The fonds consists of correspondence, agreements, subject files, work records, press releases, printed material and minutes pertaining to the activities of the union. Minutes of the Prince Rupert local and Great Northern Railway Section of Dock Employees for locals 501 and 507 are included. Subject files contain information on foremen's disputes and other strikes. The tapes consist of Canadian Area convention proceedings and caucus meetings. The cassette tapes were generated by an oral history project carried out by members of the ILWU Local 500 which led to a publication entitled "Man Along the Shore".

The collection consists of minutes of the Fraser River Canners' Association (1900-1909) and the British Columbia Canners' Association (1909-1923) and records from their members' canneries: Acme, Albion, Atlas, Colonial, Celtic, Dinsmore, Great West, Imperial, Pacific Coast, Terra Nova, and Vancouver. The collection also includes 25 scrapbooks of clippings (1900-1923) and photograph albums.

The fonds consists of records from the International Office (Denver), national office (Toronto), B.C. District Union files, Western District Union Files, and records of Canadian locals, the Western Federation of Miners, District No. 6 and its locals, the Sandon Miners Union, and the Metal Miners Union of the One Big Union (1920-1933). Records of individual locals vary from minute books and financial records, reports, and correspondence to extensive subject files and financial reports for larger locals. The fonds also includes a substantial photograph collection documenting union activities (1944 to 1962), tape recordings, films, charters, badges, official seals and recordings of Paul Robeson Peace Arch concerts (1950s).

The fonds consists of minutes, photographs, printed material, and correspondence relating mainly to union organization in the forest products industry (1931-1952), including the Lumber Workers' Industrial Union, Lumber and Saw Mill Workers Union, International Woodworkers of America, and Woodworkers Industrial Union of Canada, as well as to the activities of Harold Pritchett, whose correspondence up to 1979 is also included. There are, in addition, reports of convention, materials concerning wages and conditions in logging camps, a poster, and subject files on various strikes including those at Fraser Mills and Blubber Bay (1933-1944).

The fonds consists of financial records, minutes, correspondence, legal documents, departmental files, broadcast transcripts, proceedings, convention reports, agreements, printed material and copies of the newspaper, British Columbia Lumber Worker. Also included in the fonds is the B. C. Lumber Worker Photograph Collection (1940-1982) which consists of images used in various publications to reflect the activities of the union.

The fonds consists of photographs, mainly pertaining to Barclay's activities in China (1900s-1920s), Oregon (1920s), and B.C. (1930s-1950s) as well as related correspondence, memorabilia and clippings.

The fonds consists of correspondence, addresses, lectures and reports. The fonds also contains pamphlets relating to Robertson's activities and some photographs and memorabilia.

The collection consists of approximately fifty small collections or fonds donated by individuals and organizations. It includes material (including photographs) from the following individuals or organizations: Yoshimitsu Akagawa, Rintaro Hayashi, Japanese Fishermen's Benevolent Association, Kishizo Kimura, Masajiro Miyazaki, Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association, Hideichi Nosaka, Yoshio Ono, Yukio Shimoda, Rinkichi Tagashira, Shingeichi Uchibori, Chiyo Umezuki, Tokikazu Tanaka, Yasutaro Yamaga, Tameo Kanabara, Richmond Berry Growers Association, Shogo Kobayashi, Skeena Fishermen's Association, Jisaburo Wakabayashi, J. Uno, Camp and Mill Workers Federal Labour Union, and Mitsuru Shimpo. The collection encompasses a wide range of topics including relocation to internment camps during World War II, farming, lumbering, religious activities, and personal reminiscences, as well as various organizational records. Individual collections have been arranged and described separately and filed in alphabetical order. Most of the manuscript material has been photocopied from original documents.

The fonds consists of correspondence and subject files relating to mining developments in B.C. including Lake Cinch Mines, Headley Mascot Gold Mines, Britannia Beach, Eldorado Mining and Refining Company and various other developments.

The fonds consists of correspondence (1916-1952) and legal records (1910- 1952) pertaining to the fishing operations of J.H. Todd and Sons, Ltd. These include records of subsidiary companies: Klemtu Cannery Ltd. (1927- 1938), Provincial Cannery Company Ltd. (1917-1939), Sooke Harbour Fishing and Packing Company (1937-1953), and Western Fishing Company (1945-1950), relating to their fishing operations. There are also pilot diaries, payroll sheets, ledgers, plans and blueprints.