| Summary: | "The Sailor's Union of the Pacific" documents the history of the Sailor's Union along the Pacific Coast from 1885 to 1928. Although Peter Gill is credited as the primary author, Ottilie served as the co-author of the book, a process she describes in her autobiography "Against the Current." (Markholt, Ottilie, "Against the Current," page 143-148; 153, http://content.lib.washington.edu/u?/pnwhm,661) Ottilie Markholt was born on Febuary 25, 1916 in Candle, Alaska. She was an active member of the Pierce County labor movement and published several works on the history of labor unions. She died in Tacoma, Washington on November 25, 2004. ©oast lockout• ” "• • • Any rule that would require the seamen to quit stork upon a cargo that Is touched at some stage or other by nonunion hands would ultimately result in compelling all seamen to quit work for oil tlm@« . . • "The Sailors* ynlon of the Pacific is too old to be dragooned into war measures by fear of criticism that rests upon mere sentiment Unsuccessful negotiations with the company continued* A Citizens* League m s organised to terrorise the strikers, and the company operated with Digger Indians, arsed and supplied with liquor. But more important to the San Francisco water front was the future of the City Front Federation* %ad- * quarters meeting of the sailors October IStiu. resolved? "Whereas, At the regular meeting of the City Front Federation, on t*ct4ber 7 , 1903, the chairmen of said meeting held that the City Front Federation has the right to call off members of affiliated unions from their respective employment i end "% e re as, The Sailors* Union of the Pacific has never granted the City Front Federation, nor any other Federation the power to call its members off their ©ork; therefore be it "Resolved, . • . that in the future, as in the past, we shall reserve to ourselves exclusively the power to call any member off his qff&rk;” "One thing my be taken for granted," said the Journal. 297 "na\ely, that the Sailer a* Union vdll do more under proper reprosentetion than under improper compulsion. As much may bo said, we believe, for every union affiliated, with the City Front Federation. With e. thorough understanding of individual rights and mutual responsibilities, tic usefulness of the City Front federation will be proportionately increased. CHAPTER V II COLLECTIVE BAROAIWINB AGREEI$fiTS--1901-1906 S M E S S G S S S * A s e o e l a t l Q R toatam fm b. The favorable conclusion of the City Front Federation strike of 1901 left the S a il o r 1 union In a position to con-dude successfully the negotiations with the Shipowners* As* sedation that had been interrupted by the strike* Early in November, 1901, a month after the sailors returned to work, the Shi powers* Association reorganised and appointed a com* mittee to meat the Sal lor s ’ union* After t lying to out Is* land wages, the shipowners reached a temporary agreement with the union setting wages at §30 to the Islands and $23 offshore, the Union objected to a shipping office opened in conjunction with the old Association office on Sast street to sign steamship and steam schooner sailors on shipping articles for a specified time* Despite difficulties, April 3, 1902, the Shipownersf Association of the Pacific Coast and the Sailors9 Onion signed a six months9 agreement, to remain In force thereafter as long as satisfactory or be abrogated by either par- I • ’l ty on 30 days notice* The Association thet* comprised the sailing vessels, about 85 per cent of the coastwise shipowners* Wages were set at the unio^vscale: outside ports, §45 and SO cents overtime after ten hours within the regular work day; inside ports, $40 and 40 cents overtiise; to 299 British Columbia, Mexico and the Hawaiian Islands, $35 and 40 cents overtire$ to the Philippines end Central America, $30; and to South Americas the Orient, Africa and Australia, ©85, Vessels loading coastwise to go off shore received coastwise wages until the vessel was loaded and cleared* &ine hours in port was established for the Coast with the exception of San Francisco, with overtime far work beyond that and Sundays and holidays* Union non agreed to sign on and pay off In the Association offioe. Seemen were to be engaged by owners or masters, to be hired through the Association office from "bona-fide board-ing- masters” or directly from the Union, according to a prorata agreement between boarding masters, the Association and the Union* Union agencies supplied crews at other ports, and union patrolmen were permitted to visit vessels* The Sailors* Union went on record against sympathetic strikes* Wages by the run were eliminated. Crews were to work cargo either by themselves or with longshoremen* If a vessel was delayed over seven days waiting for a berth the crew might be paid off* Union cooka and stewards were to be employed when ob- !)S p. tainable* A standing grievance committee of three was appointed to adjust differences* The agreement was signed by the Board of Directors for the Shipownersf Association and **ohn &ean, G* Holmgren and H. Jortell for the Sailors* Union* AOTeement In Opera tlon When the agreement expired October 2nd the Union refused to accept a #5 cut, and the agreement was renewed with minor 300 changes for another six months. In January, 1905, the ::;oIr-no case illustrated the strength of the Sailors* Union. The schooner i ol^no belonging to Matthew Turner & Co. of San Frrncisco, with one exception the only firm of its kind on the Pacific Coest that d id n ’ t take union crev;s, applied to t e Aberdeen agency for a cret?. The Union refused unless Turner would agree to carry union men in till vessels. A non-union crew was scared up, but on learning the condition refused to go aboard, although their advance had been paid to the crimps. The ^olano was delayed a fortnight, when the Treasury Department ordered the revenue cutter Grant to procure a crew of scabs at Seattle, put them on the ^olano at i-.berdeen, arid see the vessel safely ecross the bar. The litter part of February Turner joined the Shipowners* Association and unionized his vessels. April 21, 1903, the agreement was renewed for a year. In sailing vessels to outside ports t e work day was cut from ten to nine hours; wages remained the same throughout; coffee tine was written into t ie agreement; and union cooks were provided at £50 and ,55 a month when obtainable. alter ^ac-arthur, Andrew Furuseth and E .a . Krickson signed the agreement for the Sailors * Union. "Whatever the agreement between sailors and shipowners may lock in satisfaction to those who believe in the policy of working a cinch for all it is worth," said the Journal. "it more than makes up to those who believe that the rssin object to be sought in racking such agreements is s t a b ilit y .” 301 s & a atiteam .anamffipft April 27, 1903, the Sellars9 Union ratified an agree* nsent with the Stem Schooner Onagers* Association, to run to February 1 , 1904* Negotiations were conducted jointly by the Sailors9 tyiion, the Pacific Coast *“arlne firemen#s Union and the ^arlne Cooks and Stewards* Association* Sailors* wages Eere set at $45 Inside ports and #50 outside portst with 50 cents overtime after nine hours. Wartime was allowed for Sundays and holidays at sea and ashore and outside working hours except work done for the safety of ship, oar go or passengers* Ten minutes coffee tln& m e allowed, firemen's wages tfere set at $50; the stewards* department m e to receive from $70 for cooks and stewards to #30 for cabin and galleymen, with over tic® at 50 and 25 cents* The unions declared against sympathetle strikes; patrolmen aero allowed to visit ships; and a standing grievance committee of six, one from each union and three from the Steam Schooner Onagers' Association was provided, vessels not to be tied up pending attempted settlement of a dispute* The agreement represented several Improvements over the eustomary jerking rules: nine hours In port for all departments and an Increased manning scale for firemen and cooks* Three months later, August 6, 1903, the sailors, firemen and eooks signed an agreement with the Oceanlo Steamship Co., covering the Australian and Island liners, to run to April 15, 302 1904, subject thereafter to renewal or abrogation on 30 days* notice. The company agreed to employ union men when a v a ilable, except those "personally objectionable to the Company” , to be hired through the Union office. *atrolmen were permitted to v is it the vessels, and the Wilori renounced sym-p. thetic strikes, ./ages were set at $40 boatswain and . 