Index card file for plants or locals in Springfield, Missouri, 1989

The United Garment Workers of America (UGWA) was founded in New York City in 1891 and affiliated themselves with the American Federation of Labor (AFL). They first used strikes and later promotion of the union label as ways to win gains in working conditions and wages with their employers. In 1914, a group of dissatisfied members broke away from the UGWA to form the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA). After the break, the UGWA's numbers were much smaller, but they managed to retain membership levels until the 1950s when they began a slow decline. In the early days of the union, the UGWA had no full-time officers. Charles Reichers became the first General President at the Convention in Baltimore in 1895; he served until 1897. Following Reichers in the office of General President were B. A. Larger (1897-1904), T. A. Rickert (1904-41), Joseph P. McCurdy (1941-75), Howard Collins (1975-1977), William O'Donnell (1977-87), and Earl Carroll (1987-91). David Johnson succeeded Carroll in 1991. In 1994, the UGWA became a part of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). A year later, the UFCW also took in the United Textile Workers of America (UTWA). The UGWA and UTWA combined in 2000 to form the UFCW Textile and Garment Council.