United Steelworkers of America (USWA),, 1958-1980
Series
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The Alfredo Chávez. Montoya Papers document Montoya's work as a labor organizer in the Southwest, 1940s1970s, with the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, the AFL-CIO, the United Steel Workers of America, the Bracero Program, the Asociacin Nacional Mexicano Americano, and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. Much of Montoya's work was based out of El Paso, Texas, involving the greater Southwest, especially New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas. The Montoya Papers primarily chronicle over thirty years of labor activity at the national, district and local levels, revealing diverse aspects of labor organizing, political involvement and the internal politics of labor unions. His papers provide an important resource for researchers interested in Mexican-American and Mexican labor history in the Southwest; the relationships between labor, government and the electoral process; as well as race, ethnicity, and gender issues in the labor movement. The collection is divided into twelve series. The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) series, 1977-1997, represents the beginning of another 20 years of Montoya's career. The bulk of this series remains unprocessed.
Bracero Program 1935-1951. Reference materials related to the 1942-1945 labor program initiated by the U.S. government.
Asociación Nacional Mexicano Americano, 1951-1954. Correspondence, financial records, newsletters and reference materials related to Montoya's time with ANMA.
Virginia Montoya, 1952-1953. Personal notebook of Virginia Montoya, wife of Alfredo Montoya. Contents relate to ANMA, the Bracero Program, Ladies' Auxiliary, and the Wallace political campaign.
International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (Mine Mill), 1930-1967. The second largest series in the collection documents 16 years of Mine Mill activity. The four subseries are International and National Administration, District Offices, Local Unions, and Reference Materials. The International and National Administration subseries contains publications and materials related to the executive board and staff, financial records, legal defense, political action and union conventions. The District Offices subseries consists of papers related to Montoya's role as both a Business Agent and an International Representative for Mine Mill, in addition to papers from other International Representatives and materials related to political organizing at the district level. The Local Unions subseries contains materials from local unions 412, 415, 470, 501, 509, 616, 700, 890, 903, Arizona and Nevada locals, and local union councils. The materials include correspondence, proposals, negotiations, agreements, contracts, arbitrations, grievances, and financial records. The last subseries, Reference Materials, consists of a variety of files related to Montoya's work.
United Steelworkers of America (USWA), 1958-1980 . The largest series of the Montoya Papers documents approximately 12 years of USWA activity and history. It is divided into six subseries: International Administration, District 37, District 38, Staff Representative, Local Unions, and National Councils and Committees. The International Administration subseries consists of materials related to the executive board, various departments of the International Office, agreements and negotiations with specific companies, conferences, and union elections. The District 37 subseries contains materials related to union activities at the district level, including correspondence, conferences, and conventions. The District 38 subseries is small, containing papers from campaigns for District Director, Chicano staff meetings, and political action. The Staff Representative subseries is substantial, containing large amounts of Montoya's papers. It is divided into three sections: Office Files, Organizations and Subjects Files and Political Activity. The Office Files section consists of papers largely related to the administrative duties of the Staff Representative. The section of Organizations and Subjects Files contains a large amount of varied material demonstrating the range of activity required of a Staff Representative. The papers and materials include USWA Agreements, various subject files related to Montoya's work, ranging from Air Pollution to Chicano Affairs to Education. This section also includes materials from the large number of organizations that Montoya maintained a membership and/or a leadership position in. The section on Political Activity is largely made up of materials related to the various city, state, and national elections, including voter analysis, voter registration, and campaign materials. The National Councils and Committees subseries is small containing materials from the ASARCO Bargaining Committee, the National Non-Ferrous Bargaining Council and the Phelps-Dodge National Negotiating Committee. The Local Unions subseries includes materials from local unions 501,509,890,903, 2407, and 6352. The materials reflect union activity at the local level, including correspondence, proposals, negotiations, agreements, contracts, arbitrations, grievances, and financial records.
AFL-CIO, 1969-1995. Divided into three subseries--National, Texas, and New Mexico AFL-CIO, the majority of the materials in the National AFL-CIO subseries are publications by the AFL-CIO. The Texas AFL-CIO is the largest of the subseries due to Montoya's location in El Paso.
Pennsylvania State University Oral History Project, 1969-1975. Contains the transcript of a 1969 oral history interview with Alfredo Montoya, plus permissions correspondence.
Consists of the founding documents, first national convention, first newsletters, and other early records of this organization, founded by U.S. Latino trade unionists.
Photographs, 1970.
