The Employee Relations Department, also known as the Industrial Relations Department, administered benefits programs, handled personnel and training matters, and employee communications through house organs such as the Western Union News.
The Employee Benefits Plan Booklets, 1912-1971, tell the story of Western Union pensions and benefits plans. Established in 1913, the plan for employees' pensions, disability benefits, and death benefits was a comprehensive non-contributory plan. This plan appears to have experienced several names changes from "Provisional Pension Plan" to "Plan for Employees Pensions Disability Benefits and Insurance" to Plan for Employees Pensions Disability Benefits and Death Benefits." One booklet, dated 1929, pertains specifically to the Postal Telegraph Cable Company.
Employee Stock Subscription plan materials (1914-1928) include correspondence and printed plans. The correspondence and the plans themselves set forth the regulations and restrictions for employees to purchase stock.
Employee Wage Cards, 1914-1922, consist of twelve shoeboxes. These records were maintained by the Western Union Cable System. They are arranged according to "live" and "dead" files, European side, North American Side, and Cable Office Errors. The records are then divided by geographic location (Ballenskelligs, Bay Roberts, Canso, Duxbury, Glasgow, Halifax, Hammels, Havre, Hearts Content, London Training School, London Western Union House, Liverpool, Manchester, North Sydney, Paris, Penzance, Penzance Training School, Rye Beach, St. Pierre, and Valentia.). The geographic locations are divided by job titles. Within job titles, the cards are arranged alphabetically by surname. There are two types of cards-an employee wage card and an employee service card. Both cards contain the same type of information--first name, surname, date of birth, sex, station employed at, dates of employment, title, monthly rating, special monthly payments, special allowances if any, and general remarks--but they differ in size. Remarks typically contained information about a death, resignation, drawing pensions, or job performance.
Minutes of Employee' Benefits Fund Committee, 1912-1949, consist of reviewed applications for sickness and accident disability benefits, life insurance, and pensions. The committee also determined the applicability of the plan to employees in special circumstances. Western Union established the committee following its 1913 adoption of the Plan for Employees' Pensions, Disability Benefits and Death Benefits as a comprehensive non-contributory plan. The first five volumes (volumes A to E) are indexed with each book. Minutes for the periods July 1920 to May 1925 or January 1937 to March 1942 do not exist.
Job Classification, Contracts, and Agreements, 1966-1973, consists of six handbooks. These handbooks contain wage schedules, job titles, job descriptions, and pertinent employee information set forth in the official contract with Western Union. There is one handbook that deals specifically with an agreement between Western Union and the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO.
The American School of Correspondence, 1911-1921 subseries consists of published "instruction papers" on a variety of topics such as Banking and Banking Law, Direct Current Motors and Telegraph Repeaters. The "instruction papers" were prepared by Western Union divisions such as the Engineering Department or the Commercial Department and faculty members at various colleges and universities in the United States.
Service Records, 1883-1931, consists of four oversized bound volumes numbered one to four; one miscellaneous volume from 1907-1931, and service cards for seamen who served on various cable ships. These bound service records are organized alphabetically according to the name of city and/or town. For example, Grand Fork, North Dakota is followed by Great Falls, Montana. The majority of cities and towns represented are located in the mid west. An alphabetical index of cities for each volume precedes the records. These records, like the employee wage cards, provide similar information--name of office, date office opened, date office closed, name of employee, designation of occupation, rate of pay, date employed, date left service, and remarks. The smaller miscellaneous volume, 1907-1931, is also arranged alphabetically by city/town, but contain only the name of the employee and what appears to be the date employment began. The volume deals with personnel serving in California and Arizona. The service cards, 1921-1922, are arranged alphabetically by cable ship name. The cards contain the name of the seaman, address (name of the cable ship), date of service, date salary became effective, job title, and rate of salary per month.
Employee Clippings contains employee signatures/autographs which consist of two small volumes of collected employee signatures, one dating 1871-1898, the other 1909-1949. The latter volume of signatures appears to be have been assembled for the purposes of the Western Union Museum. The signatures include a wide variety of employees, from presidents to telegraph operators.
*Researchers should consult Series 27: Notebooks, Subseries 7, for an employee work diary of 1942.
Arrangement:
This series is divided into eleven subseries:
1. Western Union Employee History, 1910-1932
2. Employee Membership Cards and Passes, 1885-1940
3. Employee Handbooks, 1912-1971
4. Employee Stock Subscription, 1914-1928
5. Employee Wage Cards, 1914-1922
6. Minutes of Employees' Benefits Fund Committee, 1912-1949
7. Job Classification, Contracts, and Agreements, 1941-1973
11. Employee Signatures and Autographs, 1871-1898, 1909-1949 (includes clippings and obituaries)
12. Telegraph Associations, 1852-1929
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but Series 11 and films are stored off-site. Special arrangements must be made to view some of the audiovisual materials. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
United States of America -- Ohio -- Cuyahoga County -- Cleveland
Date:
1900
General:
Postcard - Old Lake Erie.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Ohio -- Cuyahoga County -- Cleveland
Date:
[between 1833 and 1834].
General:
The 35 mm. slide was produced in May 1983. The print from which the slide was produced is in the possession of the Western Reserve Historical Society.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Two glass plate stereographs - positive and negative.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Mount reads: "Edward Van Altena, 71-79 W. 45th St., N.Y.C."
Historic plate number: "65."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Mount reads: "Edward Van Altena, 71-79 W. 45th St., N.Y.C."
Historic plate number: "67."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Mount reads: "Edward Van Altena, 71-79 W. 45th St., N.Y.C."
Historic plate number: "61."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Mount reads: "Edward Van Altena, 71-79 W. 45th St., N.Y.C."
Historic plate number: "62."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Guild Art Gallery records, circa 1933-1937. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund. Funding for the digitization of the collection was provided in part by Rosina Rubin and the Walton Family Foundation.