35 eble seamen, with 40 cents overtime after nine hours and Sundays and holidays fcr working c^rgo and coaling a d cleaning ship, the mate and ship’ s delegate appointed by the Union to keep time* firemen*® wages sere set at ;;50, and the stewards department was to be governed by "prevailing conditions and wr;ges.M Settlement of disputes by arbitration was provided, if direct negotiation failed. The agreement was a distinct victory for the Union, as, with the exception of the Island steamer which had carried a union crew, the vessels changed from non-union to union crews, and Oceanic Steamship Company, Ions considered hostile to labor, had apparently faced about. Recognition by Spreckels left only two firms without agreements, williams Dimond ar:d *acific h a il. ±n September, 1903, Pacific Coast Steamship Company dismissed the damage suit against sailors and firemen for abrogating the agreement at the beginning of the 1901 s trite* Improved .uarters Asked hith recognition of the Sailors’ Union assured, the seac-en renewed their campaign for improved living conditions on coastwise vessels. Steam schooners were the worst offenders. 303 There was an urgent need for decent forecastles and mess rooms so the crews wouldn’ t be obliged to eat on the deck load or deck under the idle stares of dock loafers and passengers, or with the decks awash, **03s rooxas were sacrificed for cargo and passenger room, and every winter their absence brought complaints from steam schooner sailors. few mess rooms already installed were too snail or too near the fire room, and some put over the boiler were impossible to use. On passenger vessels mess men and mess rooms under cover with tables were provided. John Kean, writing in the 0 ourncl, complained that originally the entire top gallant forecastle had been intended for the crew, but lately had been used for steerage passengers until there was barely enough standing room left for all hands. When the whole forecastle was available there had boon some light and ventilation, but that was entirely cut off by the deck load, which also blocked any emergency exit. Steam and exhaust pipes to the winch led through the forecastle, bringing extreme heat and drops of scalding water to the sailors, when they could have been led around i t . Alien the vessel was heavily loaded in bad weather the anchor chain pines let water into the forecastle, forecastles on some of the new steam schooners were smaller than the old ones, and only after protests by the sailors were they enlarged, i epented interviews and requests for mess rooms and enlarged forecastles brought small results from the shipowners* 304 NBfsmmtin t o y m A Im ^arch, 1904, the Sailors* Union laid over far a yeer the question of establishing shipping through the union hall. April, 1904, the Steam Schooner **&n&gers& Association renewed the agreement with sailors, firemen and cooks, with clarifications in working rules, and no change in wages. The operators agreed "where practical" to provide adequate mess rooms protected from weather, heat and engine fumes, within three months* Points not covered by the agreement were to be decided in accordance with the Sailors* Union working rules* In June, 1904, the Sailors9 Union and the Shipowners9 Association renewed the agreement with a change specifying "efficient white or colored cooks" instead of union cooks* At the 1904 and 1905 conventions of the International Seamen's Union the ^ r i n e Cooks and Stewards* Association of the Pacific Introduced resolutions asking the Sailors9 Union to cooperate in putting union cooks on all vessels with which the sailors had agreements, protesting that they had not been consulted by the sailors In all agreements* The proposal of the sailors for an inerease in Island wages was turned down, but in the downward conditions, maintenance of stable wages was regarded as a g&ln* The Journal continued: "Hereafter coffee will be given In all vessels; hatches will be put on after working hours when working cargo; shipowners will furnish mess gear and cooks will keep the same clean, and, in the case of offshore vessels loading In Hawaiian ports for the Coast, coastwise wages will begin from the date on which the vessel begins loading* The agreement ellmin- 305 a ted boarding masters from shipping, an important gain for the Union. in January, 1905, when steam schooner negotiations were begun, the Union instituted shipping through the hall on steam schoonsrs. Kegotiations continued until May, 1905, when the agreement was renewed as it stood. The following months the Shipowners’ association end Oceanic Steamship ^otipeny renewed their agree rents with the Sailors’ Union. :-cab Government Trans t>or ts Although private shipowners finally recognized the '^nion, the Government consistently refused to pay going wages or em-pi& y union ::.en. during the Spanish ^lieriean Y.'ar troop transports were manned by Chinese, imported in violation of the Exclusion ic t , or scabs secured from crimps. Government chartered vessels paid '30, when privately operated transports paid (-40# Protests to President iv.c Kinley over employment of Chinese were unavailing. In 1900 during the boxer Rebellion the Government used scab crews on troop transports sent to China. In 1905 the sailors protested against $25 men being shipped for a navy collier when the going rate was £40. In 1908 navy colliers still used Chinese picked up in b o a r d * ^ "" ing houses. THK 1906 STRIKE The United shipping and Transpor tation .ssociation Labor nationally expanded from 1898 to 1904. Membership in the American Federation of *Uibor stood at 264,885 in 1897, 787,537 in 1901, and 1 ,6 7 6 ,2 0 0 in 1904. To meet these 306 gains, employers organized open*'^op associations, culminating In 1903 in the Citizens* Industrial Association, a national anti-labor orgeniaation* The following April del- ©gates from eleven local Citizens1 Alliances organized the California Citizens * Alliance* By 1003 the trade agreement through which labor had been able to stabilize its gains had largely lost popularity with employers because it failed to limit strikes and restrictions of output* The spring of 1903 San Francisco longshoremen struck* April 15, 1903, the United Shipping and Transportation Assoc* 1st ion was organized at the instigation of Southern Pacific railroad and its subsidiary, Pacific &ail Steamship Co*, as a maritime branch of the Citizens9 Alliance, to uphold the open shop* Members agreed to act jointly in labor disputes, under #5,000 bond deposited with the ^resident of the Citizens* Alliance at Sen Francisco, who was to act with the Kxee-utlve Committee of the Association* Regulations governing strikes stipulated that w$o msraber will be allowed to make individual settlement with strikes and all strike settlements oust be with the knowledge and consent of the Executive Committee and the ^resident of the Citizens9 Alliance* “ enfcers must avoid hiring each others help in tim of trouble* Efforts to profit by the misfortune of any member by trying to get business away from him is absolutely forbidden* Members agree to assist each other to the utmost by r©saining loyal to the principle that 9the injury of one is the concern of all*9 * * * Members are forbidden negotiations with walking 307 delegates, but on consent of a majority of members, a committee from any union or association mety be met by the executive Committee and demands, schedules, e t c ., be considered. The following individuals and companies signed the agreement: Master Stevedores* Association of San Francisco, George B. Bennett, Secretary; J .C . Caschen, President, representing the California, San Francisco and Pacific Stevedoring Co.; Pacific -ail Steamship Co., K .P . Schwerin, vice president and general manager; Occidental and Oriental Steamship C o ., K .F . Schwer in, pr esi dent; San *ranc i sco and *;cr tla rid Steamah ip Co. , R .P . Schwerin, vice president and general manager; American" Hawaiian Steamship ° o . , William diamond ^ C o ., egents; Pacific Coast Steamship Co., V-.