XII. UE DISTRICT AND LOCAL PUBLICATIONS FILES OF PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT LES FINNEGAN, 1942-1955

Grouped by district and local number and arranged chronologically therein. Contains a small amount of UE-United Farm Equipment Workers (FE-UE) publications filed at the end.

Finnegan created an extensive reference series composed of UE district and local publications received from district officials, field representatives, and local union officers. Publications predating the IUE-UE schism in 1949 were forwarded to Carey and Finnegan by UEMDA members and the pro-Carey faction within UE locals. Items include: local and district newspapers, clippings, bulletins (some corporate), releases, circular letters, strike and organizing leaflets, and scattered reports, minutes, and resolutions generated by district councils and local union executive boards.

Supporting memoranda and correspondence within the files provide contextual information regarding the nature of the publications and their intended use by the IUE. Finnegan used the files as an important reference source for the preparation of anti-UE organizing campaign literature and the drafting of Carey speeches tailored to address local conditions.

Among the major campaigns chronicled by the publications and clippings are: UE Local 202/Westinghouse (Springfield, MA); UE Local 301/GE (Schenectady, NY); UE Local 331/General Cable Company (Rome, NY); District Five (Canada); UE Local 601/Westinghouse (E.Pittsburgh,PA); and the FE-UE strike against International Harvester in 1952. This series complements the Publications/Leaflets of Local Unions series contained within the IUE Publicity Department subgroup.