WAUIntlUnionMineMillSmelterWorkers_Local25_1608.xml Guide to the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers, Local 25 Records 1933-1971 International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers, Local 25 Records Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2007 (Last modified: 4/16/2018)
Allen Library BOX 352900 Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Business Number: 206-543-1929 speccoll@uw.edu http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-03-05. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25 records International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers. Local 25 (Tacoma, Wash.) 1608 3.61 cubic feet 4 boxes and one oversize vertical folder 1933-1971 Records of a Tacoma, Washington union of Mine, Mill and Smelter workers relating to grievances and negotiations, arbitration of several grievances, agreements Collection materials are in English.

The International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (formerly the Western Federation of Miners) was formed in 1916, and weathered repeated accusations of Communism against its leadership during the 1940s and 1950s; in 1967 it merged with the United Steelworkers of America. Local 25 of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers was organized in 1933 by workers at the Tacoma Smelter of the American Smelting and Refining Company. It continued as Local 25 of the United Steelworkers of America when the International merged with the United Steelworkers. The Tacoma Smelter, located on Commencement Bay in the company town of Ruston, Washington, had been in existence since1889. It was founded by William R. Rust as the Tacoma Smelting and Refining Company, and began operating in 1890. In 1905 the smelter was purchased by the American Smelting and Refining Company. The facility was originally used to smelt and refine lead, but in 1912 it was converted to a copper smelter and refinery.

The materials are arranged in 5 series:

Administrative Records of Local 25, 1933-1971 International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25, Ladies' Auxiliary, 1949-1952, undated International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25, Workmen's Safety Committee of the Tacoma Smelter, 1944-1968 Workmen's Hospital and Benefit Committee of the Tacoma Smelter International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, 1948-1965

The papers consist primarily of Local 25's administrative records, including materials relating to grievances and negotiations, arbitration of several grievances, agreements with the Tacoma Smelter, and Local 25's newsletter The Straight of It. There is minimal documentation of a strike in 1946 and a lockout in 1950, and a more significant amount of material relating to a lockout and extended work stoppage in 1959. Most material dates from before the merger of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers with the United Steelworkers of America, but some ephemera from after the merger are present in Administrative Records.

The Ladies' Auxiliary material consists primarily of minutes and a ritual book. The Workmen's Safety Committee material includes minutes, correspondence, accident reports and newsletters. The Hospital and Benefit Committee material includes correspondence, minutes and summaries of health and welfare plans. The material from the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers consists primarily of board meeting minutes, reports, fact sheets, newsletters and bulletins, and subject files concerning bargaining with the American Smelting and Refining Company, and a union representation campaign in Idaho.

Major correspondents include John Caughlan, Local 25's attorney and several executive officers of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25, 19 early 1960's: William E. Lee, Business Agent/Financial Secretary; Elmer Olson, Secretary/Secretary-Treasurer/Financial Secretary; Irving Dichter, Secretary-Treasurer; Arthur W. Stuart, Research Director; John Clarke, President; and Al Skinner, President.

The papers are also available on microfilm.

Access restricted: For terms of access, contact repository.

Records are stored off site; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25 Records, Special Collections Division, University of Washington Libraries.

Gift of the United Steelworkers Union, Local 25, via Rodger Vandegrift in 1971.

Eight state and federal government publications were offered to the Government Publications Collection in the Libraries.

The records of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers Union are presently in the Archives, University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries.

Wikidata is available for this collection

Caughlan, John, 1909-1999 Clark, John Dichter, Irving Lee, William E Olsen, Elmer W Skinner, A. C., (Al C.) International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers. Local 25 (Tacoma, Wash.)--Archives United Steelworkers of America. Local 25 (Tacoma, Wash.) Tacoma (Wash.)--Economic conditions Metal-workers--Labor unions--Washington (State)--Tacoma--Archives Collective bargaining--Metal-workers--Washington (State)--Tacoma Labor movement--Washington (State)--Tacoma Metal-workers--Employees--Labor unions--Washington (State)--Tacoma Mineral industries--Employees--Labor unions--Washington (State)--Tacoma Strikes and lockouts--Washington (State)--Tacoma Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Labor History Labor Unions Washington (State) Mines and Mineral Resources Newsletters Administrative records Agreements Administrative Records 1933-1971, undated

Some documentation from the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers is also present.