-.E. Pierce, vice president and general manager; and Oceanic Steamship uo . , John D. Spreckela, president. witeam Schooner goti at ions January 31, 1906, the steam, schooner agreement expired. Efforts to negotiate a satisfactory agreement v;ere unsuccessful; ^nrch 18th the Sellers* ^nion voted by a large majority egainst renewing the agreement as it. stood. Shipping had picked up after the dull times of 1904-05. The coot of liv ing was increasing, and shore wages were r isin g . The sailors demanded a £5 increase, mess rooms on vessels having none, and time during working hours for crews to keep their quarters clean, when the owners refused, the sailors modified the demand for wage increases to $5 for men getting -.45 and in the stewards'department for men getting £3C. fter 308 many meetings with the Board of Directors of the Steam Schooner Managers1 Association the se am on sere refused all concessions* April 14th sailors, firemen and cooks voted almost unanimously to strike 1st for the demands* B a £rangiseo j ^ f l u g & a , The night of April 18th the San Franoisco earthquake oc-cur red, followed by a four-day fire that left the city in ruins* °v@r three-fourths of the city burned, leaving 350,- 000 homeless people camped on the beach of the Bay and Ocean from Channel street to the Cliff House, facing starvation; and a desperate migration tolling around the gutted elty to reach transportation to Oakland„ Losses were estimated between 800 and 500 million dollars; the city was placed under martial law* The sailors saved their brick building at the corner of East and Mission streets from the fire by their osm efforts, but it was so badly damaged by the quake that it m s later condemned* ^any members lost their lives in collapsing buildings during the quake and fire; and many more were burned out and left destitute* April 23rd headquarters a&eting recess®nded that unemployed mes&ers ship or ©ork their gray to the branches* A number of members were destitute in Oakland, where vessels were beginning to move* A motion was passed to meintain existing wages and hours but make no unusual demands, and the officers were constituted an Executive Committee to take charge of business and see about quarters, relief for mar- 309 rled meffibore and othsr problems, ^embers were urged to report for relief \aork and assist needy members and their families to find food and shelter* The Journal Game out promptly April 25th, four pages instead of 18, printed in Berkeley in a shop James H* Barry assembled after the fir e , as he was burned out* As the Union m a forced to vacate the damaged building the records were stowed at the South Side Hotel through the kindness of the proprietor, C*J* Berendes* Captain Charles Me Carthy of the Sailors* Uom granted permission to meet in the chapel until another piece could be found* The Union secured a permit to erect a shack on the ^olsom street dock, which it shared with the firemen and cooks for some months* Unions Renew Demands Shipping soon began to move* lusher to rebuild San Fran��cisco m s at a premium* The sailors suspended overtime on relief cargoes to aid the rehabilitation* It s*as estimated that freights on a round trip to Puget Sound had increased around |S00, about 50 to 75 per cent above normal, or from the Sound to San Francisco from $4*50 to $7 and to San Pedro from #3 and #5*50 to |8* May 14th the sailors voted to renew the request for a wage increase* The owners paid no attention* ^ y 28th the sailors voted that the new steam schooner ©ages adopted April 14th were to go into effect **ay 29th. A suggestion by the operators that Santa Barbara be considered an inside port was rejected* A few vessels paid the scale* The Steam 310 Schooner Managers* Association refused, saying they would re-tfav the matter to the United Shipping and transportation association* Shore work, rigging and wrecking, m s ptentiful for seamen, at three times the wages on ships* Aside from this there was no plage for the seamen to sleep, and they were either working ashore or leaving the elty, especially with prospects of a strike* The unions urged the operators to cooperate to keep vessels running* The $5 increase would amount to about 16 eents a day per sailor, $1*80 to $2 more per day for the crew, or about $80 par month more in wages, when vessels were earning about $&C0 more a month on freights* May 31st the United Shipping and transportation Association refused the unions* demands* The Unions were informed that the Association was Pacific &all, with two vessels on the Coast; American-Hawaiian, with two vessels running to San Francisco; and the Cosmos i*ine9 German* ^o demands had been mde on any of them* Behind the refusal was an attempt to reestablish the open-shop in coastwise vessels* The steam schooner operators submitted a proposition to the sailors which they agreed to submit to the Association if the union accepted* It provided #£*50 inerease per month to sailors in all steam schooners; overtime on sailing day to firemen who are furnishing steam for working cargo, but no watches to be set until vessels go to sea; for cooks and stewards §5 increase to the few mn receiving $30 per month* 311 The Sailors* Union refused. Lookout June 6th the ;■ emaciation looked out the longshoremen from Pacific a i l , Orefjon and Broadway (Pacific Coast Steam) docks, and later the sailors, firemen and cooks from Pacific Coast, Oregon and Coon Bey Steamship i4nes. when called, the mn-' ger of ^eeific Coast Steamship Co. said the matter was out of his hands. T 'e City Front Federation requested a f f i l iated unions to remain at work under weges and conditions existing prior to the earthquake, and appointed a cosri.ittee of five to meet the owners. The locked out seen had made no demands. The steam schooner ow r a tors on whom the defends were made shifted their vessels to Oakland ana prepared to '«ork with scsbs. At Aberdeen the crew of the Grace dollar walked o ff. Unions and employers conferred without results* *une 7th the Oceanic Steamship Co. ftave notice to the t-:ree striking unions that the agree-men t iva s ahrog n ted. Casey, Holmes, i*ic Connell, Williems and ^ee.n were appointed tc act for the City Front Federation. June 11th they mat the i.ssocietion. The latter proposed to renew the old agreement until January S I , 1907. The unions refused, offering to submit the controversy to arbitration. The employers refused. The Joint Committee of sailors, firemen and cooks recomsended not to renew the old agreement, arc! tc strike *©cific Coast Steamship Co., or any other except Oceenic £tcers«hip Co. if necessary. Pacific Coast Steamship Co. recruited green farmer boys 312 and Japanese to scab* **une 14th the Seattle sailors tied up the company *b vessels* $o other lice was affected there* ^he following day the Umatilla sailed with scabs brought to the ship in carriages and guarded by police on the dock against the efforts of 150 to 800 pickets to prevent their sailing* At Sen Francisco pickets on the dgjsks tried to persuade scabs, most of rahom cere ignorant of the situation, from sailing, and the union launch was manned by the patrol* nan and several members to contaot crews of vessels in the stream* June 17th, tfhil© patrolling the Bay, the launch approached National City, a voice Has heard from the vessel, "How give it to them, boys*19 Without turning several volleys from the ship seept the d&unch* Andrew ^elner was killed, and three other sailers were wounded* ^elner was buried with honors by the Union; the entire labor movement of San Francisco paid tribute to the murdered striker* After soma delay Captain G*D* Hammar and J*B. Hubbard were held for trial for the murder* Hubbard, posing as simply a non union*man, was really a gunman imported from Wyoming by the owners to break strike* Almost a year later the ooase ended with a verdict of not guilty* s,tetifwa M S M s m tem The Association threatened to extend the lockout against longshoremen to the longshore lumbermen. June 16th and 19th sailors, firemen and cooks withdrew from the City Front Federation to end the lockout. About June 19th the longshoremen 313 were put back to work, provided they would agree to handle scab cur^p, including that formerly handled by seamen. The iian Francisco longshorerosn were not prepared for e long struggle, ana, with the consent of the marine groups, returned to work. The rest of the Coast likewise worked scab cargo, with the exception of Aberdeen9 Bellingham and San xe dro• Although longshoremen did seamen’s work in moving struck vessels in the Bey, the seamen preferred to make the fight clone, regarding the longshoremen’ s return to work as weakening the Association. .'