Labor Events Yearbook: 1938

In March the Seattle Newspaper Guild’s eight month strike against the Seattle Star was concluded in favor of the union. The lawsuit which had been filed against The Star came to a conclusion when an appeals court upheld a prior decision forcing the paper to return 19 unionized employees to work. Mayor Dore’s big business allies had vigorously backed The Star and seemed confidant that they would come out on top right until the very end.[2]

Meanwhile, a series of scandals surfaced that the head of the Teamster’s union was involved in racketeering.  Threatened with pickets and strikes if they did not pay monthly protection money, many local businesses came forward with charges against David Beck. Mr. Beck fired back, saying that he did not operate goon squads and never received “a cent of tribute.”  In another scandal, charges were brought against a number of coal and wood companies by the Seattle Labor Unity coordinating committee for their involvement in price-fixing schemes. David Beck was again named for involvement with the fuel companies for personal profit.[3]

These problems for the Teamsters were complicated by clashes between the AFL and CIO that made headlines at the beginning of February. In Portland, 32 men had been arrested in connection with bombings and terrorist acts in an ongoing jurisdictional dispute with CIO woodworkers. An article in The Sunday News warned that goon squads had already been seen in Seattle and that locals there must work together to ensure that violence did not spill into Seattle as it had farther south.[4]

Unionists also struggled to help the state’s unemployed.  On January 15^th letters were sent to 800 local members of the AFL and CIO to attend meetings on unemployment in Washington. The Relief Council wanted to discuss the worsening problem regarding relief for the unemployed as well as what could be done in the near future to aid those in need. A mass meeting was called at the county civic auditorium on February 24^th to discuss the problem with representatives from the major unions attending. Another was called at the Coliseum Auditorium Feb. 27^th. Delegates urged Governor Clarence D. Martin to convene a special session of the state legislature to address the problem.[5]

At the University of Washington a struggle had erupted over the firing of married women.  Protests by the Church of the People argued against the dismissal of an arts teacher, fired because she was a “working wife”. The Church contended that employment should be based solely on ability, and sex or marital status should have nothing to do with it. Working class women were also engaged in other political activity.  Early March saw the women of the Worker's Alliance having an all county meeting where they planned how to combat housing projects, cutbacks in state aid to children, and consolidation of sewing rooms.[6]

In a rare bit of interorganizational solidarity, the CIO lent its support to AFL construction workers when 400 men were locked out of work in March after workers refused to work more than a 6 hour day. Fifteen-hundred men in the local industry worked on 6 hour shifts. Contractors attempted to impose the eight hour day for two weeks but by the end of March they gave in to the union’s demands and embraced the union terms.[7]

From the start of July, there were many strikes that kept cropping up through the end of summer as unions fought back against employer’s attempts to reduce their wages. Unions representing workers in the Lumber, Auto, Culinary, Marine, Metal, and Building industries all successfully resisted attempts to reduce their wages or undermine working conditions.  At Boeing a government mediator was called in to arbitrate the disputes that arose after mechanics voted unanimously to walk out before suffering any cuts.  And April saw the resolution of a conflict between Cannery Workers and five other labor organizations when the cannery workers agreed to settle through the National Labor Relations Board.[8]

Throughout the year labor placed great resources toward defeating anti-union candidates and measures in general elections.  The Washington Commonwealth Federation, fearing a concentrated effort to defeat New Deal congressmen and liberal backers by more conservative elements of the electorate, announced plans for unity and to support the policies of President Roosevelt. The AFL and CIO announced that they would seek common ground on these campaigns.  They would work with farmers to fight private power companies, and put forth a common list of candidates in the upcoming fall elections.  But it was Initiative 130, the anti-strike bill, that was the hot topic of discussion. Leaders of the major unions vowed to fight the bill and build as large a coalition as possible to fight against the measure which would eliminate a fundamental tactic of organized labor.[9]

Indeed, the AFL and CIO were able to increase cooperation on the eve of the election.  Business friendly mayor John Dore’s ticket was defeated in the primaries and most of his former backers swung in favor of Victor Meyers, the leading labor candidate. However, after Dore’s untimely death when the elections were held in March labor lost the final vote by a narrow margin to the more conservative Arthur B. Langlie.

Within the AFL, internal disputes rocked the local federation chapter in March when the executive and political welfare committees of the organization called for the defeat of two pro-labor city council candidates. This action was viewed unfavorably by many AFL delegates and dissenting members of the committees who voiced their support of the men. Ten different unions immediately spoke up in support of the candidates. With the elections near at hand, divisions amongst the leadership of a major labor organization hindered their effectiveness at the polls.[10]

However labor candidates caught a break in September when the Democratic League had a spilt within its leadership. This was a body organized by associates of the conservative governor for the purpose of undermining New Deal political candidates in the fall elections. Three of the top members repudiated the group after it endorsed candidates that were running campaigns in opposition to the league’s stated values. ^[11]

According to polls, New Deal candidates who had the backing of labor were in very good position going into the primaries as late as mid September. Labor organizations all across the state were gearing up for a showdown over Initiative 130 and began working more closely with liberal elements of the Democratic Party to get their candidates elected and defeat the anti-strike bill. Liberal Democrats were elected to 3 out of 4 top posts in the state party hierarchy at the October convention. A statement was released that same month by the heads of the Washington AFL and CIO urging all labor movements in the state to vote Democratic and defeat 130. The Woman’s Labor Council petitioned City Councils across the state to designate one of the last weeks in October as “defeat 130 week”.[12]

Their efforts were worthwhile.  The headlines on November 12^th 1938 heralded a tremendous victory for workers, declaring: "Washington Gives New Deal Huge Confidence Vote; '130' Defeated. King County Rejects Agnew, Demos Make Clean Sweep." and "Anti-Strike Initiative Buried By 20,000 Votes." New Deal politicians had done extremely well in the elections and had the labor movement of Washington to thank for much of their success. 22 out of 39 counties voted to strike down Initiative 130 and thus, the massive organizing drive by labor organizations across the state had resulted in victory! Those that had been elected showed their appreciation with appearances at the WCF’s year end convention and praised the successful effort to turn out the vote on their behalf.[13]

1938 was a hard year by all accounts for people across the nation. It ended on a high note for the workers of Washington, but even as the dust settled from the November elections the unions were already gearing up for another fight in the upcoming state legislative sessions of early 1939. The battle for increased relief for the unemployed was partially won due to the passage of president Roosevelt’s 3.5 billion dollar spending package and strong local efforts played a part in that fight. In the end, 1938 was an inspiring year. It showed how people banded together in the face of adversity, putting aside past differences for the sake of forging a better future for themselves and their children.