- Applebaum, Leon. “Felix Olkives: Labor Enterpreneur”. IN: Burckel, Nicholas C. and John A. Neuenschwander, eds. Kenosha Retrospective: A Biographical Approach. Kenosha, Wis. : Kenosha County Bicentennial Commission; 1981; p. [170]-202.
Notes: Olkives was a member of Painters Local 934 in Kenosha, Wisconsin and was its president for forty years; he was also president of the Kenosha Trades and Labor Council for nine years from 1926 through 1937, when he became public relations counsel for the Kenosha Manufacturers’ Association (to the shock of his fellow union members!). He also served on the Kenosha City Council for five terms from 1942 to 1952, including as its president for some part of the time, until he was indicted for bribery (although the charges were eventually dropped); he had first run and been elected to the city council against the labor-endorsed slate. Finally, from 1963 through 1968, he served as president of the Kenosha AFL-CIO Council, the area’s central labor body.