CIO Political Action Committee (PAC) Records

Collection

Identifier: LR000647

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The CIO PAC collection consists of correspondence with state CIO PAC offices and numerous pamphlets and reports on election campaigns and issues of concern to organized labor.

Important subjects in the collection: Civil Rights Democratic Party Politics Elections Labor Legislation Labor and Politics National Health Care Legislation Taft-Hartley

Important correspondents in the collection: James Carey Tilford Dudley W. Don Ellinger Sidney Hillman Jack Kroll Philip Murray F. C. Pieper George Roberts

Dates

1943 - 1969

Creator

Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.) (Organization)

Language of Materials

Material entirely in English.

Access

Collection is open for research.

Use

Refer to the Walter P. Reuther Library Rules for Use of Archival Materials. Restrictions: Researchers may encounter records of a sensitive nature – personnel files, case records and those involving investigations, legal and other private matters. Privacy laws and restrictions imposed by the Library prohibit the use of names and other personal information which might identify an individual, except with written permission from the Director and/or the donor.

History

The CIO Political Action Committee (CIO PAC) was established in July 1943 to support Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1944 presidential campaign. After the 1944 election, the CIO maintained PAC as its permanent political action apparatus until the CIO merged with the American Federation of Labor in 1955. CIO PAC, funded by member contributions, provided financial assistance to CIO-endorsed candidates and supported pro-labor legislation. Amalgamated Clothing Workers president Sidney Hillman directed CIO PAC from 1943 until his death in 1946. When Jack Kroll took over in 1955, CIO PAC merged with Labor’s League for Political Education and a year later became the newly formed AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education.

Extent

17 Linear Feet (17 SB)

Additional Description

Abstract

Subjects include: civil rights; Democratic Party politics; elections; labor legislation; national health care legislation; Taft-Hartley Act

Arrangement

PLEASE NOTE: Folders are computer-arranged alphabetically in this finding aid, but may actually be dispersed throughout several boxes in the collection. Note carefully the box number for each folder heading.

Transfers

A number of union newspapers and convention proceedings as well as CIO PAC newsletters and other CIO publications have been placed in the Archives Library.