The waterfront and general strikes, san francisco, 1934. Bridges most remarkable contribution to labor history comes through his involvement in the great maritime strike of 1934. San franciscos 1934 general strike marked the first time a major us port city was completely shut down by a strike. The events that day inflamed the working people of san francisco. The minneapolis teamsters strike of 1934, also known as the minneapolis truckers strike, was a pivotal event in both local and national labor history. Each time the union members tried to push through a definite strike plan at the. The most extensive conflict of the national recovery administration nra period during the great depression was the national textile strike of 1934. Unions were gaining strength and numbers across the nation, but not in minneapolis.
San francisco general strike, 1934 part 2 union workers in san francisco stage a general strike, shutting down the city to support striking longshoremen. The san francisco dock strike 1934 on may 9, 1934, maritime workers of san francisco went on strike against the shipping industry in protest against what were described as poor working conditions, unfair hiring practices and the refusal of the ship owners to recognize other than company unions. He was a much respected rank and file leader of the 34 strike, a strike that shut down west coast ports, led to an unprecedented threeday general strike in san francisco, and violent confrontations on the docks. Documents in the collection detail the violent clashes between workers and police, a general citywide strike, and a maritime strike that covered the west coast. There are accounts of this period in many history books, some of which are referenced below.
Boyd, center for labor education and research, university of. Workers from all industries walked off the job, in response to a. In the early 20th century cargo was bundled in rope nets and crates to be carried by clipper ship across the sea. San francisco general strike 1934 what began as an isolated longshoremens dispute developed in the spring and summer of 1934 into one of the most sweeping and violent industrial conflicts of the great depression.
San francisco public library san francisco historical photograph collection strikers burning seamens books during the longshoremens strike of 1934 image strikers burning seamens books during the longshoremens strike of 1934. Jeremy brechers history of the 1934 strike of dock workers and the san francisco general strike it sparked, against casual hiring methods on the docks, which was bitterly opposed by employers, the state and the unions. Called the bluebook union for the color of its dues book the riggers dues book had. The big strikea menu the 1934 waterfront strike in san francisco is by all accounts a seminal event in class relations in the city. These newly emboldened workers first went after the blue book union, refusing to pay dues to it and tearing up their membership books. The san francisco general strike developed as part of a west coast. Cpusa account of the famous san francisco strike hd5325. Since the termination of the 1934 strike, the program of the san francisco. July 5, 2014 marks the 80 th anniversary of bloody thursday, july 5, 1934, a day that shook san francisco. On july 5, 1934, striking workers and police clashed in a series of riots that swept the waterfront from rincon hill to the ferry building. Featuring photographs by wendy crittenden and tom griscom and curated by kim munson, the exhibition is on view through august 7, 2015, at san francisco state university, with an opening reception on april 2.
The waterfront labor situation was brighter on the pacific coast today than at anytime since the san francisco general strike of 1934. On may 9, 1934, san francisco longshoremen went out on strike against west coast ship owners, igniting a movement of 35,000 maritime workers of the international longshoremens association ila that shut down 2,000 miles of pacific coastline from bellingham, washington, to san diego, california. Fifty years ago, students at san francisco state embarked on a campus strike that lasted five months the longest student strike in u. Bart to strike on sunday 816 san francisco forum tripadvisor. Congress investigates the 1934 san francisco strike. The san francisco general strike of 1934 was initiated by. The new kind of unionism born of the 1934 maritime strike was not confined to the docks. Minneapolis teamsters strike of 1934 minnesota digital. A pictorial history of the 1934 sf general strike with a narrative by warren hinckle, silver dollar books. The ilwu story international longshore and warehouse union. The communist party, the unions, and the san francisco. Rossi was adamantly anticommunist, and labeled the more militant labor organizing and strikes as the work of agitators. Fourteen unions voted to support the call the next day, and the teamsters voted to go out on july 12 if the strike remained unsettled. Introduction and activities of the california national guard this history was completed in 1940 by the works progress administration wpa in conjunction with the california national guard and the california state library.
Over the course of eightytwo days, san franciscos waterfront workers protested their mistreatment by ship owners. The 1934 waterfront and general strikes in san francisco selvin, david on. A journalist describes the 1934 san francisco strike by mike quin. The first running battles between unionists and police began tuesday, july 3, 1934. San francisco general strike of 1934 newspaper archives. The employers negotiators hoped to push the longshoremen into dumping. The 1934 west coast waterfront strike lasted eightythree days, and began on may 9, 1934. Plant, president of the waterfront employers union of san francisco, to the national longshoremens board, july 11, 1934 thomas g plant. The san francisco longshoremen called the embarcadero the slave. President franklin roosevelt 18821945 and the national labor board forerunner of the national labor relations board arbitrated an end to the strike, which firmly established the rights of waterfront workers nationwide. The law in action during the san francisco longshore and maritime strike of 1934 herbert resner on.
