and Local 248 and the rise and internal operations of the Milwaukee County Industrial Union Council (MCIUC) and the Wisconsin State Industrial Union Council (WSIUC). The interview deals with the founding, purposes, effectiveness, editorial policy, story sources, and distribution of the Allis-Chalmers Workers' Union News, the CNW, and the Local 248 page and Local 248 edition of the CNW. Notable in the interview are Christoffel's comments on the purposes of the publications as information and organizing arms of Local 248 and the MCIUC and WSIUC; on race relations at ACC and in Local 248; on aspects of labor relations at the West Allis plant and the CNW coverage of the 1939 and 1941 strikes; on friction between the labor movement in Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Journal; on the coverage of union elections and John L. Lewis by the CNW; and on the stand of Local 248 on American entry into World War II before 7 December 1941 and attitudes toward the war effort after December 7.

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).

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Christoffel, Harold, 1912- . Oral history interview, 1987. UWM Manuscript Collection 40. University Manuscript Collections. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTION:

Hirsch, Alfred, 1908- . Oral history interview, 1982. (UWM Manuscript Collection 39)

ACQUISITION: A Fromkin Oral History interview by Stanley Mallach and Joseph Broderick with Harold Christoffel. The transcription was by Edward Hatton and Stanley Mallach. The interview was conducted at Mr. Christoffel's home by Stanley Mallach and Joe Broderick on 23 June 1987.

PROCESSING: Mark A. Vargas processed the collection at the Archives in May 1994. An index was part of the original transcript, but its page numbering was rendered obsolete when the interview was reformatted on the computer.

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

Adelman, Meyer.
Allis-Chalmers Corporation.
Allis-Chalmers workers' union news.
Broderick, Joseph.
CIO news. Wisconsin ed.
Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.).
De Caux, Len, 1899- .
International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. Local 248 (West Allis, Wis.).
Lewis, John Llewellyn, 1880-1969.
Mallach, Stanley.
Milwaukee County Industrial Union Council.
Oral history--Wisconsin.
Press, Labor--United States--History--20th century.
Press, Labor--Wisconsin.
Trade-unions--Wisconsin--Organizing.
West Allis (Wis.)--History--Sources.
Wisconsin State Industrial Union Council.
World War, 1939-1945--Wisconsin--West Allis--Public opinion.

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW: Interview transcript available for viewing.