West Coast Waterfront Strike (1934)
Wed May 09, 1934
Image: Confrontation between a policeman wielding a night stick and a striker during the San Francisco General Strike, 1934 [Wikipedia]
On this day in 1934, the West Coast Waterfront strike began, lasting 83 days. The labor action involved more than 130,000 workers and cost waterfront employers approximately $45 million in lost revenue.
The strike began with 12,000 longshoremen on the West Coast of the United States going out on strike from their waterfront jobs, demanding more control in the hiring process and improved working conditions. The ranks of longshoremen were soon strengthened by the other craft workers in the marine industries, including sailors, engineers, firemen, and other workers.
At its height, almost 35,000 West Coast maritime workers participated in the strike, and, for four days in July, 130,000 workers in San Francisco held a general strike in solidarity with the maritime workers.
The strike lasted until October of 1934, and labor unions were granted significantly more power over the hiring and working conditions of the docks. During the striking months, nine people were killed, hundreds were arrested, and the clampdown on shipping cost the waterfront employers an estimated $45 million.
The ILWU continues to recognize "Bloody Thursday" (July 5th, when police officers shot into a crowd of strikers) by shutting down all West Coast ports in honor of all the workers killed by police during the strike.
- Date: 1934-05-09
- Learn More: depts.washington.edu, en.wikipedia.org.
- Tags: #Labor, #GeneralStrikes.
- Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org