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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has had a long and varied industrial history out of which rose, among other things, the first labor party, U.S. President Zachary Taylor's scientific management, and labor activist William H. Sylvis' brand of modern trade unionism. Indeed, at least one labor historian has suggested that Philadelphia was the headquarters of the trade union movement in the 19th century. During the past year, the Urban Archives of Temple University at Pennsylvania, has been involved in a project to survey and acquire business and labor records relating to the city. As a result, the Archives have added several significant collections to its previous holdings. Perhaps the largest labor collection in the Urban Archives is that of the Upholsterers' International Union (UIU), covering the period from 1937 to 1976. The papers comprise approximately 175 linear feet and, while unprocessed, some sections are available for easy access. In particular, the extensive minutes of the Executive Board are a valuable source, containing the actions and correspondence of the board on every UIU resolution, dating from Sal Hoffman's election as president in 1937.

The Fred Lewis Pattee Library of the Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, is a major resource for the study of labor history, the world of work, and industrial relations. In addition to the excellent general library collection of monographs, serials, and Pennsylvania and federal documents, primary sources are concentrated in two special collections: (1) the Pennsylvania Historical Collections and Labor Archives, which also houses the labor oral history collection, and (2) the University Library's Microforms Division. The major record group in the Historical Collections and Labor Archives relates to unionization in the steel industry. Records of the United Steelworkers of America contain a vast array of documents from the union's international headquarters. A large labor oral history collection complements the union records and personal papers in the archives. Not surprisingly, the majority of the interviews are with individuals who have been associated with the history and development of trade unionism in the steel and metals industries.