Finding aid for the Lorain City Federation of Labor Scrapbook
Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: Shibley, Al. C.
Title: Lorain City Federation of Labor Scrapbook
Dates: 1937-1957
Extent: 0.20 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract: The Lorain City Federation of Labor was the central labor body of the American Federation of Labor in Lorain, Ohio, prior to its merger with the Elyria AFL and the Lorain County CIO in 1961. It was founded as Lorain County Central Labor in 1917. The collection consists of one scrapbook that contains newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, and a directory. The scrapbook was created and maintained by Al C. Shibley (d. 1981). Al Shibley served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1932 to 1953 and was head of the committee to merge the organizations from 1957 to 1961.
MS Number MS 5186
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

History of the Lorain City Federation of Labor

The Lorain Ohio, City Federation of Labor (f. 1917), was the central labor body of the American Federation of Labor in Lorain, Ohio, prior to its merger with the Elyria AFL and the Lorain County CIO. The federation was founded as Lorain County Central Labor in 1917. Al Shibley served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1932 to 1953 and was head of the committee to merge the organizations from 1957 to 1961. Nationally, the AFL was officially founded in 1886 after being organized in 1881. The AFL expelled the CIO in 1936 and reunited with them in 1955. The Ohio AFL-CIO was created in 1958. A debate on whether to have separate councils in Lorain and Elyria under a joint county council or to form a single entity delayed unification in Lorain County until 1961. Separate councils were rejected and the Lorain City Federation of Labor merged with the Elyria Central Labor Union (AFL) and the Lorain County CIO Council to form the Lorain County AFL-CIO Federation of Labor. The three founding organizations were then dissolved.

Scope and Content

The Lorain City Federation of Labor Scrapbook, 1937-1957, consists of one scrapbook that contains newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, and a directory.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of organized labor and trade unions in Lorain, Ohio, in the mid-twentieth century. The newspaper clippings document union activities for bartenders, fishermen, retail clerks, shipbuilders, truck drivers, mechanics, bus drivers, electricians, stone cutters, stone masons, bricklayers, carpenters, painters, plumbers, steam fitters, metal workers, laborers, and other trades. The clippings also document political activities of Lorain unions and the AFL-CIO, efforts to end intra-union strife between the AFL and CIO unions, and internal business of the Lorain City Federation of Labor. The scrapbook also documents social activities of the federation and its member unions.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection has been retained in original order and is maintained in two folders.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 4168 Lorain City Federation of Labor Records.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

AFL-CIO.
American Federation of Labor.
Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Industrial relations -- Ohio -- Lorain County.
Labor -- Ohio -- Lorain County.
Labor unions -- Ohio -- Lorain County.
Lorain City Federation of Labor (Lorain, Ohio).
Lorain County AFL-CIO Federation of Labor.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5186 Lorain City Federation of Labor Scrapbook, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of Gloria Shibley in 1983.

Processing Information

Processed by Margaret Burzynski-Bays in 2014.