New York Metro Area Postal Union Oral History
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
This collection consists of oral history interviews of 15 retired officers or activists of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, as well as interview transcripts. 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.
Historical Note
The New York Area Postal Union represents over 21,000 postal clerks, motor vehicle operators, maintenance, and mail handlers in New York and New Jersey. The local resulted from the 1958 secession of officers and members of Local 10, National Federation of Post Office Clerks, an organization dating back to 1901. The secessionists favored an industrial organization that would include all postal crafts.
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.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically by the interviewee's last name.
Scope and Contents
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.
Subjects
Organizations
People
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Cornell University, was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; New York Metro Area Postal Union Oral History; OH 003; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Dana Schechter on behalf of Cornell University in circa 1989. The accession number associated with this gift is 1980.021.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This collection was arranged and described by an archivist in December, 2022.
Repository
View Inventory
Biller, Morris, 1976-1978, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Biller was President of New York Area Postal Union of the American Postal Workers, AFL-CIO, as well as Regional Coordinator for the Northeast Region of the American Workers' Postal Union.
Epstein, Max, November, 1976, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Epstein discusses work experiences, McCarthyism and the Union in the 1930s.
Goldberg, Bernard, November 26, 1976
Scope and Contents
Goldberg discusses finance insurance funds, substition work, and work inequities.
Goodwin, Leo, November 30, 1976
Gottlieb, Otto, November 11, 1976
Kamish, Harry, December 9, 1976
Scope and Contents
Kamish was a delegate addressing poor working conditions; he discusses the Summerfield suspension and the 1958 break from AFL-CIO.
Kaye, Abraham, 1976-1977, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Kaye was a supervisor who was with the postal service from 1913-1958.
Mandell, Sidney, January 15, 1977
Scope and Contents
Mandell discusses being a woman on the job, GPO incoming mail, and general changes in the work environment.
Resnick, Elsie, November 26, 1976
Scope and Contents
Elsie Resnick discusses sexism at work, working conditions, GPO incoming mail, Sick Aid, and the 1970 strike.
Resnick, Robert, November 26, 1976
Scope and Contents
Robert Resnick discusses supervisor negligence, GPO incoming mail, and the 1970 strike.
Rosner, Milton, April 27, 1977
Scope and Contents
Rosner was Secretary-Treasurer of New York Metro Postal Workers; he discusses the credit union, politics and finances, and dangers of the job.
Ryland, Arthur, November, 1976, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Ryland discusses racism, the lengthy fight to be allowed to sit on the job, case stories, and the 1969 Contsitution Convention.
Salk, Charles, June 28, 1976
Scope and Contents
Salk discusses early labor conditions, his rise to leadership, and Dave Edelson.
Seligman, Philip, June 29, 1976
Scope and Contents
This group interview discusses the break from AFL-CIO and the fight to enforce exams for managers, among other topics.
