National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. Series 1, Subseries 2. Drug Division staff interviews, 1976-1977.

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. Series 1, Subseries 2. Drug Division staff interviews, 1976-1977.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/64091502

Topics discussed include the respondents' personal backgrounds; strategies of organizing drugstores; the influence of the Drug Division on politics in the Hospital Division; working conditions in drugstores (1920-1950); the evolution of the organizational structure of 1199 (1938-1950); dues collection, strike organizing, and the establishment of dues checkoff in drugstores; the self-identification of pharmacists as professionals; industrial vs. craft unionization in the health care industry; and typical grievances used in organizing drugstores such as wage cutting, speedup and unsanitary working conditions. Also discussed is 1199's relationship with the Pharmacists' Union of Greater New York; the class consciousness and socialist political principles of Drug Division staff and members; political pluralism and revisionism among socialist labor leaders; economic conditions, unemployment and unionization during the Depression; WPA programs for unemployed pharmacists; the ethnic background of members of the Drugstore Union; organizing drugstore chains; benefit plans for drugstores; the conduct of pickets; rank and file leadership; the election of delegates and hospital committees; the participation of Drug Division staff in organizing; strike conduct; police interference; worker morale; the participation of women, black and Puerto Rican workers; conflict between strikers and scabs; and donations from community grocery stores. Also discussed is the participation of Mt. Sinai Hospital pharmacists in the organization of hospital workers; information dissemination; the development of the Bronx area as a "cradle" of union support; the organizing campaign in Montefiore Hospital; strike headquarters; fines, jailings and court injunctions; the establishment of the Hospital Division; Drug Division Delegate Assembly reaction to the hospital organizing campaign; the skills of Drug Division organizers; the ethnic composition of hospital workers, including those at Mt. Sinai Hospital (1929-1954); working conditions and wages in hospitals and the exploitation of hospital workers; black and Puerto Rican leadership; and Elliott Godoff's and Ted Mitchell's leadership and organizing strategies. The discussion also includes 1199's policy on compulsory arbitration; 1199's involvement with social politics and the political consciousness of union leaders; Elliott Godoff's contacts in the Trade Union Unity League; Leon Davis' personality and leadership ability; the leadership of Edward Ayash, Floyd Sheppard, Barrish, Edward Bragg, Phil Kamenkowitz, Abe Kirschner, Bill Anderson, Milton Goldman, Luther Weinberg, Mannie Katz, Bernie Katz, and Margaret Ryan; Godoff's contacts with 1199 (1940-1958); red-baiting of 1199 leadership; the political decision to organize hospitals and its effect on the structure and power of 1199; training and upgrading programs; the conduct of delegates' meetings and assemblies; the role of trade unions in social politics; the Guild of Professional Workers; and grievance procedure.

4 transcripts (153 p.)

Cornell University Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7911038

Cornell University Library

Related Entities

There are 23 Entities related to this resource.

Davis, Leon J. 1907-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6t19g4m (person)

Godoff, Elliott.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m94grp (person)

Mitchell, Tedi K.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tt4zjt (person)

Anderson, Billy

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64j4t4t (person)

Katz, Bernie.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vm8qst (person)

Kirschner, Abe.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kd69qn (person)

Sheppard, Floyd.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m65z73 (person)

Trade Union Unity League (U.S.)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m37vjm (corporateBody)

Katz, Morris, 1901-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fj6v91 (person)

Montefiore Hospital Medical Group (New York, N.Y.)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6r836v7 (corporateBody)

Weinberg, Luther.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6906g88 (person)

Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, N.Y.)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wh79xj (corporateBody)

Ferrara, Claude.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bp4frk (person)

Roth, Karl ca. -20. Jh.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jb0k7d (person)

Ayash, Eddie.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61s13jv (person)

Ryan, Margaret (Margaret A.)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wt35t4 (person)

Bragg, Edward

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6090hvb (person)

Pharmacists' Union of Greater New York.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kq4v97 (corporateBody)

Kaufman, David, 1948-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dr3m5z (person)

Charles Ludlam (1943-1987), the son of Joseph William and Marjorie Braun Ludlam, was born April 12, 1943 in Floral Park, Long Island. He graduated from Hofstra University in 1965 and then moved to New York City to begin his acting career. Ludlam made his first New York stage appearance in 1966 at the Play-House of the Ridiculous, a group formed by playwright Ronald Tavel and director John Vaccaro. In 1967, Ludlam founded his own theatrical group, the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, and began to w...

National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. District 1199

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fj7bzq (corporateBody)

Goldman, Milton E.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6377dwf (person)

Kamenkowitz, Phil.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gb6gs0 (person)

National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68d3pzd (corporateBody)

The unedited oral history interviews of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees discuss the evolution of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union drugstore local, representing pharmacists and drug clerks in New York City (known as Local 1199 and District 1199) into an international union of non-professional and professional workers in voluntary and non-profit health institutions, including hospitals, clinics and nursing homes as well as drugstores. From the d...