Document 22B: "Green Asks AFL Organizers to Quit Garment Field Here," San Francisco Chronicle, 13 July 1938.
Green Asks AFL Organizers
To Quit Garment Field Here
A request from William Green, president of the AFL, that organizers of a new AFL General Garment Workers' Union withdraw from the field in San Francisco, in which the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union is now operating, was made public yesterday.
The request by Green was made in connection with a dispute which has closed the Golden Gate factory in Chinatown for the past week. After Chinese garment workers of the ILGWU returned to work there following a 15-weeks' strike, the plant was picketed by AFL members with sanction of the San Francisco Labor Council.
Green's letter to Ted Goldstein, organizer of the AFL union, declared: "I am firmly of the opinion that the best interests of the American Federation of Labor will be served by refraining from interfering in any way in the program of the ILGWU to organize ladies' garment workers in San Francisco."
Chinese garment workers were organized while the ILGWU, one of the CIO founding unions, was affiliated with the Labor Council. Since that time the union has been voted out, but has not joined the CIO Industrial Union Council.
Green's letter was made public by Jennie Matyas, ILGWU organizer, who declared it was result of a plea from David Dubinsky, international president, to Green.
In the letter, sent in care of Edward Vandeleur, State Federation of Labor secretary, Green asked that organizing activities "among members of the ILGWU and among those eligible to membership in said union" be withdrawn.
Miss Matyas declared her union, which organized the Chinese garment workers, would consent to an election if confined to those at work when the factory closed last week.