Restricted, 1966-1976. These files primarily pertain to grievances, arbitration, accident reports, and terminations. Ask CSWR staff for potential access to these boxes.
Oversize, 1953-1971. Contains oversize materials removed from series above.
Newspapers, 1952-1977. This series contains scattered issues of a wide range of Mine Mill, AFL-CIO, and other labor newspapers from around the U.S.
Bracero Program 1935-1951. Reference materials related to the 1942-1945 labor program initiated by the U.S. government.
Asociación Nacional Mexicano Americano, 1951-1954. Correspondence, financial records, newsletters and reference materials related to Montoya's time with ANMA.
Virginia Montoya, 1952-1953. Personal notebook of Virginia Montoya, wife of Alfredo Montoya. Contents relate to ANMA, the Bracero Program, Ladies' Auxiliary, and the Wallace political campaign.
International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (Mine Mill), 1930-1967. The second largest series in the collection documents 16 years of Mine Mill activity. The four subseries are International and National Administration, District Offices, Local Unions, and Reference Materials. The International and National Administration subseries contains publications and materials related to the executive board and staff, financial records, legal defense, political action and union conventions. The District Offices subseries consists of papers related to Montoya's role as both a Business Agent and an International Representative for Mine Mill, in addition to papers from other International Representatives and materials related to political organizing at the district level. The Local Unions subseries contains materials from local unions 412, 415, 470, 501, 509, 616, 700, 890, 903, Arizona and Nevada locals, and local union councils. The materials include correspondence, proposals, negotiations, agreements, contracts, arbitrations, grievances, and financial records. The last subseries, Reference Materials, consists of a variety of files related to Montoya's work.
United Steelworkers of America (USWA), 1958-1980 . The largest series of the Montoya Papers documents approximately 12 years of USWA activity and history. It is divided into six subseries: International Administration, District 37, District 38, Staff Representative, Local Unions, and National Councils and Committees. The International Administration subseries consists of materials related to the executive board, various departments of the International Office, agreements and negotiations with specific companies, conferences, and union elections. The District 37 subseries contains materials related to union activities at the district level, including correspondence, conferences, and conventions. The District 38 subseries is small, containing papers from campaigns for District Director, Chicano staff meetings, and political action. The Staff Representative subseries is substantial, containing large amounts of Montoya's papers. It is divided into three sections: Office Files, Organizations and Subjects Files and Political Activity. The Office Files section consists of papers largely related to the administrative duties of the Staff Representative. The section of Organizations and Subjects Files contains a large amount of varied material demonstrating the range of activity required of a Staff Representative. The papers and materials include USWA Agreements, various subject files related to Montoya's work, ranging from Air Pollution to Chicano Affairs to Education. This section also includes materials from the large number of organizations that Montoya maintained a membership and/or a leadership position in. The section on Political Activity is largely made up of materials related to the various city, state, and national elections, including voter analysis, voter registration, and campaign materials. The National Councils and Committees subseries is small containing materials from the ASARCO Bargaining Committee, the National Non-Ferrous Bargaining Council and the Phelps-Dodge National Negotiating Committee. The Local Unions subseries includes materials from local unions 501,509,890,903, 2407, and 6352. The materials reflect union activity at the local level, including correspondence, proposals, negotiations, agreements, contracts, arbitrations, grievances, and financial records.
AFL-CIO, 1969-1995. Divided into three subseries--National, Texas, and New Mexico AFL-CIO, the majority of the materials in the National AFL-CIO subseries are publications by the AFL-CIO. The Texas AFL-CIO is the largest of the subseries due to Montoya's location in El Paso.
Pennsylvania State University Oral History Project, 1969-1975. Contains the transcript of a 1969 oral history interview with Alfredo Montoya, plus permissions correspondence.
Consists of the founding documents, first national convention, first newsletters, and other early records of this organization, founded by U.S. Latino trade unionists.
Photographs, 1970.
Restricted, 1966-1976. These files primarily pertain to grievances, arbitration, accident reports, and terminations. Ask CSWR staff for potential access to these boxes.
Oversize, 1953-1971. Contains oversize materials removed from series above.
Newspapers, 1952-1977. This series contains scattered issues of a wide range of Mine Mill, AFL-CIO, and other labor newspapers from around the U.S.
Dates
- 1958-1980
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research, however, boxes 20-23 are restricted, requiring researchers to sign a consent form prior to gaining access.
Extent
From the Collection: 27 boxes (25.6 cu. ft.) plus 1 oversize folder
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451