Hispanic Apparel Union Officers Oral History Collection
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection is comprised of interviews with 26 organizers, which were conducted by Geoffrey Fox as part of a study entitled "Hispanic Organizers and Business Agents." The study was published as an occasional paper of New York University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies in 1984. It explored how Hispanic immigrants were assimilated into labor organizations and how they, in the process, adapted and reformed these organizations for themselves. Interviewees were mostly members of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Except for four New York-born Puerto Ricans, all interviewees are immigrants from Latin America, including: Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, and Honduras. Interviewees discuss their careers, experiences in the industry and unions, organizing methods, and views on the labor movement.
Historical Note
The interviews were conducted by Geoffrey Fox as part of a study entitled "Hispanic Organizers and Business Agents," published as an occasional paper of New York University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies in 1984. The study explored how Hispanic immigrants were assimilated into labor organizations and how they, in the process, adapted and reformed these organizations for themselves.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by interviewee's last name.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of interviews in English and Spanish with 26 organizers, most of whom worked for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Except for four New York-born Puerto Ricans, all interviewees are immigrants from Latin America, including: Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, and Honduras. Interviewees discuss their careers, experiences in the industry and unions, organizing methods, and views on the labor movement. Additionally, there is one box of transcripts and interview notes, which also contains Geoffrey E. Fox's "Hispanic Organizers and Business Agents in the New York Apparel Industries," a paper derived from the interviews. Most interviews have notes and transcripts; interviews without transcripts are: Rosa Mejias, Ed Vargas, and Roger Waldinger.
Subjects
Organizations
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. Repository is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection. Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Olga Velasco, Ernesto Castillo, and Juan Laboriel, was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Hispanic Apparel Union Officers Oral History Collection; OH.004; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Geoffrey Fox in 1984. The accession number associated with this collection is 1950.132.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Access to audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Original audiocassettes were digitized in 2013. In 2024, individual listings for original recording, transcript, and access copy were added to each interview subject in the inventory.
Language regarding the ethnic identities of the interviewees -- including archival description and subject headings -- are based on the terms used in Geoffrey Fox's project and subsequent study.
Revisions to this Guide
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Kathy Andrade, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
Union colonizer, organizer.
Subjects
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Sandy Bermejo, Dec 8, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
Headwear Joint Board, business agent.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
José Berríos, Dec 8, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
District 65 organizer, Headwear Joint Board, Hatters Union.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Enio Carrion, undated
Historical/Biographical Note
UFWA organizer, local business agent, secretary treasurer, president, AFL/CIO.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Ernesto Castillo, Rosa Mejias, and Julia Pietri, Jan 9, 1984, inclusive
Language of Materials
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Delores Dávila and Juan Laboriel, Dec 8, 1983 and Dec 9, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ACTWU 169 council member, vice-president, chair, claims department, business agent.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Edwin Espaillat, Mar 25, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
Flight engineer, ACT union founder, AFT local chair, HCL secretary, LCLAA vice-president, AIFLD teacher.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Pascual Fonseca, Jan 12, 1984, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
Experience as factory union organizer, balancing personal and professional lives.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Geoffrey Fox, "Hispanic Organizers and Business Agents in the New York Apparel Industries.", Apr 1984, inclusive
Manuel (Manny) Gonzalez, Jan 4, 1984, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ILGWU Local 22: Head of Education Department, organizer, executive board, secretary-manager, vice-president ILGWU.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Emigdio Hernández and Abraham Escobar, Jan 11, 1984, inclusive
Language of Materials
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Ernesto Jofre, Mar 3, 1983, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
Discussion of Chilean labor unions, imprisonment, emigration, and experience as ACTWU organizer.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Juan Laboriel, Dec 9, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
UFCW General Organizer.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Wilfredo Larancuent, Nov 11, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
Headwear Joint Board vice-president, ACTWU local 110 manager, Baby Bonnet Workers Union.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Sonia Laracuente, Dec 13, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ILGWU local 40 translator, business agent, Red Cross CETA Program.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Ernesto Macias, Maria Martinez, and Ernesto Castillo, Jan 9, 1984, inclusive
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Rosa Mejias, Jan 9, 1984, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ILGWU local 66 Education Director, active in International Dept. Education.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Lionel Otero and Luis Santiago, Jun 1, 1984, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ACWU Education Director, business agent, Amalgamated Services Joint Bd.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Frank Perez, Jan 23, 1984, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
Discussion of experiences as ILGWU local 132 delegate, organizer, Executive Board, and dismissal.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Jose Prince, Mar 28, 1983, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
Discussion of Cuban labor movement, CLAT rep. in U.S., Latin American labor movement.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Aracelly Santana, Nov 17, 1983, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
Discussion of experience as ILG business agent, corruption, sexism, and harassment in union.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Ed Vargas, Dec 29, 1983, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
ILG organizer.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Olga Velasco, Jan 10, 1984, inclusive
Historical/Biographical Note
Organizer, ACTWU NY Joint Board.
Original Recording
Access Copy
Transcript
Roger Waldinger, Nov 18, 1983, inclusive
Scope and Content Note
"Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the New York Garment Industry"
