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Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records, 1942-1974

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Building & Construction Trades Council (Seattle, Wash.)
Title
Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records
Dates
1942-1974 (inclusive)
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.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities
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Historical Note

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.

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Content Description

Minutes, Correspondence, Financial records, Agreements, Bylaws, Court papers.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

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Administrative Information

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
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Detailed Description of the Collection

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)

Finding aid prepared by Midori Okazaki
2005 (Last modified: 8/30/2021)

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