Born in Chicago to Jewish immigrants from Russia, Min was one of eight children. Her father was a prominent labor leader in the cigar industry, and Min’s experiences inspired her to do the same.
Min and her husband, Bill Matheson moved to New York City and began careers in the garment industry. Min worked in a dress factory, and became the head of a 32,000-member ILGWU local in New York in 1937. The ILGWU was one of the largest labor unions within the United States and had branches in many states including Pennsylvania and New York.
During the early 1940’s, runaway shops that operated outside the contracted system had begun to take hold of northeastern Pennsylvania. Organized crime bosses often used garment factories as fronts for various illegal activities, and did not want the women working in their shops to join the union.
Min and her husband were both working for the ILGWU in 1944 when the two left for northeastern Pennsylvania "to clean up the mess down there" amid strife among garment workers and a strong presence of organized crime. When Min came to Wilkes-Barre in 1944, there were only six organized businesses with a total of 650 union members.
Upon her departure in 1963, Min left Wilkes-Barre with 168 organized factories and over 11,000 ILGWU members.The ILGWU contributed to workers’ personal lives in addition to their work lives. Education opportunities included scholarships and classes offered at Wilke’s College. Health benefits such as a health center, maternity benefits, and death benefits were also offered to members of the ILGWU with Min’s help. Min was a founding member of the National Organization for Women, or NOW.
When they retired, Min and her husband returned to northeastern Pennsylvania in 1972 and played a key role in organizing the Flood Victims Action Council. Min's efforts resulted in support from the Federal government to aid reconstruction of Wyoming Valley.
Min died on December 8, 1992, at age 83 in the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Min now has a historical marker dedicated in her name for her accomplishments in Wilkes-Barre with the ILGWU. The marker was dedicated on September 24, 1999, and it is located in Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square.
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Minnie “Min” Lurye Matheson
Minnie Hindy "Min" Lurye Matheson (1909 – 1992) was a labor organizer for the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) in northeastern Pennsylvania silk and textile mills who successfully stood up to organized crime. Min was also a founding member of the National Organization for Women.