.ayor ^ciimita Offurs arbitration June ZQth mayor Schmitz (who had been elected by labor after the 19C1 strike ) urge a strikers ana operators to arbitrate, asking i'or i committee of three from each side, to appoint a seventh. The unions accepted immediately, but the owners had "nothing to a rb itra t e .” The strikers charged the seeiation was forcing many steam schooners to cooperate by threats of refusing them cargoes. fter a long conference with the *'*ayor Juiy 9th the operators refused to arbitrate or concede anything* Public opinion was swinging to the strikers; the -ayor commented on the "stubborn attitude” of t;e owners. The unions reported the strike favorable along the uoast, but the owners stated that shipping v?as almost normal. They charged furuaeth with being unreliable and not keeping contracts. A San i* ran cisco paper spoke for the employers: *v.r. if‘uruseth, gentleman boss and hobnobber with mil- 314 lionaire lumbermen, is asked to answer the question as to how he manages to profess peaceful argument in San Francisco har-bor and murder at the docks in lortland? It Is high time the military took a heed in settling this situation* How many more r.en is this caar to sacrifice to his greed for making money ? ,T Scabs The shipowners embarked on a nationwide search for scabs through employment agencies* r enje and Frazier of the international Seamen*s Union on the Great ^akes and Atlantic °cast helped prevent scabs from beir;g shipped from those ports* a batch of £00 scabs was reported coning from Chicago under guard of Pinkertons, but only three arrived in kan Francisco, and one went to work. An ad was run in the daily press for several weeks with little response, for "apprentices” , American boys over 18 offering a three-year contract, 20 the first year, '£o0 the second and 440 the third, with $260 bonus at the end of the time* At Seattle, University of Washington students were recruited to scab, -isev.here men and boys were s henghaled outright• After a conference with the owners 1 ayer ^chmita dot.-, lied 30 extra police tc the waterfront tc act as body* jut rds for the scabs and prevent pickets from talking to them* Union men were assaulted without provocation* The Shipownersf Association voted to join the United Shipping a d Transportation Association* In flagrant violation of safety rules and navigation 315 lews the owners sent their vessels to sea undermanned, with crews that were not sailors, forcing officers to do the men’s work* The Sailors9 Union attempted to foroe the owners to oomply with the laws by numerous complaints to proper author* 1 ties: On the China to the Collector of Customs at San Francisco that the Chinese crew violated safety rules; on the steamer Brunswick that no fire and boat drills were held as required; on the ffrenels H* l*aagett that she was manned by inexperienced m n who couldnH steer or follow a compass, som of whom were shanghaied, although she carried passengers; on the National City for un&ermanning; on the City of Puebla for inefficient crew; on the <§•£* Curacoa for violating the Contract J-abor i-aw by shipping Mexicans under contract; on the Siberia and Mongolia I Pacific Malik) for being improperly manned by Chinese on the Iftnatllla for being improperly manned (with affidavits of eight crew members that they had had no previous sea ex* perienee) and failure to conduct proper fire and boat drills; on the steam schooner arctic (Hammond) for carrying passengers in violation of the license; on the steam schooner Pomo for the same; and on the £112 . & £B2&ia. £&&£& £saa Qaa-tllla for being insufficiently manned by Japanese and others who dldn9t understand the language* Every case was whitewashed in one way or another by the bureau of Steamboat Inspection, the Department of Commerce, the Customs, or whatever department it m s referred to* The Government did not attempt in any Instance to enforce its own regulations against the shipowners. Injunctions g a i n s t strikers The letter part of July the firm of L .H . Grey announoeci that it would treat employes on the steam schooners as individuals and make no terms or concessions to the unions. But t e strikers held their ora. The same week two steam schooners changed managers and settled with the unions. Judge t ~orrow of Sen Francisco granted a temporary injunction against the sailors, firemen and cooks at the request of the ^amriond i*uznber Co., although the owners and not the strikers had been using the violent and lawless methods. The intention was to try to have Furuaeth arrested. .t Grays Harbor the longshoreman refused to work a scab steam schooner for the 3 .E . Slade Co., the only one to attempt to use scabs. The employers then organized the Grays Harbor Stevedoring c0 . to break the Longshoremen’ s Union. £heh<\i fs July 21st the Superior Court of-Chehelis'granted a temporary injunction against the Aberdeen agency of the Sailo rs’ Union and Longshoremen’ s Union &o. 2. The City Council of Grays Harbor voted to pay the salaries of 18 special police who were protecting and recruiting scabs. A. Wahlstrom, member of the oaiiors’ Union from 1885, was killed by an Aberdeen gunman. Police Protection :-efused In an effort to get more police protection Captain Goodall exhibited several bruised scibs that he claimed had been beaten by strikers. Police were unimpressed. August 8th 317 the owners asked kayor Schmitz for a conference, to which the Mayor invited Furueeth against the owners* wishes* The only result was a row between the owners and the Chief of Police on whether the waterfront was adequately policed. The strikers reported the situation improving, although longshoremen were scabbing by doing sailors1 work on the ships, a situation that was not implied by the strikers* instructions to the longshoremen to continue to do their own work* The employers demanded increased police protection, stating that longshore lumberman had been handling winches and lumber on vessels until the sailors intimidated them, caus~ ing them to refuse to drive winches or let the employers get scabs to drive winches, in spite of a wage increase* Twenty" seven vessels were in the stream waiting to discharge* August 16th the Mayor replied that the police would continue to preserve peace and prevent violence, but refused to detail them as bodyguards for scabs* Failing to use &ayor Schmitz, the shipowners tried to break the tie up at Sen *edro thet had been maintelra&d since the beginning of the strike by the *‘ongshorsmanvs Union's refusal to work scab cargo* During that time the Association had kept vessels away from San *edro, but A^&ust 2°th the steam schooner Centralia was taken from dock to dock and the men ordered either to work it or call for their time* Of the 400 longshoremen Involved only one remained at work* The entire port was looked out* The ‘longshoremen's Union stood firm; October 1st the Sailors* Union donated #500 to the San 318 Pedro men. i'rvorable Settlement By the early part of September the operators begtn to break. Vessels in increasing