SEIU Local 32B-32J Records

Accession Number: 
LR001893
Extent: 
9 linear feet (6 SB, 6 MB)

Local 32B, located in New York, NY, was founded on April 19, 1934 and within months the young union was on strike in the garment district; within days the union won rights to a closed shop and gained a substantial number of new members. Local 32J had been charted in 1936 and was composed largely of women building service workers. The two unions merged in 1977, and the new 32B-32J had over 46,000 members. Part I of this collection is comprised entirely of correspondence from the members of the Local to Union officers, and the Union reply. The subjects include benefits, grievance and arbitration matters, requests for employment, and a large number of letters from retired members on a variety of issues.

Former Local 32B-32J President John J. Sweeney was elected SEIU International President in 1980, and was thus succeeded as President of Local 32B-32J in 1981 by Gus Bevona. It was the Bevona administration that generated the majority of the records in Part II. Part II primarily consists of video recordings (both U-matic and VHS) of union meetings, interviews, and events. Additionally included are materials on 32B-32J’s history and administrative publications, as well as a bound volume of materials related to the 1976 Apartment Building Agreement and proceedings between the union and Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Inc.

Date: 
1961-1994, bulk 1974-1981, 1986-1994
Attachment(click to download)
LR001893.pdfLR001893_guide.pdf167.24 KB