 Organizational Features 1941, undated 1608-001 Box 1 1 General Correspondence 1941-1969, undated 1608-001 Box 1 2-5 Interorganizational Correspondence 1954-1967 1608-001 Box 1 6-17

Correspondence between Local 25 and the International Union, including its American Smelting and Refining Company Council

 Minutes 1951, undated 1608-001 Box 1 18

Primarily contains minutes of shop stewards' meetings but also union committee meetings, a meeting of the Seattle-Tacoma "LE Committee" (apparently concerned with environmental and safety issues, but the actual name is unknown), publicity committee meetings and some which are completely unidentified.

 Agreements 1945-1968 1608-001 Box 1 19-24

Folder 1/24 contains an undated summary of agreements from 1937-1954

 Agreements - Other Unions and Locals 1948, 1950, 1953, 1955 1608-001 Box 1 25 Wage Scales 1941, 1954, undated 1608-001 Box 1 26 Manual of Smelter Workers' Duties undated 1608-001 Box 1 27

Manual includes wage scales; folder also contains one page of operating instructions for selenium scrubbing equipment.

 Grievances and Negotiations 1948-1963, undated 1608-001 Box 1 28-33 Arbitration 1943-1944, 1948, 1958, 1960 1608-001 Box 1 34-38 Hearings; Hearings on Unemployment Compensation 1959 1959 1608-001 Box 1 39 Appeals; Appeals - Washington State Department of Employment Security 1960 1608-001 Box 1 40 Subject Files 1946 Strike 1946, undated 1608-001 Box 2 1 1950 Lockout 1950, undated 1608-001 Box 2 2 1959 Health and Welfare Contracts 1959, 1960 1608-001 Box 2 3 1959 Lockout 1955, 1959, undated 1608-001 Box 2 4-7

Includes correspondence, negotiations, clippings and other related materials.

 1959 Negotiations 1608-001 Box 2 8 Building and Playground 1950-1955 1608-001 Box 2 9 Coeur d'Alene Strike 1960 1608-001 Box 2 10 Japanese Competition for Copper Smelting 1961, 1962 1608-001 Box 2 11

Includes one letter from Representative Thor Tollefson to William Lee, then Local 25's business agent.

 Lead Quotas 1963, undated 1608-001 Box 2 12 Pension Plan 1941, 1956-1968 1608-001 Box 2 13 Slavonian Hall Building 1958 1608-001 Box 2 14 United Steelworkers of America 1968, undated 1608-001 Box 2 15-21

Includes two letters from members withdrawing from the union, and flyers regarding union issues, both local and national. Also present are materials produced by the United Steelworkers of America, including copies of its constitution, adopted resolutions, reports and ephemera.

 William Lee Executive Board Campaign 1608-001 Box 2 22 Membership Records 1931-1970 1608-001 Box 2

Includes yearly member lists, meeting attendance records, withdrawals claimed, reclassification requests and other materials.

 Membership Records 1931-1970 1608-001 Box 3 1-2 Election Materials 1941-1959, undated 1608-001 Box 3 3-7

Includes ballots, tallies, resolution drafts, campaign ephemera and other materials.

 Financial Records 1955-1967, undated 1608-001 Box 3 8-14

Includes monthly and quarterly reports to the international union.

