West Coast waterfront strike of 1934

West Coast waterfront strike of 1934 was a major labor dispute that involved ILWU workers, led by Harry Bridges, Louis Goldblatt, and other prominent labor leaders, including Sam Darcy and William Lewis. The strike, which began on May 9, 1934, and lasted for 83 days, was a pivotal moment in the history of the American labor movement, with significant support from other unions, such as the Marine Cooks and Stewards Association and the Sailors' Union of the Pacific. The strike drew national attention, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the National Labor Relations Board closely monitoring the situation, while also involving notable figures like Norman Thomas and Upton Sinclair.

Background

The West Coast waterfront strike of 1934 was preceded by years of tensions between longshoremen and shipping companies, with workers seeking better wages, working conditions, and benefits, similar to those achieved by workers in other industries, such as the UMWA and the CIO. The Great Depression had exacerbated the poor working conditions and low wages of dockworkers, leading to growing discontent among ILWU members, who were influenced by the ideas of socialism and communism, as well as the IWW. The strike was also influenced by the National Industrial Recovery Act and the Wagner Act, which aimed to regulate labor relations and protect workers' rights, with support from organizations like the ACLU and the NAACP.

Causes of the Strike

The immediate cause of the strike was a dispute over wages and working conditions, with longshoremen seeking a significant increase in pay and improved benefits, similar to those achieved by workers in other industries, such as the UAW and the SWOC. The shipping companies, represented by the Waterfront Employers Union, refused to meet the workers' demands, leading to a breakdown in negotiations and the eventual strike, which was supported by other unions, such as the Teamsters and the BLE. The strike was also motivated by a desire to establish a closed shop, where only ILWU members could work on the docks, and to eliminate the shape-up system, which was seen as exploitative and unfair, with similarities to the Homestead Strike and the Lawrence Textile Strike.

The Strike

The strike began on May 9, 1934, with ILWU workers walking off the job at ports along the West Coast, including San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland. The strike was marked by violence and intimidation, with strikebreakers and police clashing with picketing workers, resulting in injuries and arrests, with involvement from notable figures like Earl Warren and Culbert Olson. The strike received widespread support from other unions and labor organizations, including the AFL and the CIO, as well as from left-wing politicians and activists, such as Huey Long and Charles Coughlin.

Aftermath and Legacy

The strike ended on July 31, 1934, with the signing of a new contract that established significant improvements in wages and working conditions for ILWU workers, with similarities to the Gastonia Textile Strike and the Flint Sit-Down Strike. The strike was a major victory for the labor movement, establishing the ILWU as a powerful and influential union, and paving the way for future labor struggles, including the Oakland General Strike and the Seattle General Strike. The strike also had a significant impact on the development of labor law and labor relations in the United States, with the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act being influenced by the strike, as well as the work of notable figures like John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman.

Key Figures and Organizations

The West Coast waterfront strike of 1934 involved a number of key figures and organizations, including Harry Bridges, Louis Goldblatt, and Sam Darcy, who played important roles in leading the strike and negotiating with shipping companies, with support from organizations like the CPUSA and the SPA. The strike also involved other notable labor leaders, such as John L. Lewis and David Dubinsky, as well as politicians like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Earl Warren, who played important roles in shaping the outcome of the strike, with involvement from institutions like the NLRB and the FBI. The strike was also supported by a number of other unions and labor organizations, including the Marine Cooks and Stewards Association, the Sailors' Union of the Pacific, and the Teamsters, as well as by left-wing politicians and activists, such as Norman Thomas and Upton Sinclair, with connections to events like the Bonus Army and the Wagner Act.