Richard Gurtiza collection on Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, 1987-2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Gurtiza, Richard
Title
Richard Gurtiza collection on Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
Dates
1987-2001 (inclusive)
1992-2000 (bulk)
Quantity
.87 cubic ft. (2 boxes)
Collection Number
6161 (Accession No. 6161-001)
Summary
Materials related to the national APALA organization and the Seattle APALA chapter
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

No restrictions on access.

Records stored off site; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Richard Gurtiza is a Filipino American labor union activist and union officer originally from Wapato, Washington. Gurtiza is president of Region 37, Inlandboatman's Union of the Pacific, the marine division of the International Longshre and Warehouse Union. The union represents Alaska cannery workers, who from the 1930s onwards were largely Filipino Americans and Asian Americans. Gurtiza became a member of Local 37 in 1977 and became Regional Director of the IBU 1993.

Gurtiza was born in the small farming community of Wapato, Washington in the 1950s. Gurtiza was a founder of the local chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), an American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations constituency organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander labor union members. Gurtiza was also on the national Executive Board of APALA

In the late 1970s, Gurtiza was part of a rank and file reform movement of activist Local 37 cannery workers to reform the union and fight for better working conditions. Gurtiza worked with Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes—the leaders of the Alaska Cannery Workers Association—to build the reform movement. After Domingo and Viernes were murdered in 1981, Gurtiza and other reformers won leadership positions and transformed Local 37.

Gurtiza remains active in the IBU/ILWU, the King County Labor Council, and the Washington State Labor Council.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection of mailings, newsletters, convention and conference materials collected by Seattle Filipino American labor activist and union officer Richard Gurtiza. Gurtiza was a founder of the local chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), an American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations constituency organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander labor union members. Gurtiza was also on the national Executive Board of APALA, and some of the materials consist of convention materials from the national organizations' founding in 1992, leadership and education conferences; correspondence and newsletters.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Preservation Note

Records stored off site; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Information

2017-01-04

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Series I:  NEWSLETTERS, 1992-1999Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
APALA News
1992, 1993, 1999
1/2
Asianweek: Siding with Organized Labor
1996
1/3
Fliers and pamphlets
1996-1999

Series II:  MAILINGS AND FORMS, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/4
APALA New York Chapter jacket form
undated
1/5
Membership renewal
undated
1/6
AFL-CIO applications
undated

SERIES III:  SEATTLE APALA CHAPTER, 1993-1999Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/7
Seattle Chapter meetings
1993
1/8
Seattle Chapter By-Laws
undated
1/9-1/10
Binder 1: APALA Seattle 1 of 2
Chapter information, political action, correspondence
1997
1/10
Binder 1: APALA Seattle 2 of 2
Miscellaneous and membership
1997
1/11
Retreat Agenda and evaluations
1999

Series 4:  Memorandums, 1992-1993Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/12
Executive Board members
1992
1/13
Draft Model By-Laws
July 13, 1992
1/14
Memo and ballot
1992
1/15
January APALA/ Organizing Institute Training Program
1993
1/16
Materials available, Start-up funding
1992
1/17
Memorandums
February, 1993

SERIES V:  PROPOSALS AND POLICIES, 1987-1993Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/18
Policy on Clearance of Targets: Texas Triangle Organizing Committee
1987
1/19
Proposal Draft: The "Seattle Plan" Organizing Immigrant and Ethnic Communities
1993

SERIES VI:  CONVENTION MATERIALS, 1992-2001Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/20
National Convention invitations
1992, 1993, 1995
1/21
Founding Convention resolution
1992
1/22
Founding Convention brochures
1992
1/23
National Convention Materials: Los Angeles
August, 1993
1/24
National Convention Materials: New York City
August, 1995
1/25
National Convention Materials: San Francisco
August, 1997
1/26
National Convention Materials: Washington, D.C.
August, 1999
1/27
National Convention Materials: Honolulu, Hawaii
August, 2001
2/1
Binder 2: APALA Founding Convention: Making an Impact 1 of 2
Convention agenda, convention floorplan, rules and procedures, APALA constitution
1992
2/2
Binder 2: APALA Founding Convention: Making an Impact 2 of 2
Convention resolutions, APALA chapter, AFL-CIO, Convention pre-registration list
1992

SERIES VII:  LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 1994Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/3
Invitations and program
1994
2/4
Conference materials
1994

SERIES IIX:  ELECTIONS, 2000Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/5
Election 2000 and Beyond
August, 2000
2/6
APALA Vote 2000
2000

SERIES IX:  EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS, 1998-2001Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/7
Executive Board Meeting, Los Angeles, California
1998
2/8-2/9
Executive Board Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada
March, 1999
2/10
Executive Board Meeting, Washington, D.C.
1999
2/11
Executive Board Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii
2001

SERIES X:  MISCELLANEOUS, 1993Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/12
Settings, manual
undated
2/13
Letter
1993
2/14
APALA note pages
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Labor movement--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor unions--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Gurtiza, Richard--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

Form or Genre Terms

  • Records (Documents)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (host institution)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington)