These dockworkers just showed the labor movement how to shut. The seattle brouhaha was begun when tacoma local 23 president scott mason interrupted an ilwu speaker myself to demand that president mcellraths letter be read. While the story primarily covers a period some 50 to 70 years ago, the message applies to the struggles workers face today. The book chronicles over a century of tacomas waterfront history, beginning. Longshoremens and warehousemens union ilwu local 1, the first cio local of the ilwu chartered. Jimmy herman led the union from 1977 to 1991, when david arian replaced him, followed by brian mcwilliams in 1994. We have a proven history of successfully pushing back against the corrupt thugs running the ilwu. The last pacific coast outpost of the ila, grainliners local 1892 near longview, washington, did not vote to join the ilwu s local 21 until 1981. By the 1930s, tacoma longshore workers had made significant gains.
M embers of the ilwu s federated auxiliaries gathered for their annual convention in boron, california on october 1214. The ilwu longshore struggle in longview and beyond. Published by the international longshore and warehouse. Coveralls will be available to drop offpick up at the union hall between 6. Feb 12, 2015 seattle civil rights and labor history project 1,9 views. International longshoremens and warehousemens union local 1. Browse or search through the voice of the federation digital archive, 19351941 the voice of the federation was the newspaper for the maritime federation of the pacific, a consortium of unions that formed in the wake of the 1934 pacific coast waterfront and maritime strikes. Report to the stewards council ilwu local 10 some soviet union longshoring herb mills. Tacoma labor relations committee minutes, november 30, 1934, to present. The ilwu s action in southern california goes against 15 years of precedent and targets precisely the skilled workers who are most essential to clearing congested terminals. By withholding an average of 75 yard crane drivers each day, the ilwu has stalled the movement of tens of. Longshoremen and local historians preserved tacomas waterfront.
March 17, 2020 we are reaching out to acknowledge the challenging times facing our members and to invoke the strength and humanity of the ilwu family as we navigate through this. Seattle longshore union minute books, july 2, 1918, to present. Nlrb charges have been filed against local 23 and pma for refusing to dispatch eric to the sim. Local 23 is the last major west coast longshore local to affiliate with the ilwu. Read about contract negotiations, different worksites, and industries, ilwu sports, outstanding members, organizing and more. The ilwus action in southern california goes against 15 years of precedent and targets precisely the skilled workers who are most essential to clearing congested terminals. The activities included a combination of educational, inspirational, and agitational events, according to jean ordano, who serves as president.
In accordance with addendum 1 re black book of the. This article is incomplete without a discussion of these branches and possibly information on the bookstores history. Powells books is a chain of bookstores in portland, oregon, and its surrounding metropolitan area. Published by the international longshore and warehouse union. By withholding an average of 75 yard crane drivers each day, the ilwu has stalled the movement of tens of thousands of containers, the pma estimates. The union leadership opposed it, but nelson mandela himself thanked local 10 for it. Are wages expected to be a sticking point in the negotiations. Seattle civil rights and labor history project 1,9 views. In the middle of that strike, longshore leaders forged an alliance with the citys black communities to end discrimination on the docks. These dockworkers just showed the labor movement how to. I dont know the history of powells books, but do know that there are three branches of powells in chicago. From the 50 oral history profiles that began running in the dispatcher in 1994, to the reissue of the march inland, my book on the origins of the warehouse division released in 2000, to the publication of solidarity stories. The office of labormanagement standards olms requires unions to report how they spent their money in a number of categories. Jun 26, 2006 ilwu local 10, the local of the legendary 20th century labor leader, harry bridges and william bill chester, the first african american to serve as an international officer, submitted a resolution calling for the aalc to have a voice but no vote, at the convention and longshore caucus.
Ilwu local 5 was chartered on august 10, 2000, after a twoyear organizing and contract campaign by 400 workers at powells books in portland. The paper briefly served as the official communications organ for west coast longshoremen. Tracking damages outlines the impact to ila members jobs made by. Drawing the line against corporate greed in boron ilwu. Bmen pay a lower collective bargaining fee because of nlrb charges we filed.
Onehundred and twenty lucky ilwu longshore division members attended an intensive 6day history and traditions conference in san francisco on december 1 read more ilwu library acquires collection of paul heide, union pioneer and local 6 stalwart. Jack spurrell later took an interest in preserving them and brought them back to. Aug 26, 2010 under longtime leader harry bridges, the ilwu would become one of the most powerful and influential unions in america. Local 23 volunteers have a fundrais ing drive to help raise. During his time in tacomas local 23, allen formed a coalition with other. Powells headquarters, dubbed powells city of books, claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Ilwu local 502 coverall availability due to concerns around covid19, we had to to change procedures for our safety stores coverall position. The bcmea and ilwu canadian area met on october 4, 1985 to negotiate a renewal and revision of the collective agreement that was due to expire on december 31, 1985. The may day 2008 antiwar walkout was a clear reminder of the right and need of union members to be social activists, todd iverson, a current leader in local 23 tacoma and participant in 2008, tells in these. Aug 29, 2017 among ilwu members present was howard keylor, a 90yearold who led the antiapartheid boycott that local 10 conducted in 1984 in solidarity with south africans. Left unchecked, it will gut ilwus coastwide power and bury the last militant union in the u. Tacoma local 23 of the international longshoremens and. February 9, 1976, march 23, 1976, january 27, 1977.
Print out this order form and mail in with your order. He thinks that it might also allude to the names of the. Valdez, a brief history of local 37, 1952 yearbook, ilwu local 37, chris d. Please use the front double glass doors of the hall to enter. Custodial history the records apparently were transferred to aberdeen, washington, when local 1 and aberdeen local 24 merged in 1976. In 2008, ilwu made history shutting down all west coast ports to protest the war on iraq and afghanistan. The organizing effort began in 1998 when the company restructured jobs and significantly reduced raises for workers. Meanwhile, the ilwus brand of rankandfile unionism spread under the banner of the cio, paying off in more gains and greater security for the members of the ilwu and for all american workers. Powells city of books is located in the pearl district on the edge of downtown and occupies a full city block between nw 10th and 11th avenues and between w. Miller scholars who have written about local history hold no consensus on the purpose, value, and even. The plantation system living standards of plantation workers the formation of ilwu local 142 the 1946 sugar strike 1949 dockworkers fight for parity six decades of militant unionism. Ilwu local 10 is a majorityblack union today as a consequence. Anthony leviege, activist member ilwu local 10 stacey rodgers, executive board member ilwu local 10 jack mulcahy, member ilwu local 8 portland, grain negotiator dan coffman, former president of longview ilwu local 21. President adams address to the membership video april 24, 2020 at 9.
Nearly,600 ilwu workers are employed at west coast ports. Anytime we are afraid to speak about unions, the manual warns. But the remnants of the ila also clung to life, at least in washington tacomas longshoremen remained in the old union until 1958, and the last holdout, the port of longview ila local, didnt join the ilwu until 1981. The ilwu local 23 project stands as an excellent example of. This recording is a follow up interview with dean johnson. James spinosa defeated mcwilliams in the election for ilwu president in 2000. Al allen collection on the international longshore and warehouse union, 1939 2016 pdf. The current president is robert mcellrath, a longshore worker from local 4 in vancouver, wa.
The voice of the ilwu is the official newspaper of ilwu local 142 and provides local union news as well as national and international labor and economic news. Tacoma longshore union minute books, june 7, 1938, to present. Meanwhile, the ilwu s brand of rankandfile unionism spread under the banner of the cio, paying off in more gains and greater security for the members of the ilwu and for all american workers. Al allen collection on the international longshore. San francisco became a labor town, and has stayed a labor town, because of that conflict. The waterfront workers history project is a program of the university of washington, which. Local 9 of the international longshore and warehouse union is one of the original locals that split with the international longshoremans association in 1937, and has a long, proud history of activism on and around the seattle waterfront. The ilwu has a proud history of class struggle and. International longshoremens and warehousemens union. Mar 27, 2018 san francisco became a labor town, and has stayed a labor town, because of that conflict.
The seattle brouhaha was begun when tacoma local 23 president scott mason interrupted an ilwu speaker myself to. On april 22, 1999, the ilwu won a representation election for the workers at the gigantic powells bookstore. Anthony leviege, activist member ilwu local 10 stacey rodgers, executive board member ilwu local 10 jack mulcahy, member ilwu local 8 portland, grain negotiator. August, the ilwu helped lead resistance to a planned altright protest in san francisco. Sources for the working longshoreman university of washington. Since 1937 ilwu members have been providing skilled labor to the port of vancouver and to other northwest ports for the purpose of loading and unloading cargo for all. Under longtime leader harry bridges, the ilwu would become one of the most powerful and influential unions in america. Tacoma central labor council minutes january 9, 1906 march 15, 1918. If you are a longshore worker, or a company who deals with the ilwu, and you are getting bullied and pushed around by the thugs currently running the union, give us a call.
Included are records of ilwu local 1, minutes of other washington locals labor relations committees, and records of two benevolent associations the willapa harbor longshoremens benevolent association and the pacific coast pensioners association that were intended to provide union workers with accident or retirement benefits. An additional 3,500 members belong to the inland boatmens union of the pacific, which constitutes the unions marine division. Ian ruskins play about harry bridges and the west coast dock workers brings to life the story of one of the most important leaders and one of the most militant unions in american labor history. Nlrb case 19cb191596 charge against local 23, nlrb case 19ca191591 charge against pma. Ilwu local 9 international longshore and warehouse union.
Ilwu local 10, the local of the legendary 20th century labor leader, harry bridges and william bill chester, the first african american to serve as an international officer, submitted a resolution calling for the aalc to have a voice but no vote, at the convention and longshore caucus. Dean mcgrath, president of ilwu local 23 in tacoma, was inspired by how ingrained the ilwu members are in the long beachlos angeles harbor community and wanted to show tacoma how much his own membership of 1,350 registered and casual longshore workers were part of their citys fabric. The ilwu represents 42,000 members in over 60 local unions in the states of california, washington, oregon, alaska and hawaii. About local 94 an injury to one is an injury to all. The last pacific coast outpost of the ila, grainliners local 1892 near longview, washington, did not vote to join the ilwus local 21 until 1981. In 1977, local 23 of the ilwu began preparing a grant proposal in response to a. This book unrolls the history of the union from its origins to the present, complete with. Chronological history ofthe dealings ofseallie waterfront. Peter haines the container gainshare money versus the container clause history. The international longshoremens association, aflcio is the largest union of maritime workers in north america, representing upwards of 65,000 longshoremen on the atlantic and gulf coasts, great lakes, major u. Among ilwu members present was howard keylor, a 90yearold who led the antiapartheid boycott that local 10 conducted in 1984 in solidarity. Powells workers filed for a union election on march 12, 1999.
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