1948 Strike Table 1-- Striking and non striking longshoremen

 

This prize-winning report by Ashley Lindsey is presented in two parts:

Part 1: The confrontation takes shape
Part 2: Ninety-five days to victory

The number of defecting members was calculated from letters reporting numbers of union members defecting from the union during the course of the 1948 strike (Letters from Various Locals: Coast Members Failing to Report for Strike Duty, Coast Committee Box 23, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Archives, Anne Rand Memorial Library, San Francisco, CA.). Defecting is defined as leaving the union for any reason, including working struck cargo, not paying dues, etc. Totals for membership within each local were calculated from the voting records on the shipowners’ proposals from September 3-12, 1948 at the beginning of the strike (Referendum on Ship Owners’ Proposals, September 3-14, 1948, ILWU Strike Ballots, Coast Committee Box 23, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Archives, Anne Rand Memorial Library, San Francisco, CA).

Table 1: Number of Defecting Members from Reporting Longshore Locals During the 1948 Strike

Local#

 

# of members defecting

Total Membership (approximate)

% Defecting

10

San Francisco, CA

93

4,829

1.93%

46

Port Hueneme, CA

7

187

3.74%

32

Everett, WA

8

111

7.21%

31

Bandon, OR

0

18

0%

29

San Diego, CA

0

65

0%

63

Wilmington, CA

0

238

0%

8

Portland, OR

53

1104

4.8%

53

Newport, OR

0

39

0%

7

Bellingham, WA

6

55

10.9%

21

Longview, WA

5

124

2.58

19

Seattle, WA

6

1483

0.40%

13

San Pedro, CA

15

2200

0.68%

47

Olympia, WA

9

121

7.44%

 

TOTAL

202

10,574

 

1.91%

 

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