number settled separately and took union crews* A request of the tellers' Uni 0n f or a raise from $40 to -.45 on sailing vessels was granted immed-iatoly. curing the latter part of September the Union negotiated with the remaining steam schooner operators for union crews, iierly in October despite defections from its ranks the association refused the unions’ offer to meet individual owners willing to pay the scale or negotiate a settlement with the association or the companies that had locked the men out. November 3rd a settlement was reached, the terms of which were not made public, It was understood, however, thet the unions were recognized and the union scale of wages accepted. All injunctions but that of the diamond dumber Co. were dissolved. October 7, 1907, Judge Gilbert of the Circuit Court of appeals at St;n Francisco upheld the injunction of that company, declaring the unions had been violent and lawless. In Ji*nuary, 1909, the united States District Court at i:&n Francisco denied the petition of the 1%&mond Lumber Co. to have members of t;;e **oint L-xeeutive Committee representing sailors, firemen and cooks during the 1906 strike punished for contempt of court. I-;esuits of the strike Unquestionably the unions won the 1906 strike. *heir 319 tactics of isolating the marine unions and withdrawing from the federation were unique. Based on the theory that the longshoremen were more likely to breek then they, that with sailors ar.d firemen solidly orgmized and owners dependent on a scanty supply of scabs to operate, they would eventually force the owners to come to terms with the unions, it evidently was successful. Judging by prevailing shipping conditions and freights, the owners could easily have afforded to grant t e increase at the outset without hurting their profits. The Sailo rs’ union emerged from the strike in the same position as it had begun i t , strengthened by the test of its organization arid membership under f i r e . i*pril, 1907, the sailors were able to report union wages on all lines out of San Francisco except Americen-iiawaiian, employing scabs, and Pacific Mail, employing Chinese. The Srilo rs’ Union did not reaffiliate with the City Front Federation. T1IE SAILOBS* UK I ON— 1907-1014 Shipowners Organize In August, 1907, the Ship Owners’ Federation of the Pacific Coast was organized, embracing owners of coastwise s a iling vessels, members of the Steamship O n e r s ’ Association and coastwise steamship companies, including Pacific Coast Steam-c. l w i d ship Company. The organization, -cre&*t^se in scope, would decl collectively with maritime labor. During the panic of 1907 and attendant industrial depression the shipowners tried to take advantage of dullness of shipping to lower wages and conditions, but an open break was averted, -any seamen were 320 on the beaoh, but the stability and sound treasury of the Union brought it through the crisis* tfith little change the Seilers9 Union renewed the established agreements aith sailing and steam dlttf*: owners* In February, 1909, the Seattle agency reached an agreement with the Seattle-Alaska Steamship Companies, and the following year with the *uget Sound Shipping Association* The Sailors* ^nlon Versus Hammond Hammond Lucfrer Company carried scabs after the 1906 strike, the only coastwise luraber carriers not recognising the Union* The summer of 1909 Hanaaond exchanged correspondence with the Sailors* Union, attacking union wages and working conditions. He alleged that scabs were more efficient and economical, and characterised union officials as usan "who would if they could by intimidation and violence to the point of murder, prevent any one «Sio did not belong to their order from working our vessels*n Hammond got little response from the shipowners to his invitation to join him in fighting the unions. One trip the Francis H. Leggett had tar a crew three sailors, a man who had made a few trips on a German tramp ste&aer and later worked at a Long Beaoh bathing house, a teamster, a miner, two gas engineers and two laborers, one from Eureka/Jill'' the other from Long Beach* The German put her on the beach by turning the wheel the wrong way* In August, 1910, labor and capital established a voluntary arbitration board in San Francisco* Representing labor 321 were P*H* Mo Carthy, a . M o Govern, Walter Haearthur, Andrew Furuaeth, Michael Casey ana Andrew J* Gallagher• among the employers was 11X11 m Matson* The unions approved of voluntary Instead of compulsory arbitration* Hagea ggg. Cofidll^Sffi Xn 19X2 in propaganda against the seamen's bills, the *> shipowners charged that saiXars on the Pacific Coast were spoiled, making as muoh as $90 a month* To this the union replied that with wages of #50 and §55 according to the class of vessel and trade, and 50 cents overtime after nine hours for cargo work, a sailor would have to m>rk 70 hours a month, or 13 2 /3 hours a day the fifteen days In port, and 12 hours a day at sea* Gbvlously the sailors did not earn $90 a month, ^uruseth stated that a few men working for Pacific Coast Steamship Company sere the only m n on the Coast who could afford to marry* When conditions reached the level of those on shore the influx of shore workers kept them from going above shore wages* From X906 wages had remained practically stationary, although the unions gained minor concessions. Agitation for mess rooms and improved forecastles brought some improvement, but accommodations remained "disgraceful* in many vessels* Xn Ootctoer, 1915, the editor of the Journal visited the new Pacific Coast Steamship Company’s steamer Congress, heralded as a great Improvement* "A visit to the firemen*a quarters revealed the ^pleasant fact that it was right above a very warm part of the ship* So warn, indeed, that a pair of shoes left on deck for a short period would 3 22 double up like a worm on a hot stove." If there was any kind of a breeze or a modest sea was running the bulls eyes, the only ventilation* would have to be closed* Sailors and flrozaen had separate showers, but the letter’ s were inconvenient* The sailors quarters were more roomy and airy, but steel enclosed* In the separate rooms for the four quartermasters and four deck boys there was one bulls eye for ventilation and no lookers or space for clothing, just four bunks in each* Sailors and firemen had separate mess rooms, but not what the msn hoped for* % c h Improvement was still needed after ten yearsf agitation for conditions by the unions* British CoI bs& H l OggMrt&flfl. Realizing that as long as British Columbia remained un-organised it could be used to break down conditions and the elosed shop on the rest of the Coast, the Sailors* Union reopened the Vancouver agency January 13, 1908* The Union began organization on coastwise vessels trading locally* Conditions were below the rest of the Coast, more like deep-water ships then coastwise* The worst complaint was of cargo work on Sundays and holidays without overtime* After partial organisation, in August, 1910, the sailors demanded a ten-hour day and 50 cents overtime* The companies refused to talk to the Union agent, so the Union filed a case against Canadian Pacific Railroad Steamship Company with the Conciliation Board established under the Canadian Trades Disputes Act* Of ISO Sailors' Union members at British Columbia 35 were employed by the company* The **oard ruled in favor 323 of overtime for Sundays and holidays and cifter ten hours at; 40 cents an hour, the longshoremen*s rate, recommended greater attention to cleanliness and comfort for crews, and better 1‘ood , citing the superior conditions on American coastwise vessels • Canadian Pacific did not recognize the findings, and Union steamship Company, also of British Columbia, reduced wages on three steamers §5, affecting 59 men, of whom were union members. in January, 1911, the Sailors* ^nion demanded the appointment of a board to deal with the grievances against the Cnion Steamship ^ o ., which were similar to those in the first case. Canadian Pacific locked out the sailors on its steamers in ^ay, 1911. Two