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Alaska Fishermen's Union Records, 1919-1977

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Alaska Fishermen's Union
Title
Alaska Fishermen's Union Records
Dates
1919-1977 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 boxes plus 46 ledger books , (12.9 linear feet)
Collection Number
1989.82
Summary
Minutes, correspondence and other materials generated by and of interest to the Alaska Fishermen's Union
Repository
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Alaska Fishermen's Union was operational by 1919 and their headquarters were located in downtown Seattle. Their initial records consist of shipping lists, which name the vessel, the cannery, the fishing company, the captain, and the union members on each voyage in a particular fishing season. Over the years their records grow to include not only minutes and financial statements but also correspondence and reports related to significant issues in the fishing industry, including the First, Second and Third United Nations Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) conferences. Issues at the UNCLOS conferences included the breadth of the territorial sea, international fishing rights, and protection of marine resources.

The Alaska Fishermen's Union had branches in Oregon (Portland, Astoria), Washington (Bellingham), California (Monterey, San Francisco) and Alaska (Anchorage, Ketchikan) and represented shore-side workers including deckhands, cooks, pile drivers, dock workers, beach gangs, waiters and waitresses. Their headquarters were at 2505 1st Ave., Rm. 3, in Seattle for many years until they merged with the Seafarers International Union in 1997 or 1998. The SIU is headquartered in Piney Point, Maryland, and has a local union hall in Tacoma.

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Content Description

The collection consists of both bound materials kept in binders, and loose papers filed and foldered in boxes. The bound materials include shipping lists on Alaska Fishermen's Union forms, which noted the names and membership numbers of men who signed on for different fishing companies, canneries and vessels; delegate lists, which were similar to the shipping lists except that they were written on fishing company forms; and typed minutes and correspondence from the local union halls. The minutes and correspondence include records of the weekly union hall meetings, election rosters, telegrams, lists of new, retired and deceased members, documents indicating political involvement in terms of issues relevant to the union, resolutions, and articles related to conservation and the fishing industry. The bound materials are in leather-bound or cloth-bound binders, measuring 38cm x 25cm, with two metal posts and gummed labels for the insertion of documents. In a few cases documents are bound in brown board binders with a clip mechanism for binding.

Documents pertaining to the First, Second, and Third Law of the Sea conferences are included in the boxed materials. Materials here range from loose papers to stenographer notebooks and brown board binders. There are also two maps in the collection.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

The Alaska Fishermen's Union Records, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

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Administrative Information

Location of Collection

10b.1.4-7 (ledger books)

Location of Collection

13b.4.10 (boxes)

Location of Collection

VII.a.19 (maps)

Acquisition Information

Donated by Harold M. Holten in 1989.

Separated Materials

These materials are part of a donation that also included items of special interest to the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. These documents are cataloged and stored separately by the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society at MOHAI.

Related Materials

Accession PS1042.1-.5 in the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society's collection contains five publications transferred from the Alaska Fishermen's Union Records. These include four publications of the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission (1954-1977) and one Coast Guard publication on safe construction of fishing vessels.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Shipping Lists

    Shipping lists contained information on the dates of sailing, the name of the company, cannery and vessel and a list of the names and membership numbers of the union members on each particular voyage. Lists were compiled on official Alaska Fishermen's Union forms.

    • Description: 1989.82.1: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1919 April-1920 March
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.2: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1921 April-1923 April
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.3: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1924 May-1926 June
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.4: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1926 April-1929 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.5: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1927 April-1930 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.6: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1928 March-1930 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1989.82.7: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1931 May-1936 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.2
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1898.82.8: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1932 May-1936 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1898.82.9: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1937 May-1937 Sept.
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Shipping Lists
    • Description: 1898.82.10: Shipping Lists
      Dates: 1938 May-1939 May
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Shipping Lists

  • Roll Book and Members Lists

    The roll book contains lists of members (arranged in loosely alphabetical order), their member numbers, and members in bad standing, retired or deceased.

    • Description: 1989.82.11: Roll Book and Member's Lists for 1937 and retired members list for 1932-1939
      Dates: 1932-1939
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Roll Book and Members Lists

  • Delegate Reports

    Delegate reports are similar to shipping lists but more detailed. Each page lists the cannery, the company, the season, the superintendent and the delegate. Each worker's work position, and home city are noted. Additional information includes cases of specific kinds of salmon packed, number of traps and seines used, inside-outside fishermen, overtime paid, etc. These volumes also contain numerous shipping lists. The lists are mostly typed, and are organized in alphabetical order by the name of the cannery or the fishing company.

    • Description: 1989.82.12: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1940-1943
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.13: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1943
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.14: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1944-46
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.15: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1948
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.16: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1954-56
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.17: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1957-60
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.18: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1961-64
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports
    • Description: 1989.82.19: Delegate Reports
      Dates: 1971-77
      Container: Shelf 10a.3.3
      Location: Delegate Reports

  • Corporate Minutes and Correspondence

    These binders contain the minutes of weekly meetings and correspondence of the AFU headquarters in Seattle, as well as union hall branches in Portland, Astoria, Bellingham, San Francisco, Ketchikan and Monterey. Correspondence includes election rosters, telegrams, lists of new, retired and deceased members, and documents concerning political involvement in terms of issues relevant to the union.

  • Constitution and By-Laws

    This pocket-sized volume, detailing the constitution, procedures and bylaws of the Alaska Fishermen's Union, was published for the use of the union's members.

