Finding Aid For Materials Documenting Organized Labor, Union Activity and Strikes at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in the Willamette Heritage Center Collections

Union Application Card for Gertrude Ade, 1951. WHC Collections M3 1966-001, Box 70, Folder 5.

Overview: Although there is evidence of strike activity at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill as early as 1928, the first organized union appears to have been installed at the company in 1934.  Employees at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill were mostly members of the United Textile Workers (UTW) of America Local 2090, which also had members at local linen mills.  Efforts to create a “union shop” were only union members could be hired started in 1940 and appear to have been implemented in about 1948.

Big Events in Organized Labor at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill

1928 February.  Weavers walk out over proposed wage cut for one day. Full strike averted.
1934 Organization of union at Thomas Kay Woolen Mill

 

September. General Strike of Textile Workers across the country.  TKWM closed 16 days.  Pickets set up at factory and homes of leadership and scab workers
1937 August. Local 2090 – union representing TKWM employees votes to withdraw from parent organization because of affiliation with CIO and apply for new AFL charter.
1940 November. Strike.  Demands from wages are creation of union shop and pay increase.  Mill shut 15 days.  Resolution is a “Check off system”
1945 October.  Proposed changes to Union Agreement
1948 Union votes to create a union shop at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and institute a union shop clause.
1950 Collective bargaining leads to 10 cent an hour raise

 

Materials in Willamette Heritage Center Collections

M3 1966.001 TKWM Archival Records

Box 05, Folder 6: Publications and Correspondence: Rates and Wages

  • National Association of Wool Manufacturers Hourly Earnings in Selected Occupations of the Wool Textile Industry, 1936
  • Circular: US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division: Employer’s Digest of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
  • Correspondence with Portland Woolen Mills, Eureka Woolen Mills, Eugene Woolen Mills regarding comparative pay rates for Spoolers
  • State of Oregon Bureau of Labor Woolen Mill rates in Massachusetts, 1941
  • Pacific Coast Wool Manufacturers Association Wage Schedules in center per hour June 1939
  • What appears to be seniority list of Weave Room employees

Box 68, Folder 1: Miscellaneous Correspondence

  • 1951 Article from Textile World Magazine “The Operation Was Successful – But the Patient Died” about Union activity and Mount Hope Finishing Co., Dighton, Mass.

Box 70, Folder 5: Union Application Cards

  • Series of application cards to the United Textile Workers of America (Local 2090) dated 1948 – 1958. Includes name, age, address, position date of employment and dues deduction level.

Box 133, folder 17: National War Labor Board (1943-1945)

  • Office of Price Administration Correspondence and reports, 1945
  • Circulars from War Production Board, Office of War Information/Office of Price Administration
  • National War Labor Bard Application for Approval of Wage (Blank with instruction form
  • Treasury Department (Salary Stabilization Unit) Salary adjustment forms (blank) and instructions
  • Salary Increases – Re: Arthur R. Jones, E.W. Kay and K.H. Pickens. Correspondence with Treasury Department Salary Stabilization Unit)
  • Retroactive Wage Increases (War Labor Board)
  • Superintendent’s commission on sales
  • 1945 Vacation and bonus
  • Increases in weaver’s rates (correspondence with Textile Workers Union Local 2090 546 S 14t Street and Thomas Kay Woolen Mill from Robert C. Line Director 12th Regional War Labor Board.
  • Adolph Fenske
  • F. Berry
  • Factory rate increases of 5.5 cents per hour
  • L. Edwards
  • Factory Bonus 1942

Box 134, Folder 14: Textile Workers Union

  • Booklet: Constitution and By-Laws of the United Textile Workers of America (Revised 1950)
  • United Textile Workers of America Application Card (blank)
    • I hereby authorize Kay Woolen Mill to deduct from my wages, monthly, the amount of my Union Dues, playing same to the Secretary of Local 2090 United Textile Workers, on or before the 10th day of each month, and continue this procedure concurrently during the life of Union Agreement between Kay Woolen Mill and Local 2090 U.T.W.

Box 134, Folder 15: Union Agreements

  • Amendments list dated Oct 24, 1945

M3 1966-001-0006-0001 – 0003:  United Textile Workers of America Applications (blank)

M3 1993-003-0001: Working Agreement (between TKWM and Union) 1947

M3 1993-003-0002: Working Agreement (between TKWM and Union), 1951

Oral History Interviews (Accession M3 1994-016)

  • H.E. Donaldson, 1976
  • Otto Lehman, 1977
  • Hurbert Seamster, 1977
  • Ed Seamster, 1977
  • Carl Allport, 1977
  • Larry Rich, 1977
  • Lon Barrett, 1977
  • Adam Schissler, 1977
  • Dolly Clowes, 1977
  • Ernice Van Buren, 1977
  • James Hackett, 1977
  • Earl Huckstep, 1977
  • Jay Yarnell, 1977
  • George Noack, 1977
  • Marjorie Ann Huntington, 1977
  • Harry Blanchard, 1977

See the Source:

Read the 1951 Working Agreement between Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and the 2090 Local UTW (M3 1993-003-0002)