Friday a, <~pril 30th and &ay 7th the crews or a number of the company’ s steamers refused to work cargp without overtime, and in other instances they refused to work more than ten hours without overtime. They were d is charged and docked two to four days1 pay. The sailors tried to compel payment through court action of £5 and 43 deducted for refusing to work Sunday without overtime. Judge Innes, one of the members of the Conciliation Board that decided in favor of the overtime, ruled against the s t ilors. Xn July, Judge Grant of tne County Court at Vancouver awarded Sidney Green, former deckhand on the Canadian Pacific steamer r $8, equal to deductions for refusal to work overtime Sundays. Subsequently several overtime cases were decided for the sailors. Xn the case of Murray vs. 524 Coast Steamship Co* the captain deducted #12*50 for refusal to work after tea hour a* In the hearing it developed that is British Columbia only quartermasters were able seamen; deckhands might he anything, Hartih 4 , 1912, the Sailors* Union established a branch at Victoria* The marine cooks attempted to organise, British Columbia in *sy, 1912, but the companies countered with company unions, appealing to the prejudice against ^axtkees* December, 1913, the Journal reported that Canadian Pacific vessels had re-placed white deck crews receiving §20 and #35 with Chinese for $7 to $10 and 10 cents a day food allowance* Despite the efforts of the Sailors* Union, British Columbia was the weak spot on tbs Coast in organization, and conditions remained substantially below those of the rest of the Coast* The proposal to raise dues from 75 cents to §1 and establish a disability benefit cams before the Sailors9 ^nion in 1907, 1909 and 1913, without action* In March, 1910, the Journal reported that the preceding few years benefits had averaged annually: shipwreck §4,000? death #3,000 (exclusive of $3,600 for a ces&tary plot in San franclsco); hospital #1,300; besides a etrik© benefit and nearly $1,000 annual dues to central labor bodies, etc*, and over #1,500 yearly donations to other unions* The Sailors* Union invited the four sister unions of the International in Inarch, 1911, to consider the advisability of buying a lot and erecting a building at San Francisco suitable for headquarters for a l l f iv e . The* lot was purchased for v44, 000, and in October, 19115, a contract let for erection of the building for $ 5 7 ,7 5 0 . August, 1014, the unions moved into 59 Clay street. The Sailo rsf Union and the Jour-nal occupied the top floor; the i-srine i'iretaen and -laska ifisheriaen the second floor; and the ground floor was built in store fronts. Port ^ownsend agency was closed August 18, 1913, due to the disappearance of sailing vessels and development of other Puget Sound ports. In Hay, 1914, the Sailors* union voted against shipping through the h all. THE m ’SRNATIONAL S M K f S UHION The Atlantic -Joast Seamen's Union In Inter years the Atlantic ^oast Seamen’ s Union uas characterized as "the baby that would neither die nor grow up” . The Atlantic :^oast presented greater d iffic u lt ie s than the "a c ific to organization. Oriraping was firmly entrenched in the principal ports; many nationalities and races, >/est In-fel ^ dian negroes, Latins, Portugese, Garibians and others, made common understanding and cooperation d if f ic u l t . Atlantic crimps and shipowners fought unionization b itte rly , internal d ifficu ltie s further hampered effective organization. But despite these obstacles at times the Atlantic seamen controlled wages cn coastwise schooners, where they hea the nucleus of oi'g^nization. In 1892 the Sailo rs1 Union of the Pacific sent Jac^es I.c Laron to the Atlantic Coast, followed after his departure 326 by Hichard Powers of the Seamen’s Union* Their efforts raised membership from 400 to 1,200, cleaned up internal affairs, added branches at Providence, and Portland# H e ., to the existing organization at Boston, 18ew York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, raised wage a from $13 and #18*50 to $83 and $30, and secured ease shipping through union halls* Depression during 1893-94 forced wages dom to #20 and $23 and demoralised the Union* Anti-union shipping commissioners and crimps hurt the Union* The next few years, aided by the Maguire Act the Union picked up during good times, but was unable to hold the gains during dull periods* Baltimore and Portland agencies were closed, and reopened In 1899, and agencies established at Norfolk, Vs*, Bangor, Me*, Hew Bedford, and another at $ew Xork* In 1900 membership m s 1,130, and tfta following year 2,272, because of effective work of International organisers* The International spent $2,146*39 for organisation, and received $1,066*20 from the district* Atlantic Carriers* Lookout S^rly in 1904 the Atlantic Carriers’ Association, organised several years before by Field 3* Pendleton, schooner owner, locked out union sailors and cooks9 in an effort to break the Union* Employers9 gunman, scabs recruited by Seaman's Friond Societies and injunctions against the unions marked the hard-fought lockout* Trco members were imprisoned for enticing seamen to desert, after the Maguire Act had repealed penalties for desertion* In February the Coastwise Transportation Co* withdrew from the Atlantic Carriers to 327 sign on egreeraent with the Union. I embership dropped a third, and the International kept organizers on the Atlantic ^oast, vfith some results. Ihe Atlantic Carriers lockout dwindled to ineffectiveness. By 1906 the principal coastwise lines except lialloiy paid union wages arid carried union dee-k crews. ^nt;lish-speaking seanen were becoming organized, but ^atin and col-' ored searoen remained an obstacle, in 1909 sjexabership stood at 2 ,3 0 0 . i.tlaiitio Qoast -urine M.re.'.en In 1901 the International Seamen's Union began organisation among Atlantic firemen, under ^ir d , t c r m v j a i l e r s 1 ** Union j-■ember. agencies were established at ev; York, ^oston, Philadelphia, Norfolk and Beltimore. By 1904 the ^penish firemen were be coir.ing one of the strongest groups in the ^nion, agitating actively for improved conditions and wages. The firemen struck for increased -^agee that year, Lastern steamship Company ^oston first signed with the Union, foilow- * ed by the Mallory Line and prec tie ally all comp* nio s sailing out of Boston, Baltimore, Norfolk and i obile. tie * York aas open shop. Sew Orleans maintained a branch. The 1908 International S e v e n ’ s union convention revoked tie firemenfe charter and reorganized the district under the Marine fir e men, Oilers and .ater Tenders of the Atlantic and Gulf. The following year the Spanish firemen, increasingly active in ^ew York, yon a strike against the Clyde Line* Le tin firemen published a seamen ?s paper in f panisfc and It a lia n . 328 Organization of Atlantic cooks, delayed by a Jurisdictional dispute ?iitb the Hotel Alliance, began in 1902, gaining timber ship among the white stewards ^departments on large steamship lines sailing out of ^e© York* In 1908 the cooks opened a colored branch in charge of David Orange to faoll* itate organisation among that group* Atlantic In June, 1911, sailors, firemen and cooks struck the Morgan i*im steamers. After a few weeks the unions gained a favorable settlement with Morgan, Clyde, Mallory, Old Dominion and Savannah Lines* United Fruit, Southern Pacific Company, Atlantic Steamship tines and the ^e^ York and Cuba Mail Steamship aompany signed agreements with the Atlantic Coast Seamen's Union* The Clyde and Mallory Lines (for vessels sailing out of York), Eastern steamship Company* and Metropolitan Steamship Company signed agreements with all three departments* The agreements ran for a year, all providing closed shop and settlement of disputes by conference * ^m e companies paid 25 cents overtime; another 75 cents for board and room ashore* Sailors* wages were $30 for all* ^iremen were given an eight*hour day and from §35 to £45 wages* Cooks received a §5 raise on some lines* as a result of the increased or* g&ftlzatlon the crimping dens of the Coast were largely cleaned up* ^he summer of 1912 the ^tleintio unions lost a strike on the ‘American Line* Following the strike the steamship companies refused to renew the agreements. 