MSS 717 Transport Workers Union of America, Local 208 Records

              C) H89) MSS 717
H ~ S T O R Y Transport Worlcers Union of
America, Local 208 Records
Three cubic feet
Preliminary inventory
Collection Synopsis
Provenance: The Ohio Historical Society acquired the Transport
Workers Union of America, Local 205, Columbus, Ohio, records as
a gift of the local, through the auspices of the secretary-treasurer,
Paul Smith, in August 1980. Clara Ireland processed
the collection in September 1980.
Property rights: The Ohio Historical Society owns the property
rights to this collection.
Copyrights: TWUA, Local 208 has dedicated such copyrights as it
possesses in these records to the public. Consideration of all
other copyrights is the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: Boxes one and three are open under the rules and regula-tions
of Ohio Historical Society. Box two is restricted.
Researchers must sign the Ohio Historical Society Confidentiality
Agreement before using box two.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite collection name,
collection number, and the Ohio Historical Society in all footnote
and bibliographic references.
Transfer: The following items were transferred in September 1980:
eight black and white photographs to the audio- visual department;
by- laws of Local 208 for 1965, 1970, and agreements with CTC for
1955- 1956 and 1959- 1971 to the library department.
Organizational sketch: The Transport Workers Union of America
( TWA) chartered Transport Workers Union of America, Local 208 in
December 1941. Local 208 represents the employees of the Central.
Ohio Transit Authority ( COTA). The first meeting of Local 208 was
held on May 16, 1941. Local 208 holds two regular membership
meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, one in the morning
and one in the evening enabling men on each work shift to attend.
The executive board holds monthly meetings the first Tuesday of
each month. Elected representatives from Local 208 attend the
national convention of TWA which is held every four years.
Public transportation was first available in Columbus on June 10,
1863. The first strike of Columbus street railway employees
occurred during the spring of 1890. A strike which began in July
of 1910 lasted three months and is the longest and most turbulent
in the history of public transportation in Ohio. Before joining
TWUA in 1941, employees had worked a seven day week with no over-time
pay. Local 208 submitted an unsettled wage dispute case to
the National Mediation Board in January of 1942 and gained an
increase in workers' wages. By 1955, Local 208 had achieved a
five day week with overtime pay after eight hours. Post World
War 11 strikes include a two ' wee$'+ alk.- oiit in July of 1951 and a
fifteen day strike in the fall of ' 19' 61;:.''.
OHIO NISTORlCAL SOCIETY
1982 Velma Avenue, Colunlbui, Ohio 43211- 2497 ph: 614.297.2300 fx: 614297,2411
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