Montana Typographical Conference Records
Content Description:
Records include interoffice correspondence (1958-1980) among the officers and board members of the Conference; correspondence with the local unions (1953-1984), correspondence with the international union (1959-1984), and general correspondence (1955-1984) with the Montana State AFL-CIO and others. Among the major correspondents are Stanley E. Thurston, Breen J. Hamry, Konrad E. Braaten, Fred W. Richards, Ben T. Melugin, Harry L. Billings, Sam Butler, Edwin R. Wakefield, Bernard Kempa, Frank E. Winkler, and Donald R. Schmit. In addition, there are financial records, consisting of financial reports (1956-1984) of the secretary-treasurer, local union dues payments (1960-1977), and other items. There are scattered contracts of local unions including Billings, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Miles City. There are convention minutes (1953-1984), including resolutions passed and convention programs. Organizational records include constitutions and bylaws for the conference and for the Billings and Butte local unions; delegate reports, and lists of local unions. There are annual reports (1952-1956), reports of the secretary-treasurer (1966-1968), a report of the president (1973?), and reports from local unions. Subject files include legislation, the Montana Farmer-Labor Institute, the Montana Mechanical Clinic, the Montana United Labor Council, and the Rocky Mountain Labor School. In addition there are miscellaneous other materials including a history of the Montana Typographical Conference by Harry L. Billings, writing contest entries, and brochures from a variety of organizations on a variety of issues. There is a small subgroup of records of the International Typographical Union. Included are convention proceedings (1956, 1961); printed material; and a subject file on a proposed merger of ITU with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in 1984-1985.
Dates
- Creation: 1937-1984
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
Biographical / Historical
The National Typographical Union was established in 1852 as the major union in the printing trade. In 1874 it became the International Typographical Union with several Canadian locals. The first Montana local union was formed in Helena in 1867. Gradually additional local unions were established in cities across the state. Initially, the Helena local functioned as the de facto state organization. The Montana Typographical Conference was formed in 1929 to coordinate the work of the local unions. The objectives of the conference included organizing the printing trade around the state, promoting the training of printers, urging buyers of printed material to patronize union shops, encouraging cooperation among locals, and assisting them in contract negotiations. During the Depression and war years the conference was largely inactive. After World War II, the conference became a leading factor in the printers' union statewide. It became actively involved in apprenticeship programs, in training in new printing technologies, in relations with the Montana State AFL-CIO, and contract discussions. Although membership in the local unions was declining rapidly due to new technology, the conference remained vigorous into the early 1980s. The Montana Typographical Conference folded about 1984. After briefly considering a merger with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the International Typographical Union was absorbed into the Communications Workers of America in 1987.
Extent
2 linear feet
Abstract
The Montana Typographical Conference was the state-wide organization for the International Typographical Union. There were local unions in many cities around the state. Records include interoffice correspondence (1958-1980), correspondence with the local unions (1953-1984), correspondence with the international union (1959-1984), and general correspondence (1955-1984) with the Montana State AFL-CIO and others. In addition there are financial records, local union contracts, convention minutes (1953-1984), organizational records, reports, subject files, and miscellany. There is a small subgroup for records of the International Typographical Union.
Arrangement
Arranged by series
Physical Location
15:8-3
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information available upon request
- Title
- Guide to the Montana Typographical Conference Records 1937-1984
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by MHS Staff
- Date
- 2004
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov