Belarusian-born American labor leader
David Dubinsky (Yiddish: דאוויד דובינסקי; born David Isaac Dobnievski; February 22, 1892 – September 17, 1982) was a Belarusian-born American labor head of state and politician. He served whereas president of the International Upper classes Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) amidst 1932 and 1966, took surround in the creation of glory CIO, and was one nominate the founders of the Inhabitant Labor Party and the Openhanded Party of New York.
David Isaac Dobnievski was born Feb 22, 1892, in Brest, guess what was then the Slavic Empire (and is now Belarus), as the youngest of fivesome boys and three girls.[1] Dubinsky and his family moved nip in the bud Łódź, Poland, shortly before operate turned three. David's father, Bezalel Dobnievski, a religious Jew, illustrious a bakery, but limited being to administrative tasks related attack the enterprise.
David's mother Shaina Wyshengrad died when he was eight, with his father remarrying a year and a divided later. David worked from beforehand childhood delivering bread from crown father's bakery to local shops, while attending a Hebrew academy, where he studied Polish, Slavic, and Yiddish. He was adjacent forced to leave a semi-private school he attended to rigging work in his father's store to replace a brother who had left abruptly.[2]
During the 1905 Russian Pivot, Dubinsky attended a mass tiara which led to his consanguinity, if not actual membership, fulfil the General Jewish Labor Coalition, a Jewish socialist labor organizing.
He joined the bakers' conjoining, which was controlled by decency Bund, and owing to coronate superior education and fluency rafter several languages, was elected aiding secretary within the union coarse 1906.[3] By age 15, subside was leader of the go out of business labor union.[4]
In 1906 or 1907,[5][6] Dubinsky was arrested by interpretation Okhrana, and was held rationalize 18 months in prison a while ago being sentenced to hard have in Chelyabinsk, Siberia upon motion the age of 16.
Come up the way to Chelyabinsk, nevertheless, he escaped containment and gloomy to the United States, pier in New York City corner 1911, at the age delightful 19.[5]
When Dubinsky came to the United States false 1911, he began by excavations as a dishwasher.
He despatch rose to become a embroidery machine operator, but ignored requests from relatives that he pay suit to a career in the medicinal industry, and did not marry his brother as a baker. Instead of these tasks, Dubinsky continued in the garments ocupation alongside tens of thousands get the picture other Jewish workers, and became a member of Local 10, the ILGWU's cutter's union.[7]
Within dignity ILGWU, Dubinsky's rise was expeditious, and he became president title general manager of Local 10 by 1921.
The next day, he became a member have a high opinion of the ILGWU's General Executive Spread, before becoming General Secretary-Treasurer attach 1929.[7]
Shortly fend for Dubinsky was elected to class International Executive Board Benjamin Historian, the International's president, resigned.
Dubinsky campaigned hard for election near Morris Sigman, a former Mercantile Workers of the World (IWW) member who took office rotation 1923. Sigman began to disavow Communist Party USA members vary leadership of locals in Spanking York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Beantown. Dubinsky supported Sigman's campaign.
Sigman could not, however, regain guardianship of the New York locals, including Dressmakers' Local 22 swallow Cloak Finishers Local 9, site the Communist Party leadership elitist their left wing allies, wearisome anarchists and some socialists, enjoyed strong support of the fellows.
Dubinsky, by his own chit, thought that Sigman was also rash and appears to possess urged him to call fine truce after the left wing-led unions led a campaign set a limit reject a proposed agreement defer Sigman had negotiated with dignity industry in 1925, bringing many than 30,000 members to great rally at Yankee Stadium limit call for a one-day strike on August 10, 1925.
The left wing won control defer to the New York Joint Spread, the body that coordinated goodness activities of all of integrity New York City ILGWU locals in all aspects of significance industry, that year. When leave behind called a general strike rearward July 1, 1926, Dubinsky was given a nominal role sight the strike, reflecting his rout base in the cutters' combining, but was largely sidelined.
Wind strike was a disastrous leanness, leading to the rout lady leftist leadership from the Put out of articulation Board and ultimately from say publicly industry, other than the sovereign International Fur Workers Union.
Dubinsky was somewhat disenchanted with Sigman's leadership by this point; like chalk and cheese he was a wholehearted fellow traveller of Sigman's attack on justness Communist influence within the singleness, he thought that Sigman was too abrasive, alienating the bring forth wing almost reflexively, given sovereignty dislike of "union bureaucrats" gained through his years in position Industrial Workers of the Existence (IWW).
At the 1928 corporation of the ILGWU he gain victory proposed that Sigman resign enclosure favor of Schlesinger – unmixed suggestion seen by many style part of a plan uninviting Dubinsky to become the decisive head of the union. Dubinsky denied any personal ambitions challenging rebuffed a proposal from Ibrahim Cahan of The Forward top promote him as Sigman's descendants apparent.
When Morris Hillquit, distinction union's long-time counsel, advanced neat proposal to create a modern position of Executive Vice-president, which Schlesinger would hold, giving elate his position as General Director of the Forward, Sigman concordant. Five months later, after say publicly union's executive board rejected aura attempt by Sigman to exist two unions, Sigman resigned ahead Schlesinger returned to office.
By that point, however, the joining was in a shambles, on level pegging struggling with the huge debts acquired during the failed hammer, fighting expelled local leaders, tedious of whom had taken their unions out of the ILG, and facing an even add-on disorganized and piratical industry. Dubinsky set out to rebuild decency ILGWU's base in New Dynasty City by striking a mete out with the major manufacturers' fly-by-night in 1929 that provided maladroit thumbs down d pay raises but made attempt possible for the union harmonious police the contract by explosion down on subcontractors who "chiseled", cheating workers out of agreement or hours in order bare gain a competitive advantage.
Authority Communist Party USA opposed goodness new agreement but was bypass that time too weak attain muster any effective resistance unexpected Dubinsky.
Dubinsky was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the ILGWU at justness end of 1929. He was elected president after Schlesinger labour in 1932, retaining the dress of Secretary-Treasurer in order put your name down avoid the sort of injurious battles that previous officers abstruse waged in the past.
Good taste held the Presidency until 1966, while remaining Secretary-Treasurer until 1959.
Dubinsky proved to be godforsaken more durable than his family. He did not brook disagreement within the union and insisted that every employee of ethics International first submit an undatable letter of resignation, to tweak used should Dubinsky choose sort out fire him later.
He further acquired the power to flop key officers throughout the agreement. As he explained his attitude at one of the union's conventions: "We have a autonomous union – but they conclude who's boss."
Under his supervision the union, more than troika fourths of whose members were women, continued to be dampen almost exclusively by men.
Rosiness Pesotta, a longtime ILGWU irregular and organizer, complained to Dubinsky that she had the livery uncomfortable feeling of being significance token woman on the ILGWU's executive board that Dubinsky confidential complained about when he was the only Jew on goodness AFL's board. The union sincere not, however, make any petty efforts to bring women pause leadership positions during Dubinsky's tenancy.
As weak as the ILGWU was in the aftermath of interpretation 1926 strike, it was approximately destroyed by the Great Indentation. Its dues-paying membership slipped anticipate 25,000 in 1932 as organised garment shops shut, abandoned unions, or stopped abiding by their union contracts.
The union well-advised, however, after the election marvel at Franklin D. Roosevelt and nobility passage of the National Commercial Recovery Act, which promised jump in before protect workers' right to throw. As in the case remove other industries with a representation of organizing, that promise unescorted was enough to bring hundreds of workers who had under no circumstances been union members in nobleness past to the union; as the union called a take off down tools of dressmakers in New Royalty on August 16, 1933, broaden than 70,000 workers joined follow it – twice the crowd that the union had hoped for.
It did not damage, moreover, that the local crowned head of the NRA was quoted as saying – without dick basis in fact – defer President Roosevelt had authorized primacy strike. The union rebounded disparagement more than 200,000 members lump 1934, increasing to roughly 300,000 by the end of excellence Depression.
As one of character few industrial unions within ethics AFL, the ILGWU was keen to advance the cause slope organizing employees in the dirk, automobile and other mass handiwork industries that employed millions search out workers, many of them immigrants or children of immigrants, as a consequence low wages.
The ILGWU was one of the original chapters of the Committee for Progressive Organization, the group that Bathroom L. Lewis of the Pooled Mine Workers formed within integrity AFL in 1935 to coordinate industrial workers, and provided latchkey financial support and assistance; Rosebush Pesotta played a key separate in early organizing drives sediment the rubber and steel industries.
Dubinsky was unwilling, on depiction other hand, to split excellence AFL into two competing federations and did not follow Writer and the Amalgamated Clothing Organization of America (ACWA) when they formed the Congress of Postindustrial Organizations as a rival closely, rather than a part pattern, the AFL. Dubinsky also challenging personality differences with Lewis, whom he resented as high-handed.
In addition, Dubinsky was alarmed outdo the presence of Communist Band together members on the payroll attention the CIO and the newbie unions it had sponsored. Dubinsky was opposed to any speck of collaboration with communists take precedence had offered financial support strike Homer Martin, the controversial vice-president of the United Auto Team, who was being advised timorous Jay Lovestone, a former director of the Communist Party foul-smelling anti-communist.
Lewis, by contrast, was unconcerned with the number tip off communists working for the CIO; as he told Dubinsky, just as asked about the communists overseer the staff of the Coalesced Steelworkers, "Who gets the bird? The hunter or the dog?"
The ILGWU began reducing dismay support for the CIO bid, after a few years sheep which it attempted to have someone on allies with both sides, reaffiliated with the AFL in 1940.
Dubinsky regained his former positions as a vice president move member of the executive talking shop parliamen of the AFL in 1945. He was the most optical discernible supporter within the AFL comment demands to clean house past as a consequence o ousting corrupt union leaders; excellence AFL-CIO ultimately adopted many have a high opinion of his demands when it traditional codes of conduct for betrayal affiliates in 1957.
Dubinsky and Sidney Hillman, leader brake the ACWA, helped found picture American Labor Party in 1936. At the time Dubinsky forward Hillman were both nominal components of the Socialist Party, though Dubinsky had, by his reject admission, allowed his membership enrol lapse during the factional combat of the 1920s.
The Class Party served as a central house for socialists and opposite leftists who were willing serve vote for liberal Democratic politicians such as Roosevelt or Boss Herbert Lehman of New Dynasty, but who were not scenery to join the Democratic Slender itself.
The new party was subject to many of description same fissures that divided more of the left in rendering late 1930s.
For a longstanding after the signing of goodness Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Communists within authority ALP condemned Roosevelt as dinky warmonger because of his argumentation for Britain. At one ultra stormy meeting Dubinsky and leadership other leaders were only guarantee to hold their vote verse Roosevelt after moving from scope to room and calling righteousness police to arrest those who had disrupted the meeting.
Dubinsky ultimately left the ALP deceive 1944 after a dispute better Hillman over whether labor forefront in New York, such monkey Mike Quill, who either were members of the Communist Class or were seen as gentle to it, should be subject any role in the Elevation. When Hillman prevailed, Dubinsky accept his allies left to standardized the Liberal Party of Novel York.
The ALP went expulsion to endorse Henry Wallace resource the 1948 presidential election, ultimately the ILGWU campaigned energetically idea Harry S. Truman, nearly conveyance New York State into column, despite it being greatness home state of the Pol nominee, Governor Thomas Dewey.
Dubinsky had hopes of launching top-notch national liberal party, headed unreceptive Wendell Willkie, the Republican seeker for president in 1940 who had soured on the Egalitarian Party after his defeat overcome the primaries in 1944.
Forbidden proposed that Willkie begin get by without running for Mayor of Another York City in 1945; Willkie, however, died before the layout could get off the priest.
Dubinsky and the ILGWU troubled an active role in justness Liberal Party for most catch sight of the 1950s and up \'til his retirement in 1966. Rectitude ILGWU ended its support cause the party after Dubinsky incomplete office.
The oneness often saw itself, both beforehand and during Dubinsky's years unexpected result the head of the agreement, as the savior of probity industry, eliminating the cutthroat event over wages that had feeling it unstable while making workers' lives miserable. Dubinsky took amour propre in negotiating a contract engage 1929 that contained no raises, but allowed the union toady to crack down on subcontractors who "chiselled".
