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Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Administrative Information
Related Materials
Controlled Access Headings
Other Finding Aids
Collection Inventory: Series 1: Labor Union Records; Series 2: Microfilm; Series 3: Memorabilia and Photographs; Series 4: Reference Materials and Publications

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Harry Block papers, 1933-1960

1443

Collection Overview


Title:	Harry Block papers
Dates (Inclusive):	1933-1960
Creator:	Block, Harry, 1908-1988
Abstract:	Harry Block (1908-1988) was a leader in both the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO (1960-1982). This collection documents the formation and history of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, its successor, the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
Collection Number:	1443
Size:	3.5 Linear Feet
Location:	For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library catalog.
Repository:	Special Collections Library. Pennsylvania State University.
Languages:	English

Biographical Note

Harry Block (1908-1988) was financial secretary of United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE) local 18368 (1933-1936), vice-president of the UE (1936-1946), president of its successor, the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (IUE) (1949-1972), and secretary-treasurer of the Pennsylvania CIO Council (1946-1960).

Having organized production workers of Philco Corporation into locals 101 and 102 of the IUE, Block headed a bitter strike of its 8,000 members (1954). Block later played a role in the contentious merger in Pennsylvania of the AFL and CIO (1960), the national organizations having merged five years previously. He then became secretary of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO (1960-1982).

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Collection Overview

The collection documents the organization of the electrical manufacturing industry. Highlights include: early attempts to obtain a charter from the AFL and subsequent membership in the CIO; struggles for control of the union by internal factions; and the 1949 withdrawal of the union from the CIO in reaction to charges of Communist control.

The collection includes: IUE-CIO convention proceedings, booklets, newsletters, memorabilia, and reference publications. 8 reels of microfilm contain meeting minutes, correspondence, reports, financial documents, and the journals Philco Flash and The Microphone.

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Harry Block papers, HCLA 1443, Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.

Acquisition Information

Harry Block donated four reels of microfilm created from his personal papers to Pennsylvania State University in 1967. The remainder of the collection was donated in 1983.

Processing Information

Processed by G. Johns, June 2014.

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Related Materials

Related Material

An oral history with Harry Block (1967) can be found in the United Steelworkers of America and Labor Oral History collection (HCLA 1684) at the Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

Microforms

Personal Name(s)

Block, Harry, 1908-1988

Subject(s)

Labor -- Electrical Workers -- CIO -- AFL -- Pennsylvania

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Other Finding Aids

A microfilm index is available in the repository; filed in the Control Folder.

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Collection Inventory

Click associated checkboxes to select items to request. When you have finished, click the Submit Request button.

