Guide to the Harold J. Ruttenberg Papers, 1934-1998 AIS.1999.04
- Repository
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Title
- Harold J. Ruttenberg Papers
- Creator
- Ruttenberg, Harold J.
- Collection Number
- AIS.1999.04
- Extent
- 1.25 Linear Feet
- Date
- 1934-1998
- Abstract
- Harold J. Ruttenberg, a union organizer, helped to shape the labor movement in the steel industries of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This collection contains correspondence, published articles about Ruttenberg, published articles by Ruttenberg, reports, publications by the Congress of Industrial Organizations, Steel Workers Organizing Committee, United Steel Workers of America, and the National War Labor Board. Information on Ruttenberg's books, Dynamics of Industrial Democracy, co-authored by Clinton S. Golden, and Self-Developing America is also included.
- Language
- English .
- Publisher
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Address
- University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Harold J. Ruttenberg, a labor leader and business executive, was born on May 22, 1914. At an early age, he was exposed to the lifestyle of steelworkers and coal miners in Pennsylvania. Even before Ruttenberg graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in sociology and economics, he was involved with the labor movement and labor leaders recognized his skills while he worked for the Pennsylvania Security League and the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Ruttenberg served as an investigator for the U.S. Senate Special Committee Investigating the Munitions Industry and was assigned to Federal Laboratories, a Pittsburgh-based company which provided munitions to various steel companies as well as to both warring factions in Cuba.
Ruttenberg was research director for Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) and retained the position after SWOC became the United Steel Worker Association (USWA) in 1942. In fact, Ruttenberg played a major role in the formation of the USWA. From 1942 until 1944, Ruttenberg served as Assistant Director of the Steel Division of the War Production Board whose mission was to increase the steel supply for the benefit of the war effort. In 1946, Ruttenberg resigned as research director for USWA and began his career as a business executive, while remaining active in labor and management issues. As a labor leader, Ruttenberg fought for a guaranteed minimum annual wage for union workers and tying steelworker's wages to increased productivitiy in mills.
After leaving the USWA, Ruttenberg became president of Portsmouth Steel Company and served as an executive for Stardrill-Keystone Drilling Machine Company, Humanation Associates, United Steel and Wire Company, and AVM/American Locker Group Corporation. Ruttenberg was known to take over companies in financial difficulty and make them profitable. During his life, Ruttenberg wrote countless articles and participated in the writing of two books: The Dynamics of Industrial Democracy which he co-authored with Clinton S. Golden and Self-Developing America. He also wrote his memoirs published as My Life in Steel: from CIO to CEO. Ruttenberg played an important role in improving relations between the union and management. Ruttenberg died in 1998.
Scope and Content Notes
This collection contains correspondence, published articles by and about Ruttenberg, reports, publications by CIO, SWOC, USWA, and the National War Labor Board. The collection consists of information written by and about Ruttenberg during his life as a business executive. Most of the contents concern labor and management issues. Information on Ruttenberg's books, Dynamics of Industrial Democracy and Self-Developing America is also included. Oral history interviews with Ruttenberg are included in the National Council of Jewish Women Oral History Projects at the Archives Service Center. Additional papers housed at Pennsylvania State University Archives and an inventory of these papers is contained in the first folder of Box 1.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
This collection was a gift of Katherine (Kitty) Ruttenberg, wife of Harold J. Ruttenberg in 1999.
Preferred Citation
Harold J. Ruttenberg Papers, 1934-1998, AIS.1999.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Previous Citation
Harold J. Ruttenberg Papers, 1934-1998, AIS.1999.04, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh.
Papers of Harold J. Ruttenberg, 1934-1998, UE 99:4, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Holly J. Mengel in March 2002.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Holly Mengel in March 2002. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 4019701
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects
- Pennsylvania Security League
- Portsmouth Steel Company
- Stardrill-Keystone
- Steel Workers Organizing Committee (U.S.)
- United States. Congress. Senate. Special Committee to Investigate the Munitions Industry
- United Steel and Wire Company
- United Steel Workers Association
- University of Pittsburgh
- United States. War Production Board
- Automated Voting Machines (AVM)/American Locker Group
- Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.)
- Federal Laboratories, Inc
- Humanation
- Nye, Gerald P. (Gerald Prentice)
- Raushenbush, Stephen
- Ruttenberg, Harold J.
- Ruttenberg, Katherine M.
- Golden, Clinton S. (Clinton Strong)
- Murray, Philip
- Batista y Zaldívar, Fulgencio
- Correspondence
- Iron and steel workers -- Labor unions -- United States
- Wages -- Iron and steel workers -- United States
- Weapons industry -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Personal papers
- Industrial relations -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Business and Industry
- Labor
- Steel industry and trade -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Labor leaders -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Executives -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Labor disputes -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Strikes and lockouts -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Labor movement -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh