International Leather Goods, Plastic and Novelty Workers' Union
The International Leather Goods, Plastic and Novelty Workers' Union (ILGPNWU) was a trade union representing workers involved in making bags, belts and similar goods, in the United States and Canada.In 1916, it led an unsuccessful strike, and became moribund, but it was relaunched the following year as an independent union.It proved successful, and gradually expanded, becoming the International Pocketbook Workers' Union in 1923.That year, it applied for a charter from the American Federation of Labor (AFL), but was rejected on the grounds that the United Leather Workers' International Union (ULWIU) already had jurisdiction over the trade.[1][2] On March 5, 1937, the union became independent of the ULWIU, receiving an AFL charter as the International Ladies' Handbag, Pocketbook and Novelty Workers' Union.