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

Historical NoteReturn to Top

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.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

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

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

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

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Accession No. 2299-001: Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council records, 1959-1974Return to Top

4 cubic feet

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.

Restrictions on Use: Literary rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Records were given to the Libraries by the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council on August 9, 1974.

Scope and Content: The Building & Construction Trades Council (Seattle, Wash.) records document the activities of the council in the 1960s and early 1970s. Over half of the accession is related to competing efforts to increase minority participation in the building trade unions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Correspondence, case files, minutes, court files, subject files, and other records relate to the council's role in negotiations with employers regarding such issues as affirmative action and apprenticeship programs with the King County, Washington, Superior Court and the University of Washington. The various committees and plans, which sought to resolve issues out of court with the aid of federal funds, are documented in the General Correspondence series. These files contain a mix of correspondence to, from, and about the referenced entity as well as other related materials. Such plans include the Philadelphia Plan, which was the Nixon Administration's prototype envisioned for adoption across the country; the Seattle Urban League's LEAP Plan; and the Menasco Plan, which was the basis for construction industry employers' minority hiring program. The Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council's own efforts are documented in files titled "Outreach" and "Outreach Program."

Materials related to U.S. v. Ironworkers Local 86, which the council referred to internally as Court Case #8618 (after its civil case number), can be found in the General Correspondence and the Case Files series. The Court Order Advisory Committee subgroup contains general correspondence, minutes, bylaws, and court papers of the committee. The Miscellany file in this subgroup appears to have been maintained personally by Austin St. Laurent. While the committee continued to work into the mid-1970s, no documents in this subgroup are dated later than 1972. Because the committee existed to implement the court's order, material related to the advisory committee can also be found in the Court Case #8618 files. Likewise, the Court Order Advisory Committee subgroup contains materials on the court case.

The remainder of the collection focuses on other aspects of the council's work. These materials date from the early 1960s through the mid-1970s. The General Correspondence series includes files regarding the University of Washington and the Washington State Higher Education Personnel Board (HEP Board) that document the council's representation of University of Washington employees. The HEP Board files contains minutes from many of the board meetings from 1969 to 1974 as well as memoranda and correspondence. There are also subject files on issues of interest to organized labor, including situs picketing and President Nixon's suspension of prevailing wage regulations. These files contain correspondence and other materials.

Also included are materials relating to the King County Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, the King County Central Labor Council, the King County Housing Authority, and Washington State Board Against Discrimination.

Processing Info: Processed by Midori Okazaki.

U.S. Department of Labor Brochure digitized for Web-accessible finding aid housed in Box 2/11. E. Inlow, 3/15/2005

