History of the New York State AFL-CIO

A TRADITION OF LEADERSHIP A HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK STATE AFL-CIO

FOREWORD
The New York State AFL-CIO has a rich and proud history, which is deeply embedded in labor's continuous struggle for dignity and economic and social justice. This history is the story of the State Federation and its predecessor federations dating to 1865. It is not intended to be a history of the entire labor movement in the Empire State but rather focuses on those-personalities and events that helped to create and forge a strong and effective statewide federation of unions. The organization of labor at the state level evolved through a series of stages culminating in the merger of the New York State AFL and the New York State CIO Council in 1958 creating the New York State AFL-CIO.

The tradition of the state federations in New York State is a tradition of leadership. New York State has always been the largest and strongest of any state labor movement and, with its current 2.3 million members, remains so today. Victories won by the labor movement in New York State were the first of their kind in the nation and often became models for federal legislation as well as for other states. From the very beginning, organized labor, acting through the state federations, was the champion not only of labor's right to organize and bargain collectively but of improving the working conditions and daily lives of all New Yorkers. It also fought for safe and healthy workplaces, a fair and equitable workers' compensation system and disability benefits, unemployment insurance, minimum wages, an end to child labor, and job-related training to mention a few.

Furthermore, the state federation served as the voice of labor in public policy determination on issues affecting all citizens-education, housing, transportation, taxation, and the role of government in strengthening the State's economy.

This history is a compilation of a number of earlier histories as well as research papers of interns and contributions by the staff and friends of the New York State AFL-CIO. It is not intended to be a scholarly research paper but rather a popular history which attempts to capture the flavor of earlier documents. For example, the section on the CIO Council is a slightly edited version of a history produced just following the 1958 merger.

Special thanks goes to Cornell ILR intern Ann Benedetto who provided major assistance in researching, writing, and pulling the final draft together. We also wish to thank Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. Scholarship winners and Cornell ILR interns Leslie Braginsky, Steven Davi, and Charlotte Lynne Bischel for their research papers. Lois Gray, Phil Ross, Debra Bernhardt, Irwin Yellowitz, and Matt Dolan provided invaluable advice and assistance as did former New York State AFL¬CIO Public Relations Director Joseph Murphy and Assistant Director of Legislation Richard Torrey. Interviewed for the project were Morton Bahr, Peter Brennan, Father Philip Carey, Chick Chaikin, Joseph Collins, Fileno De Novellis, Sam Kovenesky, Richard Nolan, Jack Rubenstein, Jack Suarez, John Tierney, Malcolm Wilson, and Thomas Young.

Members of the New York State AFL-CIO staff, particularly Joe Jamison, made very important contributions to the effort. Special thanks go to the clerical staff without whom the project would not be possible, to Lois Johnson for her assistance in typesetting and to Mike Harrington, Director of Printing and Mailing, who printed the history.

We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Labor Documentation Center at Cornell's Catherwood Library, the Wagner Labor Archives at New York University and the George Meany Center.

Much of the early history was drawn from accounts written in 1923 and 1933 by John M. O'Hanlon, Secretary-Treasurer of the New York State Federation of labor and an article from the American Federationist in 1939 by William Karlin.

We welcome comments and suggestions for improving this history for future editions.

And finally, gratitude is expressed to all of those visionary and courageous trade unionists who have played both large and small in building the greatest state federation in the nation.

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