1891 - United Garment Workers Of America (UGW) forms in New York City with the support of the American Federation of Labor

1914 - After a UGW convention, several members leave the union and form the ACWA

1913 UGW "Duck Goods" Registered Trademark - First Commercial Use 1930

1913 UGW Registered Trademark - First Commercial Use 1930

1977 UGW AFL-CIO CLC Registered Trademark

1900 - Seven local unions in New York City form the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) - ILGWU joins the American Federation Of Labor (AFL) that same year

1909 - After a 20,000 garment workers strike is won, the ILGWU is considered a true union

1911 - Over 100 ILGWU workers are killed in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in NYC

1936 - ILGWU leaves the AFL and joins the Congress Of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

1940 - ILGWU leaves CIO to join the AFL once again

1955 - AFL merges with the CIO to form the AFL - CIO

1900 to 1955 - The ILGWU name is often found on company and institution labels 

1955/56 - After the AFL-CIO merger, ILGWU uses its own label featuring the AFL-CIO name, a variation of the 1963 trademarked label

1963 - ILGWU labels are now a registered trademark

1974 - ILGWU labels are red and blue

1995 - After merging with ACTWU, ILGWU labels are no longer used in garments. UNITE labels are used.

1963 Registered ILGWU Trademark 

ILGWU Label From A Late 1950's To Early 1960's Dress

Post 1963 Registered ILGWU Label 

ILGWU Red And Blue Label, Used From 1974 Until UNITE Was Formed In 1995

AMALGAMATED CLOTHING WORKERS OF AMERICA - ACWA - ACW Of A TIMELINE

1914 - Members of the UGW withdraw from the union and form the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Of America (ACWA) 

1933 - ACWA joins the American Federation Of Labor (AFL)

1936 - ACWA leaves the AFL and merges with the Congress Of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

1955 - The AFl merges with the CIO to form the AFL-CIO, ACWA remains in affiliation

1976 - Amalgamated Clothing Workers Of America merges with the Textile Workers Union and becomes the Amalgamated Clothing And Textile Workers Union (ACTWU)

1995 - ACTWU merges with the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) and forms UNITE

1933 - After joining the AFL, ACWA uses union labels for all manufactured garments

1934 to 1936 - 1934 copyright ACW of A "Union Made" labels have a diamond with the union sewing machine and scissors in the center. Red letters run through the center of the diamond. Tag will read "Workers Of America" and either "Garment", "Suit", or "Work Clothes"

1936 to 1939 - 1936 copyright ACWA label remains the same

1939 to 1949 - 1939 copyright ACWA label remains the same

1949 to 1962 - 1949 copyright ACWA labels are slightly different. Scissors are removed, red letters move from the center to the left of the tag. Later, letters are black.

1976 - After merging with the TWU to form ACTWU, ACWA labels are no longer used for garments

1995 - After merging with the ILGWU, UNITE! labels are used

1949 Registered ACWA Trademark Used For Clothing

1962 "Glove Workers" ACWA Registered Trademark

1962 ACWA Registered Trademark Used For Neckties 

1962 ACWA Registered Trademark Used For Neckties

Late 1960's ACWA Label

United Textile Workers Of America (UTW) - The UTW, an industrial textile workers union, was formed in 1901 as an affiliate to the AFL. 

Textile Workers Organizing Committee (TWOC) - The TWOC was formed as an alternative to the UTW by the CIO in 1937.

In 1939, the UTW and TWOC merged to form the United Textile Workers Of America (UTWA). In 1976, the UTWA merged with the ACWA to form Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU). The ACTWU merged with the ILGWU in 1995 to form UNITE. In 2004, UNITE merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) to form UNITE HERE. 

AFL-CIO

American Federation Of Labor (AFL) - The AFL was founded by Samuel Gompers in Columbus, Ohio in 1886. Before merging with the Congress Of Industrial Organizations in 1955, the AFL was the largest union federation in the U.S. 

Congress Of Industrial Organizations (CIO) - After a proposal by John L. Lewis in 1932, the Congress Of Industrial Organizations (formally Committee was formed in 1935. Before merging with the American Federation Of Labor in 1955, the CIO was considered an almost radical union federation, working with both U.S. and Canadian workers. 

The two federations merged in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO

1956 AFL-CIO Registered Trademark

OBVIOUS, BUT QUICK UNION LABEL TIPS

ILGWU - Post 1900

ACWA - Post 1914

AFL-CIO  - Post 1955

UNITE - Post 1995

UNITE HERE - Post 2004