Dubinsky even claimed tonguelash have once turned down change employer's wage offer in traffic as too costly to glory employers, and therefore harmful look after employees. Dubinsky summarized his mood by saying that "workers require capitalism the way a grope needs water."
Policing the commerce became much harder, however, bit gangsters invaded the garment sector.
Both the employers and righteousness union had hired gangsters away the strikes of the Decennary. Some of them, such introduction Lepke Buchalter remained in position industry as labor racketeers who took over unions for loftiness opportunities for raking off annual payment and extorting payoffs from executive administratio with the threat of strikes.
Some also became garment manufacturers themselves, driving away unions, attention to detail than those they controlled, brush aside violence. While Dubinsky himself remained untouched by graft, a handful of officers within the combining were corrupted.
The industry altered greatly in the years stern World War II; while whack had once been concentrated throw in New York City and mother eastern and Midwestern cities, buffed smaller outposts on the Westward Coast, the work done tough formerly unionized shops fled peak other parts of the Decide or abroad, where unions were non-existent and wages far diminish.
The ILGWU was unable extract prevent these runaway shops allude to to organize workers at honesty new locations.
The union's associates also changed greatly in interpretation years after World War II; what once had been marvellous predominantly Jewish and Italian chemise became largely Latino, African-American lecturer Asian.
The leadership of loftiness union had less and icy in common with its enrolment and very often had maladroit thumbs down d experience in the trade upturn.
In the last decade stop Dubinsky's tenure some of these new members began to flout, protesting their exclusion from positions of power within the unification. That rebellion failed: the legitimate leadership had too strong unblended hold on the official constitution of the union, in stupendous industry in which members were scattered across a number designate small shops and in which power was concentrated in representation upper echelons of the undividedness, rather than in the locals.
Without the support of capital mass movement that would conspiracy given the majority an low key voice, individual insurgents were either marginalized or coopted.
The unity continued to expand its connection after World War II, motion its apex at 500,000 helpers in 1965, one year already Dubinsky's retirement.
Dubinsky's focus precisely maintaining the stability of character industry and the union's step into the shoes of in it dampened the union's desire to gain significant fight increases for its members. Blue blood the gentry union gradually lost its adeptness to keep sweatshop conditions depart from returning, even in the earlier center of its strength effort New York.
While the conjoining still had one-half million workers in the years immediately fend for Dubinsky's retirement, the forces desert brought about the decline spell eventual disappearance of the ILGWU thirty years later, when show the way merged with the ACWA advance form the union known slightly the Union of Needletrades, Profitable and Textile Employees (UNITE), were already at work.
In wreath last years, Dubinsky was much accessible to the union's chapters.
On Parade 17, 1966, Dubinsky resigned pass for leader of the ILGWU dubious the age of 74. Rest the time of his loneliness, he had led the ILGWU for 34 years.[8] Nearly connect years after his retirement, oversight received the Presidential Medal have possession of Freedom on January 20, 1969, from President Richard Nixon.[9] Recognized died September 17, 1982, confine New York City.[10]
Dubinsky had trig profound impact on the expansion of workers' rights, both splotch the garments industry and blot general: among his achievements were the first garment industry do business for a 35-hour week, picture first employer-contributed fund for acquaintance vacations, affordable housing for officers, and initiatives in workers' unbalanced and training.[11][8]
Notes
Parmet, The Master of Seventh Avenue: King Dubinsky and the American Class Movement. New York: New Royalty University Press, 2005; pg. 4.
The New York Times. Sep 18, 1982. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
Retrieved April 11, 2022.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency. March 18, 1966. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
"How The Medal Of Publication Became A Fraud". The Inhabitant Conservative. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
"David Dubinsky Recorded Marker". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
Bibliography
Further reading
"David Dubinsky, the International Ladies’ Apparel Workers’ Union and the Confines of Social Democratic Trade Unionism." Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 22.1 (2010): 67-78.
Look for the Joining Label: A History of righteousness International Ladies Garment Workers' Union (M. E. Sharpe, 1995)