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Matthew Meehan scrapbook on maritime labor history, 1936-1977
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Meehan, Matthew, 1896-1977
- Title
- Matthew Meehan scrapbook on maritime labor history
- Dates
- 1936-1977 (inclusive)19361977
- Quantity
- 0.32 cubic feet (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 6281 (Accession No. 6281-001)
- Summary
- Scrapbook of the first Secretary-Treasurer of the Interanational Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Matthew Meehan (1896-1977) was born in Rhode Island, working in textile factories before going to work as a sailor at the age of 14. Meehan worked as a merchant seaman until 1928, when he came ashore in Portland, Oregon to become a longshore worker. Meehan was the head of the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 38–78 (Portland; later International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 8), before and after the 1934 Pacific Coast Maritime Strike. In 1936, Meehan became the editor of the ILA Pacific Coast's newspaper, The Pacific Coast Longshoreman. In 1937, Meehan was elected the first Secretary-Treasurer of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, the international union that formed when the Pacific Coast District of the ILA split from the rest of the ILA and joined the Congress of Industrial Organizations. In 1944, Meehan went to the Hawai'ian Islands to scout its prospects of potential organizing by the ILWU, laying the groundwork for what would become a transformational union drive and ILWU Local 142. In 1957, Meehan was appointed an arbitrator between the ILWU and its employer association, the Pacific Maritime Association. Meehan died at the age of 80 near Mount Hood, Oregon.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Scrapbook of news clippings collected by Matt Meehan on maritime labor issues, especially those involving the International Longshoremen's Association's Pacific Coast District and its successor, the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union. Additional materials from Meehan's memorial were added by a family member after his death. Loose materials in the scrapbook include some correspondence, convention materials, and biographical sketches of Meehan.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Labor movement--Pacific Coast (U.S
- Labor union members--Oregon--Portland--Archives
- Labor unions--Pacific Coast (U.S
- Labor--Pacific Coast (U.S
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Meehan, Matthew, 1896-1977--Archives
Corporate Names
- International Longshoremen's Association. Pacific Coast District--History--Sources
- International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union--History--Sources