Ships tied up by the seven weeks controversy between schooner operators and seamen were beginning to move. Jul 01, 2010 san francisco general strike, 1934 part 1 union workers in san francisco stage a general strike, shutting down the city to support striking longshoremen. In the endless struggle of american workers for recognition and respect in modern industrial society, the pacific coast maritime strike and the san francisco general strikes in 1934 stand as crucial and symbolic events. The images in this group capture moments from a pivotal episode in the rise of organized labor in the united states. In 1934 in the san francisco bay area, the california national guard was the first choice for strike breaking by the governor of california. Oral history transcript 1986 book online at best prices in india on.
Losing out in union battle by united press san francisco, feb. This is the san francisco news coverage of the first day of the rioting july 3, 1934. Finding aid to the 1934 international longshoremens. The records of the san francisco maritime strike document labor unrest in san francisco from february 16 to october 8, 1934, and events leading to the unrest. How many machine guns does it take to cook one meal. San francisco longshoremen heed arbitrators plea to work under 1934 award. The nationwide labor upsurge of 1934 reached its peak in san francisco. The san francisco general strike had enormous ripple effects beyond the bay area. The dock workers strike and san francisco general strike, 1934 jeremy brecher. Riots precede san francisco general strike bloody thursday.
They were required, the late historian david montgomery wrote, to push or pull enormous. It also represents hotel workers in hawaii, cannery workers in alaska, warehouse workers throughout the west and bookstore workers in portland, oregon. Ilwu strikers escort a scab off the docks during the 1934 san francisco general strike. Jun 23, 2000 from his political awakening during the 1934 san francisco general strike to his many years in the communist party to his expulsion from the mattachine society that he cofounded 50 years ago, hay.
On may 9, 1934, international labor association ila leaders called a strike of all dockworkers on the west coast who were joined a few days later by seamen and teamsters, effectively stopping all shipping from san diego to seattle. By the end of july 1934, the labor unrest in western u. During the july san francisco general strike of 1934, rossi organized a committee to thwart the strike and move freight. A new book juxtaposes contemporary color photos of abandoned japaneseamerican internment camps with period images. A history of the 1934 longshore strike, a detailed account of the eightythree day struggle written by rod palmquist and illustrated with photos and newspaper headlines. Nineteen thirtyfour marked a turning point for labor during the great depression.
The communist party, the unions, and the san francisco general. Above, a national guard tank and early tank by comparison with later world war ii tanks was stationed at san francisco s fishermans warf, pier 1, against the strikers. The san francisco dock strike 1934 the california state. San francisco general strike, 1934 part 1 union workers in san francisco stage a general strike, shutting down the city to support striking longshoremen.
Though all was quiet here, the east bay reported the first strike casualty of the day. Tickets sell out book up to 90 days in advance july 2016. Longshore union remembers pivotal 1934 strike sfgate. The level of strikes did not begin to rise significantly until 1933, several years into the depression. The strike that shook san francisco and rocked the pacific coast. San francisco general strike martial law along the. July 5, 2014 marks the 80th anniversary of bloody thursday, july 5, 1934, a day that shook san francisco.
In 1916, longshore workers conducted a strike that lasted three months. Sid roger collection, labor archives and research center, san francisco state university. Jul 09, 2011 on july 5, 1934, san francisco port bosses pulled out all stops trying to break a twomonth west coast dock strike. The dock workers strike and san francisco general strike. The strike that shook san francisco and rocked the. We present a series of screens with texts, photos, captions, and videos that attempt to present the basic story. Home search new listings authors titles subjects serials. Clayton minor, 27, an oakland striker, was shot in the stomach and critically wounded when he and four others attacked a san francisco dock worker in alameda. The international longshore and warehouse union ilwu is a labor union which primarily represents dock workers on the west coast of the united states, hawaii, and in british columbia, canada. The fourday strike ended with agreement on arbitration in which the ila got most of the demands it had made on behalf of longshoremen. Police that day killed nick bordoise and howard sperry two of seven workers killed between may 15 and july 20. Jul 03, 2014 july 5, 2014 marks the 80th anniversary of bloody thursday, july 5, 1934, a day that shook san francisco. First there was the san francisco strike of 1934 when the press itself played the role of strikebreaker.
Jul 01, 2010 san francisco general strike, 1934 part 2 union workers in san francisco stage a general strike, shutting down the city to support striking longshoremen. Look for editions of this book at your library, or elsewhere. Jul 06, 2008 on july 5, 1934, long known as bloody thursday, more than 2,000 strikers gathered on the streets of san francisco, demanding fair working conditions for longshoremen, who worked long hours with. The events that day inflamed the working people of san francisco and the bay area. Blackwhite solidarity key to san franciscos 1934 general strike.
The depression hit the textile industry long before the rest of society and by early 1929 the mill towns, especially in the south, were seething with discontent. Oral memoirs from 1934 describing the san francisco general strike and subsequent membership in the communist party. The san francisco general strike developed as part of a west coast maritime strike which, at its height, involved more than,000 workers in the bay area and about 200,000 coastwide, bringing key sectors of the economy to a virtual standstill. The effect of this strike was to effectively block. On may 9, 1934, leaders of the international longshoremens association ila called a strike of all west coast dockworkers, demanding a wage scale, a closed shop union membership as a requirement of employment, and unionadministered hiring halls. The san francisco general strike of 1934 was in no sense a sport.
