Barbara Wertheimer, labor educator at Cornell NYSSILR's New York Labor Extension, conceived of an oral history project utilizing union retiree groups to document workers' contributions to New York City. The study of the New York Metro Postal Workers began in 1976 with a small grant under the direction of Dana Schecter. For two years, Schecter met with a group of retired postal workers, trained them in oral history techniques, and set them to the task of the interviewing. Schecter donated the tapes and transcripts to the Wagner Archives in 1980.

This collection consists of oral history interviews of 15 retired officers or activists of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, as well as transcripts of each of the interviews. The interviews cover the topics of postal service working conditions, the evolution of the Union and its leadership, the Local 10, the National Federation of Post Office Clerks, the organization of Postal Union of Manhattan – Bronx Clerks, National Postal Clerks Union, and the national postal strike of 1970. The collection also contains an extensive interview with Morris Biller, President of the union from 1959-80, when he became president of the national union.

All interviews have master recordings (stored in Box 2) and user access copies (stored in Box 3). All interviews have paper transcripts with the exception of Leo Goodwin and Otto Gottlieb.