Series 1: Labor Union Records,
		Box	Folder
National Recovery Administration (NRA), Electrical Radio Industry, 1929		1	1
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and convention proceedings, 1933-1935		1	2-5
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and convention proceedings, 1936-1940		1	6-12
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports marked by the events of World War II, including War Production Board correspondence, Philadelphia Peace Mobilization newsletter, and Block's plan for the rehabilitation of demobilized soldiers, 1941-1945		1	13-19
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports marked by the Taft-Hartley Act, elections of the National Labor Relations Board, and ongoing allegations of Communist Party affiliation, 1946-1949		1	20-31
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports, circa 1955; Undated		1	32-34
International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (IUE): financial report, 1972		2	9
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Series 2: Microfilm,
	Box	reel	frame
Radio and Allied Trades National Labor Council: meeting minutes, 1933	3	1	1-5
INCA union wage rates, 1933-1934	3	1	6-8
Industrial concerns in radio manufacturing, 1933-1934	3	1	9-12
Bobelite, Loganite and Phenolic Federal Labor Union (Scranton, Pa.) to AFL concerning wages: correspondence, 1934	3	1	13
National Radio and Allied Trades Council: bylaws, 1934	3	1	13
National Recovery Administration (NRA): statement by James B. Carey, President of the National Radio and Allied Trades Council, 1934	3	1	15
National Recovery Administration (NRA): code of fair competition for the electrical manufacturing industry: meeting minutes, 1934	3	1	16-20
National Recovery Administration (NRA): statement, 1934	3	1	20-33
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) (Philadelphia, Pa.): meeting minutes, 1934	3	1	34-36
National Recovery Administration (NRA): correspondence, 1934	3	1	37
Radio Manufacturers' Association (RMA) to the National Recovery Administration (NRA): statement, 1934	3	1	38-46
Electrical Industrial Employees Union to the National Radio and Allied Trades Council: correspondence, 1934	3	1	47-49
National Radio and Allied Trades Council: correspondence, 1934	3	1	50
Simplex Radio Company and the United Radio Workers Union (Sandusky, Ohio): agreement, 1934	3	1	51-54
Federal Trade Union: meeting minutes, 1934	3	1	55-56
Radio and Allied Trades National Labor Council: proceedings, 1934	3	1	57-87
The Future of Organized Labor, by John L. Lewis, 1934	3	1	88-94
National Radio and Allied Trades Council (Cincinnati, Ohio): meeting minutes, 1934	3	1	95-115
National Radio and Allied Trades Council (Philadelphia, Pa.): convention announcement,	3	1	115
National Radio and Allied Trades Council (Atlantic City, New Jersey): meeting minutes, 1935	3	1	116-178
National Radio and Allied Trades Council (Pittsburgh, Pa.): conference minutes, 1935	3	1	179-205
Correspondence: Frank Morrison to Harry Block, 1936	3	1	206-207
Correspondence: William Green to James B. Carey, 1936	3	1	208-210
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO): press release, 1936	3	1	211
National Radio and Allied Trades Council (Washington, DC): conference minutes, 1936	1	1	212-252
Machine, Tool and Foundry Workers Union (Local 203): correspondence concerning strike fund, 1936	3	1	253
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): affiliations and convention minutes, 1936	3	1	254-255
Correspondence: Harry Block to American Federation of Labor (AFL), 1936	3	1	256-257
Correspondence: machinist strike (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1936	3	1	258
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, district council, 1936	3	1	259-267
Convention call to UE members, 1936	3	1	270-271
UE International: financial statements, 1936	3	1	268-269
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): reports and minutes from first annual convention (Fort Wayne, Indiana), 1936	3	1	272-361
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): General Executive Board report, 1936	3	1	362-368
Pennsylvania Federation of Labor: convention proceedings (Uniontown, Pa.), 1936	3	1	369-382
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, 1936-1937	3	1	383-413
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): correspondence to the National Radio and Allied Trades Council, 1937	3	1	414-418
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO): correspondence concerning dues (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1937	3	1	419
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): General Executive Board minutes, 1937	3	1	420-441
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO): certificate of affiliation, 1937	3	1	442
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, International Association of Machinists (IAM) granted membership, 1937	3	1	443-461
People's Press, headlining joining of IAM with UE, 1937	3	1	462
American Federation of Labor (AFL): resolution to charter all federal unions in radio industry, 1937	3	1	463
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements, constitution, bylaws, and unemployment council, 1937-1938	3	1	464-793
American League for Peace and Democracy: correspondence to United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), concerning delegates to Washington, DC, 1938	3	1	794-795
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes and financial statements, 1938	3	1	796-811, 819-852
Resolution condemning employee lockout by Philadelphia Storage Battery Company and Philco Radio & Television Corporation, 1938	3	1	812-813
Correspondence: American Federation of Labor (AFL) to Block suggesting settlement of jurisdiction conflict, 1938	3	1	814-818
James J. Matles: organization report, 1938-1939	3	1	853-857, 901-907
Maximum weekly relief allowances, 1939	3	1	858
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes and financial statement of Price Battery Company lockout, 1939	3	1	859-860, 1027
Union organization notes, 1939	3	1	861-866
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, 1939	3	1	867-871, 874-880
Communist Party of America (Philadelphia, Pa.): correspondence regarding tax protest, 1939	3	1	872
American League for Peace and Democracy: correspondence to Block, 1939	3	1	873
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): resolutions of the Machine, Tool & Die (Local 155), La Follette Civil Liberties Committee and Dies Committee, 1939	3	1	881-882
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes and financial statements, 1939	3	1	883-885, 927-934, 949-956, 983-988, 990-991, 996-1016, 1018-1020, 1028-1034
