In the early 1940’s members of the machinists and IBEW unions from Watertown Arsenal formed an association called the “409” Club. This group enlisted the help first of a Jesuit priest and then of Archdiocesan priests to give lectures on labor matters. This educational effort was interrupted by the war, but in 1946 the group reunited and gained the approval of the new Archbishop Cushing to form the Catholic Labor Guild of the Archdiocese of Boston. Fr. Joseph A Robinson was named Chaplain. Meetings were held in various parish sites. This newly formed Catholic Labor Guild held Communion Breakfasts and several classes in Public Speaking and Parliamentary Procedure. Membership was open to those from unions and those interested in the labor movement, but was restricted to Catholics only.
In 1952, The Labor Guild was reconstituted with Fr Francis J McDonnell as chaplain. At this time a formal school was begun – The School of Industrial Relations. Classes were offered three times a year in various eastern Massachusetts locations including Lynn, Brockton, Haverhill, Plymouth and Framingham. The total enrollment some terms approached 1,000. At this time, Guild members had to belong to bona-fide unions and pledge to fight “communism and racketeers”. In later years these restrictions were lifted.
In 1962 Fr Mortimer H Gavin, SJ was drafted out of Holy Cross College in Worcester to become chaplain of The Labor Guild and Director of the new Institute of Industrial Relations. Headquarters were at this time established at 761 Harrison Ave., the original Boston College building, in the South End. Membership was expanded and diversified to include all of those striving for good labor relations. In keeping with the spirit of a single labor-management fraternity, the Cushing Awards Dinner was started in 1967.
In 1970, Fr Edward F Boyle, SJ joined Fr Mort Gavin. The following years saw the Labor Guild expand its operations to include oversight of union elections and sponsorship of specialized seminars. The Guild also entered the publishing field with a book on Massachusetts employee laws- YOUR RIGHTS ON THE JOB. Upon Fr Mort’s death in 1984, Fr Ed succeeded him as the Institute Director Guild Chaplain.
In 1987, the Guild relocated to Quincy, occupying a former convent property in St Ann’s parish. Over the next couple of years, the interior of the building was redone with the help of extensive contributed materials and supplies. At the same time in order to better serve Guild members from management ranks, a series of management forums was launched, which evolved into periodic bi-partisan labor-management forums.
In 2003 we moved again to our new headquarters in Weymouth Landing, underwritten by the generous donations of funds and manpower from our “Guild Family”. This is the site of our school program, held on Monday evenings in the Fall and Spring as well as our conference center providing a comfortable, neutral area for negotiations, arbitrations and other organizational gatherings. Here, too we continue our growing activity in union election administration.
Over these six decades the Labor Guild has grown from a small group of trade unionists to a nationwide 1,600 member ecumenical center of unionists, managers, arbitrators, mediators, academics, attorneys, government administrators – essentially everyone involved in issues relating to American workers on the job.
Join us now as we move into a new chapter of Labor Guild History. In 2007 we suffered a the loss of both our Admin Asst and our Chaplain and Exec Sec -Mary Standley and Rev Edward F Boyle, SJ. , Sr Mary Priniski, OP began this new chapter serving as Chaplain for 2008
with Paul Hannon serving as interim exec secretary for the start of 2009 and now ........
Fr. Pat Sullivan, CSC is leading us into the future
Join us now as we move into a new chapter of Labor Guild History. In 2007 we suffered a the loss of both our Admin Asst and our Chaplain and Exec Sec -Mary Standley and Rev Edward F Boyle, SJ. , Sr Mary Priniski, OP began this new chapter serving as Chaplain for 2008
with Paul Hannon serving as interim exec secretary for the start of 2009 and now ........ 
Fr. Pat Sullivan, CSC is leading us into the future