    • Description: 1989.82.48: Constitution and By-Laws of the Alaska Fishermen's Union 12.5 cm. x 7.5 cm.
      Dates: 1972 April
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Constitution and By-Laws

  • Boxed Items

    • Description: 1989.82.49: Correspondence regarding the "Law of the Sea"
      Dates: 1958-60
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.50: Correspondence regarding closure of the Public Health Service Hospital
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.51: Correspondence regarding Pacific fisheries treaty negotiations
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.52: Correspondence regarding the Conference of Japanese and United States Fishing Unions
      Dates: 1959
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.53: Correspondence regarding Alaska fishing
      Dates: 1950-1960
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.54: Correspondence regarding Washington State fishing legislation
      Dates: 1958-1959
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.55: Correspondence regarding national and international fishing regulations
      Dates: 1962-1976
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.56: Correspondence and reports of the AFU Trial Committee
      Dates: 1950-1951
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.57: Miscellaneous correspondence (including correspondence related to a resolution concerning Blaine Harbor and a proposed merger with the International Longshoremen's and Warehouser's Union)
      Dates: 1950-1951
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.58: Negotiation correspondence
      Dates: 1946-1951
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.59: Negotiation correspondence
      Dates: 1952
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.60: Negotiation correspondence
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.61: Negotiation correspondence
      Dates: 1955-1956
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.62: Negotiation correspondence
      Dates: 1960-1965
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.63: Termination notices
      Dates: 1951-1953
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.64: Pension correspondence and lists
      Dates: 1951-1965
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.65: Shipping lists
      Dates: 1951-1952
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.66: Shipping lists
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.67: Shipping lists
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.68: Financial statement
      Dates: 1949 December 29
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.69: Financial statement
      Dates: 1950 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.70: Financial statement
      Dates: 1951 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.71: Financial statement
      Dates: 1952 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.72: Financial statement
      Dates: 1953 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.73: Financial statement
      Dates: 1953 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.74: Audit report
      Dates: 1954 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.75: Audit report
      Dates: 1958 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.76: Report on examination (of financial statements)
      Dates: 1959 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.77: Report on examination (of financial statements)
      Dates: 1960 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.78: Report on examination (of financial statements)
      Dates: 1961 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.79: Report on examination (of financial statements)
      Dates: 1962 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.80: Report on examination (of financial statements)
      Dates: 1963 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.81: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1964 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.82: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1965 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.83: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1966 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.84: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1967 March 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.85: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1967 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.86: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1967 September 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.87: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1967 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.88: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1968 March 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.89: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1968 September 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.90: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1968 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.91: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1969 March 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.92: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1969 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.93: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1969 September 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.94: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1969 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.95: Report on examination of financial statements
      Dates: 1970 March 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.96: Financial statements
      Dates: 1970 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.97: Financial statements
      Dates: 1970 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.98: Financial statements
      Dates: 1971 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.99: Financial statements
      Dates: 1971 December 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.100: Financial statements
      Dates: 1972 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.101: Financial statements
      Dates: 1972 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.102: Financial statements
      Dates: 1973 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.103: Financial statements
      Dates: 1974 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.104: Financial statements
      Dates: 1974 December 31
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.105: Financial statements
      Dates: 1975 June 30
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.106: Minutes -- AFU Astoria
      Dates: 1969-1971
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.107: Minutes -- AFU California
      Dates: 1957-1959
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.108: Minutes -- AFU California
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.109: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham
      Dates: 1948-1949
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.110: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham
      Dates: 1957-1959
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.112: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1947-1948
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.113: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1949
      Container: Box 1
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.114: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1950
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.115: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1951-1952
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.116: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1953-1954
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.117: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1955-1956
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.118: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1957-1959
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.119: Minutes -- AFU Portland
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.120: Minutes -- AFU California
      Dates: 1950-1951
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.121: Minutes -- AFU California
      Dates: 1947-1950
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.122: Minutes -- AFU Alaska
      Dates: 1949-1950
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.123: Minutes -- AFU Cannery
      Dates: 1944
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.124: Minutes -- AFU Cannery
      Dates: 1946
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.125: Minutes -- AFU Cannery
      Dates: 1950
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.126A: Minutes -- AFU Cannery
      Dates: 1961-1964
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.126B: Minutes -- AFU Cannery
      Dates: 1965-1975
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.127: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1947
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.128: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1948
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.129: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1949
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.130: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1950
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.131: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.132: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1952
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.133: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1953
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.134: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.135: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.136: Minutes -- AFU Seattle
      Dates: 1956
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.137: Minutes -- AFU Alaska
      Dates: 1954-1957
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.138: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
      Dates: 1951-1952
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.139: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
      Dates: 1952-1953
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.140: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
      Dates: 1954-1955
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.141: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
      Dates: 1955-1956
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.142: Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
      Dates: 1957
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.143: National Marine Fisheries Service Documents related to Alaska fishing
      Dates: 1973-1977
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.144: Miscellaneous Documents related to Alaska Fishing
      Dates: 1957-1977
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.145: 1st and 2nd Law of the Sea Conference documents
      Dates: 1959-1961
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.146: 3rd Law of the Sea Conference, multiple sessions
      Dates: 1974-1976
      Container: Box 3
      Location: Boxed Items
    • Description: 1989.82.147: 15 articles about Pacific fishing
      Dates: 1959-1974
      Container: Box 2
      Location: Boxed Items

  • Maps

    • Description: 1989.82.148: Areas and species of major foreign fisheries
      56cm x 78cm
      Dates: 1974 June 16
      Container: Drawer VII19
      Location: Maps
    • Description: 1989.82.149: Pacific Ocean. Washington D.C.
      85.5cm x 116cm

      Hydrographic Office (with additional information added on Japanese fishing areas in the north Pacific and areas needing protection for North American salmon.

      Dates: 1947
      Location: Maps

Finding aid prepared by Sheri Boggs
2006

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