Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 28. Papers, 1977-1980 | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

In 1977, Local 28 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) began to organize at Chicago's Midwest Stock Exchange (MSE). Although initially successful in gaining worker support, the union could not overcome management resistance. In May 1980, the U.S. Court of Appeals ended OPEIU's efforts by invalidating a successful 1978 vote that had called for unionizing the Exchange.

This collection includes correspondence, clippings, newsletters, notes, and leaflets that document OPEIU's efforts to organize MSE employees. These materials provide specific details on working conditions and MSE's opposition to unionization. The collection also contains materials pertaining to the cases before the National Labor Relations Board and the U. S. Court of Appeals.

Robert Christenson, organizer for the OPEIU, donated the collection to the Library in 1987. William Adelman and Margaret Chaplan facilitated the gift.