Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records (original) (raw)
Overview of the Collection
Creator
Building & Construction Trades Council (Seattle, Wash.)
Title
Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records
Dates
1942-1974 (inclusive)
19421974
Quantity
21.42 cubic feet
Collection Number
2299 (mss)
Summary
Records of a Seattle labor organization involved in discrimination lawsuit and contract negotiations
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions
Access restricted. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.
Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council coordinates the efforts of local unions in the building trades, including contract negotiations with employer organizations and apprenticeship and training programs. It was formerly the Seattle Building Trades Council. Following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 11246, requiring equal employment opportunities in federally funded construction projects, the low numbers of minority workers in the constructions trades became a target of scrutiny. In Seattle and other cities across the country, there were efforts to increase minority membership in the building trade unions. As part of Seattle's participation in the federal Model Cities Program, Seattle issued affirmative action guidelines in 1969 for contractors seeking city contracts. The Seattle Urban League developed a program called Labor Education and Advancement Project, or LEAP. The Washington State Labor Council endorsed the establishment an apprenticeship "Outreach" program, to be funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and operated locally by the Seattle Opportunities Industrialization Center. The Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council favored instead a program with the Apprenticeship Information Center. Construction industry employers formed Affirmative Minority Construction Opportunity, Inc., to implement its minority hiring plan. None of these programs enjoyed the support of all of the industry, labor, and community interests needed for success.
In the meantime, community-based organizations were staging protests and fighting in the courts. In fall 1969, several lawsuits resulted when protests by community activists at publicly financed construction sites led to work stoppages. In October 1969, the U.S. Department of Justice brought suit against four buildings trade union locals and three apprenticeship and training committees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the suit, U.S. v. Ironworkers Local 86, et al., the Justice Department alleged that the practices of named unions and apprenticeship committees for admission, training, and job referrals discriminated against blacks. On June 16, 1970, U.S. District Judge William Lindberg found that the defendants did discriminate against black workers and ordered a variety of relief measures. To implement the relief measures, Judge Lindberg ordered the formation of an advisory committee comprised of representatives from the construction industry, unions, and community organizations. The Court Order Advisory Committee first met in July 1970. Austin St. Laurent, the executive secretary of the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council, was a member of the committee.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Minutes, Correspondence, Financial records, Agreements, Bylaws, Court papers.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 2299-001, Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records, 1959-1974
- Accession No. 2299-002, Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council records, 1942-1958
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 2299-001: Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records, 1959-1974Return to Top
4 cubic feet
Restrictions on Access: Access restricted. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.
Restrictions on Use: Literary rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Records were given to the Libraries by the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council on August 9, 1974.
Scope and Content: The Building & Construction Trades Council (Seattle, Wash.) records document the activities of the council in the 1960s and early 1970s. Over half of the accession is related to competing efforts to increase minority participation in the building trade unions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Correspondence, case files, minutes, court files, subject files, and other records relate to the council's role in negotiations with employers regarding such issues as affirmative action and apprenticeship programs with the King County, Washington, Superior Court and the University of Washington. The various committees and plans, which sought to resolve issues out of court with the aid of federal funds, are documented in the General Correspondence series. These files contain a mix of correspondence to, from, and about the referenced entity as well as other related materials. Such plans include the Philadelphia Plan, which was the Nixon Administration's prototype envisioned for adoption across the country; the Seattle Urban League's LEAP Plan; and the Menasco Plan, which was the basis for construction industry employers' minority hiring program. The Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council's own efforts are documented in files titled "Outreach" and "Outreach Program."
Materials related to U.S. v. Ironworkers Local 86, which the council referred to internally as Court Case #8618 (after its civil case number), can be found in the General Correspondence and the Case Files series. The Court Order Advisory Committee subgroup contains general correspondence, minutes, bylaws, and court papers of the committee. The Miscellany file in this subgroup appears to have been maintained personally by Austin St. Laurent. While the committee continued to work into the mid-1970s, no documents in this subgroup are dated later than 1972. Because the committee existed to implement the court's order, material related to the advisory committee can also be found in the Court Case #8618 files. Likewise, the Court Order Advisory Committee subgroup contains materials on the court case.
The remainder of the collection focuses on other aspects of the council's work. These materials date from the early 1960s through the mid-1970s. The General Correspondence series includes files regarding the University of Washington and the Washington State Higher Education Personnel Board (HEP Board) that document the council's representation of University of Washington employees. The HEP Board files contains minutes from many of the board meetings from 1969 to 1974 as well as memoranda and correspondence. There are also subject files on issues of interest to organized labor, including situs picketing and President Nixon's suspension of prevailing wage regulations. These files contain correspondence and other materials.
