Textile Workers Union of America. Local 656

The Textile Workers Union of America, Local 482, Painesville, Ohio, was chartered on March 2, 1942, by the textile Workers Union of American as the bargaining agent of the workers at the Painesville, Ohio, plant of the Industrial Rayon Corporation. The Textile Workers Union of America was established in 1939 in order to improve the wages, working conditions, and security of textile workers by organizing them into bargaining units that could secure these goals from employers by negotiation or legislation.

The history and activities of Local 482 often intertwine with that of the locals representing other Industrial Rayon Corporation plants. The Industrial Rayon Corporation manufactures only four products and several of their plants manufacture the same product. The Painesville, Ohio, plant manufacturers rayon textile yarn and rayon tire cord fabric while the company's Covingtoon, Virginia, plant, (Local 202), manufacturers rayon knit cloth and nylon staple fiber. The Cleveland, Ohio, plant (Local 212) manufacturer's rayon tire cord fabric.

From 1938, when the Painesville plant began operations, until March 1942, the Painesville employees were not organized. When the union was organized, it enjoyed a period of quick acceptance and achieved rapid gains, such as increased wages and vacation time. These early years were a period of steady growth for the textile industry, especially in the rayon industry. When the industry began to decline in the late 1950's and early 1960's the union struggled merely to maintain benefits secured in earlier years.

Since contracts between the local and the company were usually for one, two, or three years, the history of the local is one of constant contract negotiations and frequent walkouts. Major strikes occurred in 1953, 1955, and 1957, when wage increased were a major issue. Through the years the grievance procedures secured by the union generally resolved most other disputes before binding arbitration or walkouts occurred.

Local 482 not only represented its workers in dealings with the company, but also participated in the national programs of the Textile Workers Union of America. For example, the local sent delegates to the national convention and selected employees to attend the union's various schools and workshop. The local also helped other locals on strike by contributing relief funds, as in 1948 when they sent funds to Local 689 in Rome, Georgia, and in 1955 when they provided support for Cleveland Worsted Mill strikers.

Other activities of the local were of a political nature, and included endorsing candidates friendly to labor that were running for local, state, or national office. Through the Committee on Political Education (COPE), the union fostered the worker's loyalty to the union and publicized issues of importance to the members. Examples of this include materials on the Taft-Hartley Act, the Fulbright Amendment to the Walsh-Healy Minimum Wage Bill, and the anti-union activities of the J.P. Stevens Company.

From the guide to the Textile Workers Union of America, Local 482 Records, 1942-1978, (Western Reserve Historical Society)