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Special Collections & University Archives
Manuscript Collections

Records of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union

The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) was established in 1914 by Sidney Hillman and other disgruntled members of the United Garment Workers Union (UGWU) who left that union out of dissatisfaction with its craft structure and lack of interest in organizing immigrant workers. At its inception, the ACWA had close to 30,000 members, most of whom were drawn to the Amalgamated from the UGWU.

The Amalgamated Textile Workers of America (ATWA) was formed five years later amidst several strikes and during a period of general labor unrest in the textile industry. Sponsored by the ACWA, the ATWA resembled that union in that they both believed in signing contracts, hiring a well-paid staff and having a strong central office. The ATWA hoped to rectify mistakes made during earlier efforts to organize the industry by the United Textile Workers Union and the Industrial Workers of the World.

The history of the ACWA and the ATWA mirrored one another for several decades. Finally, in an effort to combine their strength and resources, these two organizations merged in 1976 to become the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union.

This collection, which dates from 1914-1990, contains early publications of the ACWA as well as later publications of the ACTWU. Also of note are the convention proceedings of the ACWA, the TWUA and the ACTWU. The collection also includes a series of books and publications which provide an historical overview of each of these unions and the industries they represented.

(7 Linear Feet)

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Created by Nicole Siemon. Last modified: 02/11/02.
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