Also included are materials relating to the King County Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, the King County Central Labor Council, the King County Housing Authority, and Washington State Board Against Discrimination.
Processing Info: Processed by Midori Okazaki.
U.S. Department of Labor Brochure digitized for Web-accessible finding aid housed in Box 2/11. E. Inlow, 3/15/2005
Processing Info: Processing completed in 2005.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 1/1-18 | 2299-001 | SERIES I: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS | 1964-1974 |
| Subseries A: General Correspondence | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 1/1 | 2299-001 | Associated General Contractors - Proposals - Minority Training | 1969-1970 |
| 1/2 | 2299-001 | Environmental Health Problems | 1967-1969 |
| 1/3 | 2299-001 | Equal Employment | 1964-1971 |
| 1/4 | 2299-001 | Evans, Daniel J. | 1970-1971 |
| 1/5 | 2299-001 | Housing - Low Income Housing for Elderly, etc. | 1966-1971 |
| 1/6 | 2299-001 | King County Affirmative Action Advisory Committee 1968 | 1971-1972 |
| 1/7 | 2299-001 | King County Executive [and] Council | 1969-1974 |
| 1/8 | 2299-001 | Legislation: HB 239 (re. Minority Training) | 1970 |
| 1/9 | 2299-001 | Menasco Plan | 1970 |
| Outreach Program | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 1/10-11 | 2299-001 | Apprenticeship - Apprenticeship Standards | 1970 |
| 1/12 | 2299-001 | Apprenticeship - Proposed Legislation | 1970 |
| 1/13 | 2299-001 | Drafts | 1970-1973 |
| 1/14-16 | 2299-001 | Miscellaneous | 1969-1970 |
| University of Washington | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 1/17-18 | 2299-001 | Apprenticeship and Training Programs | 1968-1971 |
| 1/19 | 2299-001 | Negotiations 1969 | 1968-1969 |
| 1/20-21 | 2299-001 | Rules File | 1961-1968 |
| 1/22 | 2299-001 | Second Election | 1967-1969 |
| 1/23-24 | 2299-001 | Miscellaneous | 1971-1974 |
| Subseries B: Case Files | |||
| Court Case #8618: U.S. v. Local 86 | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 1/25 | 2299-001 | Briefs | 1970 |
| 1/26 | 2299-001 | Related Cases | 1969-1970 |
| 2/1-2 | 2299-001 | Transcripts (of Court Proceedings) | 1970-1971 |
| 2/3-7 | 2299-001 | Miscellaneous | 1969-1973 |
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 2/8 | 2299-001 | Subseries C: Contracts | 1969 |
| Subseries D: Conferences and Conventions | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 2/9 | 2299-001 | Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council 1971 Convention | 1971 |
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 2/10 | 2299-001 | Subseries E: Authorization Cards - University of Washington | 1968, 1972 |
| Subseries F: Subject Series | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 2/11 | 2299-001 | Davis-Bacon and Prevailing Wages | 1959-1972 |
| 2/12 | 2299-001 | Drugs | 1965-1968 |
| 2/13 | 2299-001 | Philadelphia Plan | 1969-1970 |
| 2/14 | 2299-001 | Seattle Model City Program | 1986-1970 |
| 2/15 | 2299-001 | Seattle Opportunities Industrial Center | 1966-1971 |
| 2/16 | 2299-001 | Seattle Urban League - LEAP Program | 1969 |
| 2/17 | 2299-001 | Seattle Urban League - Operation Breakthrough Proposal | 1969 |
| 2/18 | 2299-001 | Sign Ordinance | 1973 |
| 2/19 | 2299-001 | Situs Picketing Bill | 1960-1967 |
| 2/20 | 2299-001 | Wage Stabilization | 1971 |
| 2/21 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Board Against Discrimination | 1962-1970 |
| 2/22 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Department of Labor and Industries | 1961-1972 |
| 3/1 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Employment Security Department - Unemployment Compensation Insurance Legislation 1969 | 1970 |
| 3/2 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Employment Security Department - Workmen's Compensation Law 1971 | 1971 |
| 3/3-14 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Higher Education Personnel Board | 1969-1974 |
| 3/15-16 | 2299-001 | Washington (State) Legislature | 1971-1974 |
| 3/17 | 2299-001 | Washington State Ferries | 1970 |
| 3/18 | 2299-001 | Washington State Labor Council | 1970-1974 |
| SERIES II: COURT ORDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE | 1970-1972 | ||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/1 | 2299-001 | Subseries A: By-laws | 1970 |
| 4/2-3 | 2299-001 | Subseries B: General Correspondence | 1970-1972 |
| 4/4-6 | 2299-001 | Subseries C: Minutes | 1970-1972 |
| 4/7 | 2299-001 | Subseries D: Court Papers | 1970-1972 |
| 4/8 | 2299-001 | Subseries E: Miscellany | 1970-1971 |
| SERIES III: AFL-CIO, KING COUNTY LABOR COUNCIL | 1964-1973 | ||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/9 | 2299-001 | Subseries A: Organizational Features | 1964,; 1970-1973 |