Radio conference (Cleveland, Ohio): conference minutes and report, 1939	3	1	886-900
Maytag: campaign statement of income and expenses, 1939	3	1	908, 923
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes and reports of the General Executive Board, 1939	3	1	909-922, 924-926, 935-948, 957-982, 992-995, 1017, 1021-1026
Correspondence: Communist Party of Eastern Pennsylvania to UE members in support of German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, 1939	3	1	989
Proceedings of the Second Annual Convention of the Ladies Auxiliaries (UE), 1939-1940	3	1	996-983, 1163-1165
Correspondence: from James B. Carey concerning resolution to censure John L. Lewis for criticizing Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1940	3	1	1035-1036
Resolution criticizing John L. Lewis, as drafted by the United Instrument Workers (Local 116) (UE), 1940	3	1	1037-1038
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes containing Franklin D. Roosevelt third term resolution and endorsement, 1940	3	1	1039-1046, 1142
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes and reports to the General Executive Board, 1940	3	1	1047-1081, 1160-1162
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports, 1940-1941	3	1	1082-1133, 1135-1140, 1146-1159, 1166-1178, 1180
Correspondence: from Harry Block to James B. Carey requesting information on the Franklin D. Roosevelt third term resolution, 1940	3	1	1134
Resolution of Machine, Tool & Die (Local 155) (UE) calling for training of mechanics in US defense buildup, 1940	3	1	1141
Resolution rejecting John L. Lewis' opposition to Franklin D. Roosevelt's third term, as drafted by the United Instrument Workers (Local 116) (UE), 1940	3	1	1143-1145
Correspondence: from the Trade Union Conference against War, 1941	3	1	1179
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports marked by the events of World War II, including: Anti Nazi resolutions; the campaign to free Earl Browder (CPUSA); the attack on Pearl Harbor; sacrifices by workers to win the war, and Block's plan for the rehabilitation of demobilized soldiers, 1941-1945	3	2	1-865
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports marked by the Taft-Hartley Act, elections of the National Labor Relations Board, and ongoing allegations of Communist Party affiliation, 1946-1948	3	3	863-1289
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): meeting minutes, financial statements and reports, 1948-1949	3	3	1-21, 23-28, 31-70, 74-163
Correspondence: from Philadelphia (Pa.) Newsboys Union (Local 473) demanding repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act, 1948	3	3	29-30
Correspondence: from Local 103 discussing raids by UMW and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), 1948	3	3	22
"The CIO must fight for the people," statement, 1949	3	3	71-73
Correspondence: from Block protesting election results and documenting take over attempt by "left wing" forces, 1949	3	3	164-178
Declaration of the UE convention's "right wing' caucus, 1949	3	3	179-184
Resolution on expulsion of the UE and withdraw of certificate of affiliation by the 11th Constitutional Convention of the CIO, 1949	3	3	185-196
Broadside calling for the UE to remain in the CIO, 1949	3	3	197
Provisional constitution, broadside and credentials of the first convention, IUE-CIO, 1949-1950	3	3	198-231
Fascist bulletin and "Ten years of Communist control, circa 1955	3	3	302-321
IUE-CIO: meeting minutes, President James B. Carey and Vice President Harry Block, circa 1955	3	3	322-340
"A tribute to Harry Block," including biography and letters from James B. Carey, Walter Reuther, Joseph Clark and David Lawrence, Undated	3	3	341
		Box	reel
Philco Flash, issued by the employees of the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1932-1934		3	4
The Microphone, published by Radio and Television Workers Federal Labor Union (Local 18368) (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1934-1936, 1950		3	4
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Series 3: Memorabilia and Photographs, 1951-1971; Undated
			Box
IUE-CIO and AFL-CIO convention badges and pins, 1951-1971; undated ,			3
		Box	Folder
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): photographs of National Executive Board minutes, 1941		1	35
Certificates of appreciation; group photograph (Harry Boyer, Governor George M. Leader, Harry Block), 1957-1979; undated		1	36
Certificate of meritorious service awarded to Harry Block, 1982		2	15
Portrait of James B. Carey, President of the National Radio and Allied Trades Council, undated		2	15
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Series 4: Reference Materials and Publications,
		Box	Folder
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE): Constitution and bylaws, leadership and job rating manuals, circa 1955		2	1
International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, CIO (IUE-CIO): Constitution and bylaws, 1949-1971		2	2-3
Report of the Citizens Commission on Basic Education, circa 1980		2	4
Pamphlets and booklets addressing labor issues and agreements , circa 1955-circa 1975		2	5-6, 11-13
Wisconsin CIO News-Magazine; UE News; IUE News, , circa 1955; 1973-1976		2	7
Democracy and the John Birch Society; George Meany: the making of a freedom fighter, by Gus Taylor, 1961; 1979		2	8
Tributes to Harry Block and Harry Boyer, 1973; 1982		2	10
			Box
4th, 9th-14th, 16th, 18th IUE Constitutional Convention Proceedings, 1952, 1960-1970, 1974, 1978			2
The IUE in Canada, by Terry Copp, 1980 ,			2
Handbook on International Operations of the Electrical and Electronics Industry, 1964			2
Labor laws and their administration (IAGLO Proceedings), 1962			2
		Box	Folder
The Microphone; news clippings and memorandum of agreement, 1935-circa 1960		2	14
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Penn State University Libraries - University Libraries Home

Table of Contents

Additional Resources

Harry Block papers, 1933-1960 1443

Collection Overview

Biographical Note

Collection Overview

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Copyright Notice

Preferred Citation

Acquisition Information

Processing Information

Related Materials

Related Material

Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s)

Other Finding Aids

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Labor Union Records,

Series 2: Microfilm,

Series 3: Memorabilia and Photographs, 1951-1971; Undated

Series 4: Reference Materials and Publications,

Harry Block papers, 1933-1960

1443