 Newsletter; The Straight Of It 1945-1964, 1971, undated 1608-001 Box 3 15-17 Newsletters; Other Organizations 1964 1608-001 Box 3 18 Press Releases 1963 1608-001 Box 3 19 Lists; Tacoma Smelter Staff undated 1608-001 Box 3 20 Ephemera of Local 25 and others 1947, 1961, undated 1608-001 Box 3 21-23 Legislation 1962, 1965, 1969 1608-001 Box 3 24 Clippings 1961, 1965, 1969, undated 1608-001 Box 3 25-26

One folder contains the contents of an envelope labeled "News Clippings News Tribune (Copper Situation) 1961"

 International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25, Ladies' Auxiliary 1949-1952, undated Ritual Book undated 1608-001 Box 3 27 Minutes 1949-1952, undated 1608-001 Box 3 28-29 International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 25, Workmen's Safety Committee of the Tacoma Smelter 1944-1968, undated General Correspondence 1956-1968 1608-001 Box 3 30 Minutes 1957-1968 1608-001 Box 3 31-39 Minutes; Washington State Metal Workers' Safety Committee 1961, 1966-1967, 1970 1608-001 Box 3 40 Subject File; Safety Tours 1956 1608-001 Box 3 41 Accident Reports 1952, 1956-1968 1608-001 Box 3 42-43 Accident Reports; Other American Smelting and Refining Company Plants 1962, 1964 1608-001 Box 3 44 Newsletters 1957 1608-001 Box 3 45 Newsletters; Other Organizations 1959-1960 1608-001 Box 3 46 Reports; Other Organizations 1960, 1962 1608-001 Box 3 47-48 Safety and Health Standards 1956, 1958, 1960, 1970, undated 1608-001 Box 3 49-50 Conference and Convention Files; Governor's Eleventh Annual Industrial Safety Committee 1960 1608-001 Box 3 51 Ephemera 1961, undated 1608-001 Box 3 52 Press Releases 1959, 1962 1608-001 Box 3 53 Workmen's Hospital and Benefit Committee of the Tacoma Smelter 1941-1967, undated Organizational Features undated 1608-001 Box 4 1 General Correspondence 1957-1967 1608-001 Box 4 2 Minutes 1955, 1958-1959 1608-001 Box 4 3 Agreements 1952, 1956, 1962, undated 1608-001 Box 4 4 Resolutions 1952 1608-001 Box 4 5 Appeals 1962 1608-001 Box 4 6 Health and Welfare Plan Summaries 1941-1964, undated 1608-001 Box 4 7 Ephemera 1953, undated 1608-001 Box 4 8 Clippings undated 1608-001 Box 4 9 International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers 1948-1965, undated Minutes 1961-1963 1608-001 Box 4 10

Minutes of the Executive Board and Canvassing Committee.

 Statements 1961, 1963 1608-001 Box 4 11 Arbitration 1961 1608-001 Box 4 12 Fact Sheets 1950, 1961-1963, undated 1608-001 Box 4 13

Includes material from the Education and Research Departments.

 Reports of the Canvassing Committee and Research Department 1963, undated 1608-001 Box 4 14 Newsletter; Mine-Mill Legislative Letter 1948-1965 1608-001 Box 4 15 Bulletins Mine Mill Research Department 1950 Mine Mill Strike Bulletin 1959 1608-001 Box 4 16 Mine-Mill's Bargaining Bulletin 1964 1608-001 Box 4 16 Officers & Stewards Bulletin 1964 1608-001 Box 4 17 Mine Mill Staff Bulletin 1965 1608-001 Box 4 17 Conference and Convention Files 1959, 1962-1965 1608-001 Box 4 18-19

Includes material from annual national conventions.

 Subject Files 1959 Demands 1959 1608-001 Box 4 20 1964 Bargaining 1964, undated 1608-001 Box 4 21-22 Bunker Hill Mine Union Representation Vote 1964, undated 1608-001 Box 4 23

Ephemera produced by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers as well as the United Steelworkers of America and Northwest Metal Workers, who were competing to represent workers at Idaho's Bunker Hill mine.

 Press Releases 1960-1965 1608-001 Box 4 24 Health and Welfare Manual undated 1608-001 Box 4 25 Ephemera 1964, undated 1608-001 Box 4 26 Ephemera 1964, undated 1608-001 OSVF0084