| 4/10 | 2299-001 | Subseries B: General Correspondence | 1969-1973 |
| Subseries C: Subject Series | 1968-1972 | ||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/11-14 | 2299-001 | Affirmative Action | 1968-1972 |
| 4/15 | 2299-001 | Manpower and Veterans Assistance Committee Affirmative Action Plan | 1971-1972 |
| SERIES IV: SEATTLE-KING COUNTY PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE | 1971-1974 | ||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/16-17 | 2299-001 | Subseries A: General Correspondence | 1971-1974, Undated |
| 4/18 | 2299-001 | Subseries B: Minutes | 1971-1974 |
| 4/19 | 2299-001 | Subseries C: Reports | 1972-1974 |
| 4/20 | 2299-001 | Subseries D: Contracts | 1971-1973, Undated |
| Subseries E: Subject Series | |||
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/21-22 | 2299-001 | Affirmative Action Agreement - Articles of Incorporation | 1971-1972 |
| 4/23 | 2299-001 | Seattle-King County Plan | 1973 |
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/24 | 2299-001 | Subseries F: Clippings | 1971, Undated |
| 4/25 | 2299-001 | Subseries G: Miscellany | 1971, Undated |
| Box/Folder | Accession No. | ||
| 4/26 | 2299-001 | SERIES V: WASHINGTON STATE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL | 1972-1974 |
Accession No. 2299-002: Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council records, 1942-1958Return to Top
17.42 cubic feet
Scope and Content: Minutes, correspondence and financial records
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Restrictions on Use: Literary rights transferred
Acquisition Info: Lee Newgent, Executive Secretary 3/25/2014
Processing Info: Materials are boxed in the order they were received. Folders are well-labelled, but series are often out of order. Incoming materials were reboxed into clean, archival cartons.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERIES I: MINUTES Scope and Content: Includes minutes of Board meetings and Council Meetings | 1946-1953 | ||
| Box | Accession No. | ||
| 1 | 2299-002 | Minutes | 1946-1953 |
| 2 | 2299-002 | Minutes | 1946-1953 |
| SERIES II: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE | 1942-1958 | ||
| Box | Accession No. | ||
| 3 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 4 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 5 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 6 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 7 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 8 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 9 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 10 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 11 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| 12 | 2299-002 | General correspondence | 1942-1958 |
| SERIES III: FINANCIAL RECORDS Scope and Content: Includes cancelled checks and check registers | Undated | ||
| Box | Accession No. | ||
| 13 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
| 14 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
| 15 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
| 16 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
| 17 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
| 18 | 2299-002 | Financial records | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Affirmative action programs--Washington (State)
- Apprentices--Washington (State)
- Building trades--Employees--Labor unions--Washington (State)
- Building trades--Washington (State)
- Collective bargaining--Construction industry--Washington (State)
- Collective labor agreements--Construction industry
- Collective labor agreements--Washington (State)
- Construction industry--Washington (State)
- Construction workers--Labor unions--Washington (State)--Seattle
- County courts--Washington (State)
- Courts--Washington (State)
- Discrimination in employment--Washington (State)
- Education, Higher--Personnel management
- Housing authorities--Washington (State)
- Labor unions--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- St. Laurent, Austin
Corporate Names
- AFL-CIO. King County Labor Council of Washington
- Building & Construction Trades Council (Seattle, Wash.)--Archives
- King County (Wash.). Affirmative Action Advisory Committee
- King County (Wash.). Housing Authority
- Seattle Building Trades Council--Archives
- University of Washington--Employees
- Washington (State). Higher Education Personnel Board
- Washington (State). Superior Court (King County)
- Washington State Board Against Discrimination
Other Creators
Corporate Names
- Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (creator)
- Seattle Building Trades Council (creator)