The Roots of the RWDSU

In the early 1930's a group of local unions in New York banded together to form what came to be known as the RWDSU. Originally chartered by the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1937, the RWDSU has grown far beyond its birthplace.

In 1954 the existing RWDSU merged with the Playthings, Jewelry and Novelty Workers Union and the Distributing, Processing and Office Workers Union. Over the years a number of other unions have also merged with the RWDSU, including AFL founder Sam Gompers' Cigar Makers in 1974. In October, 1993 the RWDSU affiliated with the 1.5 million member United Food and Commercial Workers.