The United Shoe and Leather Workers' Union (USLWU) was a

labor union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing shoe and bootmakers in the United States. The union was founded in 1933, when the Shoe Workers' Protective Union (SWPU) merged with the National Shoe Workers' Association, the Shoe and Leather Workers' Industrial Union, and some local unions. However, a substantial minority of the SWPU objected to the merger and continued under the SWPU name. The union was led by the Lovestoneite Israel Zimmerman. The main opposition force was aligned with the

Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA (CPUSA), officially the Communist Party of the United States of America, also referred to as the American Communist Party mainly during the 20th century, is a communist party in the United States. It was established ...

, which unsuccessfully tried to have the union's whole executive recalled at the 1934 convention. However, in 1937, the Lovestoneites were defeated when, inspired by the formation of the

Congress of Industrial Organizations The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a federation of Labor unions in the United States, unions that organized workers in industrial unionism, industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. Originally created in ...

, the USLWU merged with the St Louis branch of the SWPU, and some other local unions, to form the

United Shoe Workers of America The United Shoe Workers of America (USWA) was a trade union representing workers involved in making shoes and other leather goods. History The union was founded in 1937, when the United Shoe and Leather Workers' Union merged with the Shoe Worker ...

.{{cite news, title=C. I. O. Acts to Absorb Shoe Workers Union, work=New York Times, date=March 4, 1937, via=ProQuest, page=11

References

Defunct trade unions in the United States Footwear industry trade unions Trade unions established in 1933 Trade unions disestablished in 1937