The United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSM) has its origins in the establishment of the Detroit Community Union in 1917. UWSM, called the United Foundation until it’s official name change in 1989, was formed in 1948 through the merger of the Detroit Community Chest and other Detroit charities, and came to be affiliated with the national United Way organization in 1970. UWSM is an umbrella organization providing funding for a wide range of social welfare agencies in the Metropolitan Detroit area, and worked closely with the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit (UCS), which was primarily concerned with streamlining and planning the delivery of social services in the city. The two merged in 1995 to create the UWCS, which existed until 2005, when the UWCS merged with the United Way of Oakland County to create a new body once again called the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. This final incarnation exists to this day. The Labor Department of the UWSM consists of local labor leaders who have partnered with the United Way in order to participate in it's charitable works.

The bulk of this collection consists of files of the correspondence, photographs and biographies of local labor leaders who have served as members of the Labor Participation Committee (LPC). Also included are photographs of various charitable events, programs and brochures, newspaper clippinigs, correspondence, anual reports, resolutions and bylaws, and workshop and training information.