3E9 a U 2 £ £ m & k m *n 1913 the Atlantic and Gulf ^iremen under the leader* 4% ship of *idel of the Spanish firemen withdrew from the international Seamen's Union, attempting to take the sailors with them* and organized the National Indus trial Union of ^ r i n e Transport Workers, affiliated with the I*£*W* A few agencies end part of the membership remained with the International* The Atlantic Coast teamen's Union, changed in 1912 to the Sailors' Union of the Atlantic, was divided by a faetional fight, led by ^illiaa Frasier for the International aeaxssen's Union and Andrew furuaeth*s followers on on® side, and Sheraton and ^odine, closer to the firemen, on the other side, with a majority of the membership* February, 1913, the Eastern and ^ulf Sailors* Association m s organized* Six months later the International i&eoutive ^oard revoke the charter of the Sailors' Union of the Atlantic and chartered the Eastern and Gulf Sailors. All branches returned to the Interactional Seamen’ s Union by 1914* The Sailors and ^ireman* a Union of the Atlantic under Sheraton and Godina re~ ceived an I*L*A* charter* itoorgenia^.t^on of the firessn under the international Hessian's Uniori began, although the I.fi.Vi. Spanish fireman remained active in **ew Yoric* * A few years after the National J3@am n s Union was organ-ized in 1892 the 6ulf coast teamen's arid ^ireisen’s ^nion dropped out and practically disappeared* In 1900 the Seamen’s Union of Uobila applied for a charter, but the International^ policy ©as to orgenise agencies in Gulf ports as port of the 550 Atlantic d istric t. Beginning in 1902, uulf ports were orgrn-ir. ed, against opposition of crimps and shipowners. New York ilcrbor ^o? teen and tie fishermen of iiost'n and Glouster organised under the International Seamen’ s ^nion. Lake Seamen * s union Although Lake seamen were free from crimps, they faced the unyielding opposition of one of the most anti-labor employers’ associations in the ^nited States. The -^-ake Carriers* Association, comprising iron ore, cotl and {^ain carriers, controlled about four-fifths of the Lakes tonnage in 414 vessels of 64 owners. It was dominated by the Pittsburg l teemship Company, United states Steel subsidiary that owned about one-fourth of the Lakes tonnage and nearly one-fourth of the vessels. The Gilchrist interests had about one-tenth of the •‘-ake Carriers* Association vessels, and the remainder v*erc smaller independent ore carriers. About half the ore on the J-ekes was carried for United States Steel, in vessels of ^ittsburg Steamship Company and independent carriers. The steel trust controlled policies and wages of the letter through control of cargoes, and discriminated against the independents in favor of its vessels when cargoes were scarce. The **ake Carriers’ Association neither owned tonnage nor employed seamen; it was according to its articles of incorporation mainly an employment agency. In 1893 the ^a::e Carriers’ association attacked the ^ake * Seamen^s ^nion in a struggle marked by the murder of severel union men by compc-ny gunmen. Originally confined to sailing ship men, in 1894 the Lake Seamen began organisation among able seaman on steamships* Xn 1901 the seaman forced the Lake Carriers to abandon a continuous discharge book and blacklisting scheme, the i*ake Carriers Season's Federation* Seamen were aetive in the Marine Council of the ^ort of Milwaukee, inspired by the City Front Federation of San Francisco* The following year the ^ekes undertook to organise deckhands* After jurisdictional difficulties with the Hotel and Restaurant Employees* Alliance, Lakes cooks were chartered in the Marine Cooks* Association in 1902 by the International Seaman's Union* From 1903 to 190? the Lake Seamen's Union maintained agreements with the Lake Carriers* Association and the Lumber Carriers* Association, covering practically all ^erican tonnage on the J-akes. The agreements provided a te nr hour day in port, preferential hiring, union wage scales, and 85 cents overtime, the first paid on the ^akes* The Union maintained hiring balls and ships* delegates* By 1904 the msjor-ity of deckhands were organized* In 1905 the Union reached an agreement with the ?ere %rquette Steamship Company, and began organization among Canadian seamen, establishing several agencies in Canadian ports* The Lake cooks secured agreomfcie with those companies recognising the seamen* In 1907 the Marine firemen, Oilers and Water Tenders* Benevolent Association of the Great ^akes, forEarly affiliated with the International Longshoremen's Association, received a charter from the International Seamen's Union* ^iremen were included in the 1907 agreements* Lake Seamen * a tr ike —»X^ 06-1912 In 1908 the ^ake Carriers* association refused to renew ti'.e agreement, declaring an open shop. The take Carriers opened scab shipping offices, blacklisted union men, and attempted to force seamen to renounce unionism. The .Lake unions refused to strike, endeavoring to stay on the ships, and issuing duplicate union books when forced to surrender theirs. The ^ake Carriers recruited scabs throughout the x^ast, hired e private army of gunmen end enclosed their docks in eight-foot stockades. 0n lumber vessels the seamen uain-tained e good organisation and kept wages near the union scale. In 1909 the I*ake Carriers renewed the attack on unionism with the establishment of the ’Welfare Plan” , modeled after the British ^hipping Federation. a compulsory continuous discharge book, deposited with the usster at the beginning of a voyage, and returned only after fiocd conduct, effectively blacklisted and intimidated seamen. The * sscciation opened -^sse^bly rooms, and attempted to disguise the scheme with benefits and insurance. Lay 1st nine thousand ~ake seamen struck, 56 per cent from the sailors, 28 per cent firemen and 16 per cent cooks. At the height of the season 153 out of 485 i*ake Carriers’ association vessels were running, arbitration boards of six states were unable to induce the ^ake Carriers to arbitrate the open shop, although the unions agreed to arbitrate their demands for elimination of the discharge book, regulation of working hours and the right to join a union, ^ive 333 \ union men raere killed by special polios during the season* Accidents and collisions war© so frequent with scab crews that insurance rates rose; ths Canadian $00 locks were wrecked once and the American ^00 looks twice* In 1910 the unions continued to resist the Welfare Plan/with diminishing effectiveness* Despite enormous freight losses and expenses for strikebreaking the ^ak© Carriers pushed the fight* Moral and financial support for the i-ak© unions from labor was gen* erous* In 1910 the Sailors1 U n i o n of the *aolfic and the ^arlns firemen on the Pacific each donated §20,000 to the ^ k e s strikers, and the ^laska fishermen gave $5,000* fhe Inter-national convention for 1910 reported that during the year the district unions had contributed §46,700 to the I*S*U* for the J-akes, end the I*S*U. had sent the ^akes a total of #63,409* The convention called for another assess&isnt for the following year, and the Sailors* bnion voted to send $23,000* la 1911 the lake unions organized scabs and ex-members* March, 1912, the strike was called off, after the *-ake Carriers announced discontinuance of the Welfare ?lan and no discrimination against union men* The unions were exhausted financially* **eiab©rship for sailers, firemen and cooks dropped from 6,000 in 1909 to 2,600 in 1914* Union man went back to work under the open shop* ^aJygla. Sm sk M o a t Joint aotlon of sailors, firemen and cooks on the *ae* 334 ific Coast has been described previously. In 1907 the Pac« ific Coast marine I*'ir©Lien’ s Union reorganized as the **arine Firemen, Oilers ana ‘>atertenders* Union of the P a c ific , admitting less skilled men in the engine room, and reducing initiation