OFFICE & PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION—AFL-CIO—LOCAL 153
267 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06513

In 1971, the Community Health Care Plan (CHCP), the first labor-backed Health Maintenance Organization, opened in New Haven. Vincent Sirabella, the President of the Greater New Haven Central Labor Council, was elected Chair of its Board of Directors. Immediately, Local 466 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union began organizing there, signing its first contract in 1973. On March 18, 1974, it received its charter. Two strikes—one in 1974 and one in 1976—followed; on April 6, 1978, Local 466 members decided in a unanimous vote to merge “with [their] sister local in New York City,” Local 153, to increase their strength and bargaining power. The merger was approved by Local 153 members on May 16th. CHCP then immediately terminated its contract to renegotiate with the “new” Local. In a letter to Local 466 President Dominic Furco, I.S. Falk, CHCP’s Executive Director, asked a detailed series of questions which appeared to at least one reader of the letter to be fairly “sinister” in their intent: that is, an attempt to “trap” union officers “into saying things that would permit CHCP to refuse to recognize 153.” The struggle to achieve recognition of the merger, ultimately successful, is one of many issues documented in the records held at 267 Chapel Street. (Source: Labor Almanac; OPEIU files.)

Another OPEIU Local, 329, had been organized in New Haven at the Knights of Columbus in February of 1955. Employees voted 197-87 in its favor on April 28th of that year. A four week strike in August gained the union its first contract with the Order. A 13 week strike in 1959 over “technological changes [that were] taking away jobs and preventing advancement” won the Local contract provisions that saved jobs. Another strike occurred in 1973 over essentially the same issue. Eventually, this Local also merged with Local 153, and it still represents employees at the K.of C. (Source: Modern Times, October 1-15, 1975.)

THE RECORDS

CHCP closed in 1991. Historical records from the Local’s struggle there are held by the Greater New Haven Labor History Association archives in a four drawer filing cabinet. They include notebooks of contracts; minutes of meetings; correspondence; arbitrations; newspaper clippings; photographs; and a large file containing various documents relating to the Local 499 merger with Local 153, including CHCP’s resistance to recognizing Local 153. This cabinet also contains historical documents relating to the Local at the Knights of Columbus, including several transcripts of interviews with employees; articles; correspondence; and copies of contracts; job postings; grievances; and arbitrations.

In addition, Local 153 maintains an office at 267 Chapel Street where its current records are kept. To access the files in the archives, contact Joan Cavanagh, Project Archivist, 203-777-2756, ext. 2, labor_history@hotmail.com