Title
- Ayer Annual1
- Content: Labor
- Established: 1909
- Size: 16x22
- Editor: E.P. Marsh
- Publisher: E.P. Marsh and J.E. Campbell
- Ayer Annual2
- size: 7 columns, 28 x 304 (picas?)
- Editor: Maynard Shipley
- Publisher: Everett Trades Council
- Frequency: weekly
- Coverage
- Region: Northwest
- County: Snohomish
- Unique ids
- LCCN: sn88085620
- OCLC: ocm18036796
Digitization plan
2008-2010 grant
- Substitute title, not digitized in this grant cycle
- 1909-1922 (3 reels)
History
- Continues:
- Related titles:
NEH Approved Essay
The Labor Journal [LCCN: sn88085620] was
the official paper of
the Everett Trades Council,
the Central Labor Council of Everett, and
the Everett, WA chapter of
the American Federation of Labor (AFL) until it ceased publication in October 1978.
Originally published in 1891 as an annual newsletter for
the Everett, WA chapter of AFL,
the Labor Journal quickly became
the vehicle for Progressive politics and Labor Union news in Everett and surrounding regions through
the political savvy of its leadership. In 1905, future WA State Senator, John E. Campbell became business manager of
the Labor Journal partnering with editor and part-owner Ernest P. Marsh. By 1909,
the duo was publishing
the Labor Journal weekly and was keeping union members and
the general public informed about Labor issues and perspectives.
The need for such information is explained by
the Washington State Federation of Labor (WFL) in
History of the Washington State Federation of Labor, 1902-1954, which states, “For
the most part
the daily papers and some weekly papers, in times of industrial disputes and on o
ther matters, have ei
ther taken a lukewarm attitude toward
the labor side or have been openly hostile.” By focusing on issues relevant to local unions,
the Journal enjoyed continued support and readership in
the thousands. Campbell was elected state Senator in 1912 and authored
the eight-hour workday bill for Washington women. Marsh became WFL President in 1913, an office he held until 1918. In 1917, he was appointed by Woodrow Wilson to
the President’s Mediation Commission; of which he acted as Director, 1943-1949.
Likewise,
the Labor Journal enjoyed success and support until 1978 when
the paper’s control board ruled that “only businesses with union employees should be solicited for advertising. But revenues from such ads were not enough to sustain
the publication and also pay an adequate salary to an editor.” According to Jack Morgan of
the Everett Herald [LCCN: sn 86071992], this ruling resulted in
the resignation of
the Labor Journal’s editor and an ad salesman, both from
the Meatcutters Local 151 of Everett who started
the short-lived meatcutters’ union publication,
The Journal [LCCN: n/a].
The control board claimed that
the similarity of
the two titles confused readers and advertisers resulting in decreased circulation for
the Labor Journal. However,
the meatcutters were not
the only union to branch out and create
their own newsletter around this time.
Whe
ther
The Journal confused readers and advertisers or
the increasing number of unions publishing
their own newsletters had a hand in
the decline of
the Labor Journal, it was, none
theless,
the last and longest-running weekly labor journal in Washington State.
Essay Notes
American Federation of Labor.
Labor Journal’s 60th Annual Yearbook. Everett, WA: Puget Press. 1951.
Morgan, Jack. “Labor’s Love Lost? ‘Oldest and Last’ Union Newspaper May Be Gone Soon.”
Everett Herald. September 27, 1978. p.3A.
Washington State Federation of Labor.
History of Washington State Federation of Labor, 1902-1954. Seattle, WA:
The Federation. 1954.
Research
- N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual 1910 year 922 page
- N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual 1920 year 995 page
- NDNP Candidate Title List (Appendix A1.2)
- Chronicling America record (LOC) - Labor Journal
- WorldCat record - Labor journal
- WSL record - Labor journal
- UW record - Labor journal
TopReel
- Filmed by: UW
- Positives held by: UW
- Negatives held by: UW
- Call Number: Microfilm A6311
- 18 reels: 1909-1978 (with gaps)
Notes
Reduction ratio: 22X reel 1, 21X reel 2, 22x reel
lrobinson, 2009/02/17 14:19Evaluation
See
Labor Journal eval spreadsheets (Google)Totals
Top