The warehouse workers, with their close ties to the waterfront that in the early days of the union came from working near the docks and handling cargo brought on and off the ships by longshoremen, also helped build the ilwu and they too shared in its achievements. It is but the latest of a long line of conflicts between employers and employed in that area, many of them, like the general strike, centering about the waterfront, and focusing on the degree of control over employment to be exercised by employers or by union. In that year, the number of strikes more than doubled to 1,856, while the number of workers on strike increased fivefold, to 1,470,000, compared to the period 192932. Led by the black student union and third world liberation front, the strike was a high point of student struggle in the revolutionary year of 1968. The law in action during the san francisco longshore and. The fight for san francisco is adapted from the exhibition dual views.
Sep 21, 2009 the san francisco general strike in july 1934 or the big strike, as it was known locallydeveloped as part of a west coast maritime strike that, at its height, involved more than,000 workers. San francisco s 1934 general strike marked the first time a major us port city was completely shut down by a strikea pivotal episode in the rise of organized labor in the united states. Study 100 terms us history chapter 24 flashcards quizlet. Strikers burning seamens books during the longshoremens. The seattle and san francisco general strikes samuel and althea stroum books series by victoria johnson. The dock workers strike and san francisco general strike, 1934 jeremy brecher jeremy brechers history of the 1934 strike of dock workers and the san francisco general strike it sparked, against casual hiring methods on the docks, which was bitterly opposed by employers, the state and the unions. Marchers along waterfront several views of marchers sign,smash the fink hall struck ship behind marchers milling strikers carrying plackards deserted piers cu milling crowds of strikers long line of marchers walking by building outside meeting idle ship behind marchers men walking up gangway ladder.
They made the great general strike of 1934 inevitable and they set in. A pictorial history of the 1934 san francisco general strike. George seldes on san francisco s press and the 1934 general strike. Help with reading books report a bad link suggest a new listing. On april 24, 1934, the western worker, the west coast communist weekly. Minneapolis at the time was largely a nonunion city. There was a lull during the july 4 holiday when no freight was moved, but disturbances picked up again thursday, july 5, 1934 known as bloody thursday. Digitized by the history office, camp san luis obispo, 24 january 2015.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. History of the 1934 waterfront strike in portland, oregon, by roger buchanan. The worst violence occurred in san francisco on july 5, 1934, now memorialized as bloody thursday. The strike peaked with the death of two workers on bloody thursday and the san francisco general strike which stopped all work in the major. They made the great general strike of 1934 inevitable and they set in motion a movement that would transform the western waterfronts. Environnements portuaires the longshoremen of san francisco.
The us national textile workers strike, 1934 jeremy brecher. Cleophas williams, left, relaxes after a memorial service at the ilwu union hall to commemorate the anniversary of the 1934 port workers strike, where two men died in a bloody confrontation with police, in san francisco, calif. And the 12minute film the 1934 west coast longshore strike written and narrated by historian ron magden. Oct 06, 2009 ilwu strikers escort a scab off the docks during the 1934 san francisco general strike. It was met by ferocious repression, but the strikers persevered and won the first college of ethnic. Marchers along waterfront several views of marchers sign,smash the fink hall struck ship behind marchers milling strikers carrying plackards deserted piers cu milling crowds of strikers long line of marchers walking by building outside meeting idle ship behind marchers men walking up gangway ladder alongside ship getting onto. Sep 18, 2009 75 years since the san francisco general strike by marge holland and robert louis 18 september 2009 on may 9, 1934, san francisco longshoremen went out on strike against west coast ship owners. San francisco history center, san francisco public library after bloody thursday, the joint marine strike committee called for a general strike. The strike was remarkably effective, shutting down most commercial transport in the city with the exception of certain farmers, who were allowed to bring their produce into town, but delivering directly to grocers, rather than to the market area, which the union had shut down. The level of strikes did not begin to rise significantly. The san francisco general strike of 1934, along with the toledo autolite strike of 1934.
International longshore and warehouse union wikipedia. San francisco and the general strike university of chicago. Oral memoirs from 1934 describing the san francisco general strike and subsequent membership. The 1934 waterfront and general strikes in san francisco. San franciscos press and the 1934 general strike foundsf. The 1934 west coast waterfront strike also known as the 1934 west coast longshoremens strike, as well as a number of variations on these names lasted eightythree days, and began on may 9, 1934 when longshoremen in every us west coast port walked out. They made the great general strike of 1934 inevitable and they set in motion a movement that would transform the western. San franciscos maritime strike, which began may 9, 1934, tumbled out of control when the industrial association, made up of employers and business interests who wished to break the strike, and. Events similar to these took place across the country in 1934.
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