Archives West Finding Aid

According to the official International Longshoremen's website, "The International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO 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.S. rivers, Puerto Rico and Eastern Canada."

"Organized in 1892 along the U.S. Great Lakes, the ILA is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations; the Canadian Labour Congress and the world-wide International Transport Workers' Federation."

"Additionally, the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots; the United Marine Division Tugboat Workers and the New York State Supreme Court Officers are affiliated with the ILA."

The Labor Press Project describes the origin of the Pacific Coast district thusly: "The ILA's Pacific Coast District was formed after a coast-wide dockworkers' strike in 1934. Protesting poor wages, dangerous working conditions, and unscrupulous hiring practices, waterfront workers in West Coast port cities went out on strike on May 9th. After eighty-five days of violence, arrests, and attempted strikebreaking, the Pacific Coast's dockworkers won the strike and coast wide union recognition. The West Coast dockworkers became part of the International Longshoremen's Association, under the umbrella of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)"

[Sources: Labor Press Project website: depts.washington.edu/labhist/laborpress/Pacific_Longshoreman.htm

The International Longshoremen's Association website: ilaunion.org]