Processing Info: Processing completed in 2005.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession No.
1/1-18 2299-001
SERIES I: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
1964-1974
Subseries A: General Correspondence
Box/Folder Accession No.
1/1 2299-001
Associated General Contractors - Proposals - Minority Training
1969-1970
1/2 2299-001
Environmental Health Problems
1967-1969
1/3 2299-001
Equal Employment
1964-1971
1/4 2299-001
Evans, Daniel J.
1970-1971
1/5 2299-001
Housing - Low Income Housing for Elderly, etc.
1966-1971
1/6 2299-001
King County Affirmative Action Advisory Committee 1968
1971-1972
1/7 2299-001
King County Executive [and] Council
1969-1974
1/8 2299-001
Legislation: HB 239 (re. Minority Training)
1970
1/9 2299-001
Menasco Plan
1970
Outreach Program
Box/Folder Accession No.
1/10-11 2299-001
Apprenticeship - Apprenticeship Standards
1970
1/12 2299-001
Apprenticeship - Proposed Legislation
1970
1/13 2299-001
Drafts
1970-1973
1/14-16 2299-001
Miscellaneous
1969-1970
University of Washington
Box/Folder Accession No.
1/17-18 2299-001
Apprenticeship and Training Programs
1968-1971
1/19 2299-001
Negotiations 1969
1968-1969
1/20-21 2299-001
Rules File
1961-1968
1/22 2299-001
Second Election
1967-1969
1/23-24 2299-001
Miscellaneous
1971-1974
Subseries B: Case Files
Court Case #8618: U.S. v. Local 86
Box/Folder Accession No.
1/25 2299-001
Briefs
1970
1/26 2299-001
Related Cases
1969-1970
2/1-2 2299-001
Transcripts (of Court Proceedings)
1970-1971
2/3-7 2299-001
Miscellaneous
1969-1973
Box/Folder Accession No.
2/8 2299-001
Subseries C: Contracts
1969
Subseries D: Conferences and Conventions
Box/Folder Accession No.
2/9 2299-001
Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council 1971 Convention
1971
Box/Folder Accession No.
2/10 2299-001
Subseries E: Authorization Cards - University of Washington
1968, 1972
Subseries F: Subject Series
Box/Folder Accession No.
2/11 2299-001
Davis-Bacon and Prevailing Wages
1959-1972
2/12 2299-001
Drugs
1965-1968
2/13 2299-001
Philadelphia Plan
1969-1970
2/14 2299-001
Seattle Model City Program
1986-1970
2/15 2299-001
Seattle Opportunities Industrial Center
1966-1971
2/16 2299-001
Seattle Urban League - LEAP Program
1969
2/17 2299-001
Seattle Urban League - Operation Breakthrough Proposal
1969
2/18 2299-001
Sign Ordinance
1973
2/19 2299-001
Situs Picketing Bill
1960-1967
2/20 2299-001
Wage Stabilization
1971
2/21 2299-001
Washington (State) Board Against Discrimination
1962-1970
2/22 2299-001
Washington (State) Department of Labor and Industries
1961-1972
3/1 2299-001
Washington (State) Employment Security Department - Unemployment Compensation Insurance Legislation 1969
1970
3/2 2299-001
Washington (State) Employment Security Department - Workmen's Compensation Law 1971
1971
3/3-14 2299-001
Washington (State) Higher Education Personnel Board
1969-1974
3/15-16 2299-001
Washington (State) Legislature
1971-1974
3/17 2299-001
Washington State Ferries
1970
3/18 2299-001
Washington State Labor Council
1970-1974
SERIES II: COURT ORDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
1970-1972
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/1 2299-001
Subseries A: By-laws
1970
4/2-3 2299-001
Subseries B: General Correspondence
1970-1972
4/4-6 2299-001
Subseries C: Minutes
1970-1972
4/7 2299-001
Subseries D: Court Papers
1970-1972
4/8 2299-001
Subseries E: Miscellany
1970-1971
SERIES III: AFL-CIO, KING COUNTY LABOR COUNCIL
1964-1973
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/9 2299-001
Subseries A: Organizational Features
1964,; 1970-1973
4/10 2299-001
Subseries B: General Correspondence
1969-1973
Subseries C: Subject Series
1968-1972
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/11-14 2299-001
Affirmative Action
1968-1972
4/15 2299-001
Manpower and Veterans Assistance Committee Affirmative Action Plan
1971-1972
SERIES IV: SEATTLE-KING COUNTY PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
1971-1974
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/16-17 2299-001
Subseries A: General Correspondence
1971-1974, Undated
4/18 2299-001
Subseries B: Minutes
1971-1974
4/19 2299-001
Subseries C: Reports
1972-1974
4/20 2299-001
Subseries D: Contracts
1971-1973, Undated
Subseries E: Subject Series
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/21-22 2299-001
Affirmative Action Agreement - Articles of Incorporation
1971-1972
4/23 2299-001
Seattle-King County Plan
1973
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/24 2299-001
Subseries F: Clippings
1971, Undated
4/25 2299-001
Subseries G: Miscellany
1971, Undated
Box/Folder Accession No.
4/26 2299-001
SERIES V: WASHINGTON STATE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
1972-1974

Accession No. 2299-002: Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council records, 1942-1958Return to Top

17.42 cubic feet

Scope and Content: Minutes, correspondence and financial records

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users

Restrictions on Use: Literary rights transferred

Acquisition Info: Lee Newgent, Executive Secretary 3/25/2014

Processing Info: Materials are boxed in the order they were received. Folders are well-labelled, but series are often out of order. Incoming materials were reboxed into clean, archival cartons.

Container(s) Description Dates
SERIES I: MINUTES
Scope and Content: Includes minutes of Board meetings and Council Meetings
1946-1953
Box Accession No.
1 2299-002
Minutes
1946-1953
2 2299-002
Minutes
1946-1953
SERIES II: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
1942-1958
Box Accession No.
3 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
4 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
5 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
6 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
7 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
8 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
9 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
10 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
11 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
12 2299-002
General correspondence
1942-1958
SERIES III: FINANCIAL RECORDS
Scope and Content: Includes cancelled checks and check registers
Undated
Box Accession No.
13 2299-002
Financial records
undated
14 2299-002
Financial records
undated
15 2299-002
Financial records
undated
16 2299-002
Financial records
undated
17 2299-002
Financial records
undated
18 2299-002
Financial records
undated

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)