You are a longshore worker in a small community where there is no
union. You believe strongly that there should be. Your fellow workers say
you have the leadership skills needed to start a union.
You call a
meeting to speak about the need for a union. You want to start by explaining
the history of longshore workers and unions.
Use the following information
to prepare a short speech. Remember: you are trying to inspire your fellow
workers to action!
The first longshore unions on the West
Coast were founded in the 19th century. By 1902, the longshoremen were loosely
affiliated with the International Longshoremens Association (ILA).
But
their ties to national headquarters were weak. Most returned or lost their
charters within a few years. The longshore unions grew slowly
over the next decade.
Each local was protective of its jurisdiction.
None was eager to give up its autonomy. But at a convention in Portland in
1909, a loose-knit federation was established.
They drew together primarily
to fight the seamen who were doing more and more longshore work.
The
shipowners managed to destroy longshore unions on the Pacific Coast in the
strikes of 1916, 1919 and 1921. Genuine unionism was smashed for more than
a decade.
The longshore workers rebuilt their union in 1933. They had
learned that any discrimination weakens a union organization. They also came
to understand the wisdom of worker unity, internal democracy, and international
solidarity.
They adopted the slogan, "An injury to one is an injury
to all."
Write your speech now.