fees from 50 to £25. In 1911 tl:ey a ffilia t e d with the San Francisco Labor Council and the State Federation of ^abor. As early as 1896 the Uclumbia Kiver Fishermen's Protective union was organized. xn British Columbia fishermen on the Frazier River were orgr nized in severrl locals of whites and Indians, before the Fishermen s Protective ur»ion was organized at San Francisco among ska fishermen the Sailors* Union assisted with negotiations for weges and conditions at the beginning of each season. From 1903 the Union, numbering 5 ,0 0 0 , maintained agreements with the ^laskan packers, i'ls .ermen at Bristol Bay were organized, and in 1905, Puget Sound fishermen* In 1906 the Columbia River Fishermen’ s Protective Union and the fishermen’ s Protective °nion formed a federation, the united fishermen’ s Union of the * a c i f i c , and affiliated with the international Seamen s Union. Other fishermen’ s locals on the Coast were a ffilia t e d . In 1909 the ^laska Fishermen withdrew and affiliated directly with the International. In 1913 halibut fishermen sailing out of Pu^et v>ound organized with the assistance of I.B * G i l l . From 1903 to 1911 the Bay and Hiver ^teamboetmen s Union J> d c r frw]^Y\tO * t of was affiliated with the International Seamen s Union, during thf t time they were activo in improving wages and conditions on steamboats* £&& Intermtlonal & Originally the National Seamen's Union was Intended as an industrial organisation including licensed officers as well as the three unlicensed departments on vessels, unions on inland waters and fishermen* Hot until 1901 did the International formally confine itself to unlicensed sesmen* Development of the International Seaxcen’ s Union was character-i?. ed by a constitutional change from a loose federation of autonomous unions to a centralized International union exercising final authority over district unions* Conventions in 1895 and 1S95 began legislative and organisational ©ork* December 4 , 1899, the fourth International convention was held in Chicago* Xhe previous years had revealed that the International required additional finances and poraer to be effective in completing organisation of all seamen and accomplishing its comprehensive legislative program* The constitution was amended to serve these increasing needs* k division of authority raas recognized, the districts to retain jurisdiction ever local affairs, the meaning of "local" to be determined by the convention or the Executive Board In the absence of the convention* *er capita ues raised from £ile to fifteen cents quarterly, and suspension of districts more than one quarter in arrears m & provided* The Executive Board m s given po@er to remove any officer, organizer or other representative acting for or In behalf of the International and f il l vacanoles occuring between conventions; 337 to hear and act upon all appeals from districts and branches, subject to an appeal to the convention or a final pppeal to the member ship at large* Appeals of individuals were to be finally disposed of by the districts* The Executive Board was composed of the president, vice-president and district secretaries. The secretary-treasurer received §15 a month, b%Bg oh salary from a district, and the Atlantic organizer $75 a month. Of importance was the provision fee organ!zero for the Atlantic and ^akes. Thus the actual power passed from the autonomous districts to the international Seamen's Union* Membership doubled during the next year, and in 1901 reached 11,800* The International advocated uniform dues and initiations and exchange of cards to promote Better understanding among the districts* A provision &$r strike as* sessmente and benefits before the unions for several years gas adopted in 1903+ In 1904 the International Seamen's Union affiliated with the International Transport Workers* Federation* Organizers paid and controlled by the Interactional were sent to district anions as needed* In 1912 the seeretary-traaaurer, Nllliam Frazier, disappeared, leaving his books over $3,000 ahorti He nas succeeded by Thomas ^aneon of the ^eke Seamen's Union. Constitutional amendments over several years extended the power of the International over affiliated unions* By 1914 the International Seamen's Union numbered l&,30d, including sailors, firemen, cooks, ^fishermen and inland se^nen on bo^h coasts and the Great ^akes* CHAPTER V III SEAMM AM) LOJKJSHCSBMEDi THS IKTSHm.TIOWAL LGHGSBGRSMEU, MARINE m> TRANSPORT WORKERSf ASSOCIATION SsasJ6lm EllSS. M 1 2 B Halations between sailors and long shoremen during the early years of organization were characterized by periodic disputes over handling luatoer, end intermittent attempts at working agreements and cooperation between longshore locals and branches of the Sailors* union. As a whole better feeling existed along the rest of the Pacific Coast than at San Francisco* Revival of shipping and union activity in the latter *90*s that brought renewed success to the coast seamen likewise found the longshoremen organizing and seeking to Improve their conditions* In September, 1897, San Francisco longshoremen won a three-day strike against a proposed wage reduction from 30 to 85 cents an hour, but in May, 1898, the longshore lumbermen disbanded and divided up the funds; men were working for $2 a day* In June, 1899, the longshore lumber handlers organised, using the sailors9 hall for meetings* In November, 1899, the Sailors9 Union passed a motion that members not of the crew demand the longshore rate when loading* In 1900 sailors and longshoremen at Sen Francisco reached an agreement recognising seamen’ s first right to all work within the rail, long* shoreman's right to all work on the dock, and first right to help on the vessel when help was needed, and pledged mutual 538 refusal to work with non-union men* Andrew Fur use th charged that longshoremen advised coastwise owners to send their Jap- $ anese crews ashore while vessels were loading, to evade the agreement* January, 1900, the International Longshoremens Association, then comprising 153 locals, began organising on the Pacific Coast, encouraged by the seamen* The following month the longshoremenfs Union of Vancouver struck* During the summer the freight handlers of San Francisco gained a wage increase* Locals of the International were chartered at Tacoma, Seattle and other ports* By 1901 the San Francisco longshoremen were organized in four locals* $hile complete membership figures are not available, in the *1abar Day parade of 1901 they num-bored 3,000 strong* They emerged from the 1901 strike In a good position to continue organisation and consolidation of coast longshoremen under the International* Peaceful relations with the season existed In San Francisco, where they worked together In the City Front Federation, and In branches, where working agreements between locals and agencies were reached in. many instances* The fall of 1902 the Portland local of the I*L«A* issued a call for a coastwise convention* As a result, In ®ctdber, 1902, the Pacific Coast Branch of the I*L«A« was organized* The International Longshoremen* Marina and Transport Workers9 Association The International Longshoremen9s Association convention at Chicago July 14 to 19, 1902, embarked on a program of ex- pansIon that precipitated years of hostility between seamen ant longshoremen* Openly declaring Its Intention to "gain control of all labor engaged In the marl tin© and transport industry” , the convention changed the naga to the International Longshoremen, ^arlse and Transport Sorters * Association, and resolved to fine vessels loading with sailors* On the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts the longshoremen were mainly confined to their original craft, but on the Great Lakes they includedt % rin e Engineers with 460 ambers; Licensed Tugmen, 2,800, having a closed shop; fog firemen, 1,766; Marine Divers, Helpers and Tenders, 285; Steam Shovel and DredgeEngineers, 1,100; Drill Boat Workers, 480; Marine Pile Drivers* 380; general fishermen,
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