Elisabeth Christman

Elisabeth Christman (September 2, 1881, Germany- April 26, 1975, New Delphi, Indiana) was a trade union organizer.

Christman was born to Barbara Guth Christman and Henry Christman, a laborer and clarinet player for a union band, in Germany 1881. Her family soon moved to Chicago, Illinois after she was born. She attended a German Lutheran school until she was 13, when she left school to become a glove factory worker at the Eisendrath Glove Factory.

Union organizing In 1902, after several years of working long hours, she and her co-worker Agnes Nestor lead a successful 10-day strike out. This strike led to the creation of Glove Workers of America Local 1. Christman and 27 others formed the International Glove Workers Union of America. She served as the organization's secretary-treasurer from 1913-1931. Editor of WTUL's monthly journal Life and Labor Bulletin (1921-1950) Appointed member of the National Unemployment Conference (1921) Appointed member of the National Organization on Unemployment Relief (1931) Appointed member of the National Recovery Administration (1934), first woman to have this accomplishment, she was appointed by long term friend Mary Anderson

Personal life Christman never married, nor did she have any children. Towards the end of her life, she spent much time in a hospital as a patient, though she also organized and led women hospital workers. She died in her niece's home of cerebral arteriosclerosis on April 26, 1975.