Published by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union www.ilwu.org VOL 79, NO 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2021 THE INSIDE NEWS Maritime fuel workers win union in Tacoma 2 AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka passes 3 Local 19 members celebrate Juneteenth 6 Union By Law: New Book Recounts A Century of Struggle by Filipino American Labor Activists 7 TRANSITIONS 8 BOOKS & VIDEOS 8 Graveside memorial: Local 13 President Ramon Ponce De Leon (center) remembers the sacrifices made by Dickie Parker and John Knudsen during the 1934 waterfront strike. Also pictured are Local 13 member Christian “C-Dog” Abito (left) and ILWU International Vice President (Mainland) Bobby Olvera, Jr. Honoring Bloody Thursday in Angela Davis made an honorary member of Local 10 page 3 uncertain times his year ILWU locals The day is also a time to reflect on all Park. Volunteers planned the event along the West Coast con- of the sacrifices made by generations in a short time frame. The event was tinued to honor Bloody of longshore workers who have strug- planned in weeks instead of months. T gled and fought to improve wages and “Everyone really came together Thursday in a variety of ways conditions on the waterfront. to make this happen,” said Local amidst uncertainties and chang- The strike began on May 9, 1934 13 Executive Board member John ing restrictions on gatherings when West Coast longshore workers Seixas. “Luckily we already had the during the pandemic. struck, shutting down docks along vendor lists and other things needed Bloody Thursday is the anniver- 2000 miles of coastline, including for the picnic already organized and sary of the killings of Nick Bordoise the major ports of Seattle, Tacoma, in place because we’ve done this so and Howard Sperry who were shot by Portland, San Francisco, San Pedro, many times.” police in San Francisco on July 5th, and San Diego. The strike demands Honoring the First Blood Martyrs 1934 during the Great West Coast included a union-controlled hiring The first – and some say most Strike. The killings sparked a general hall that would end all forms of dis- important part of the day--started strike in San Francisco and marked crimination and favoritism in hiring with a graveside memorial service the turning point of the 1934 coast- and equalize work opportunities; a at Roosevelt Cemetery in Gardena wise labor struggle that eventually coastwise contract, with all work- where San Pedro High graduate led to the formation of the ILWU. ers on the Pacific Coast receiving the Dickie Parker and Lomita resident The day is also a time to remember same basic wages and working under John Knudsen, the first two martyrs all six workers who were killed along the same protected hours and condi- of the 1934 strike, are buried. the West Coast during the strike and tions; and a six-hour work day with a Parker and Knudsen were both serves as a celebration of the strike’s fair hourly wage. shot, along with five other union victory. Bloody Thursday is a time to Southern California members, by company-employed honor the sacrifices made by Bordoise In Southern California, Locals goons shortly after midnight on May and Sperry in San Francisco, Dickie 13, 63 and 94 saw the return of the 15, 1934 at Berth 145 in Wilming- Parker and John Knudsen in San Bloody Thursday picnic after local ton. It was the first of several deadly Pedro, Shelvy Daffron in Seattle, James officials granted a last minute per- confrontations on the docks that year Connor in Portland and Bruce Lind- mit for an event at San Pedro’s Peck continued on page 4 berg, a seaman killed in Hong Kong. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109-6800. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Dispatcher, DISPATCHER • JULY/AUGUST 2021 • 1 Maritime fuel workers win union in Tacoma supply chain perations and Mainte- “When managers refused to pro- nance Technicians in vide requisite trainings or follow the Port of Tacoma, protocols,” added Israel, “we knew it O was time to confront the situation.” and failed to take meaningful action, While the company did not who will produce Liquefied Upon realizing the employer workers were subsequently hit hard agree to voluntarily recognize work- Natural Gas to fuel TOTE depends on union labor in the mari- by a COVID outbreak at the plant. ers, NAES clearly saw overwhelm- Maritime ships, fought to be time supply chain, workers launched After weeks of sickness and slow ing unity when all but one employee union and won an election in a campaign through IBU and ILWU recovery, technicians were further signed on the petition, and realized they had little chance of dragging out August at NAES Corporation earlier this year at NAES, which runs met with news that the plant man- ager—not workers—had invited the hearing process when workers to become new members of the the operation in the Port of Tacoma to fuel TOTE vessels with natural gas. a different union in to meet with quickly filed for an election. Instead, Inlandboatmen’s Union of the the company stipulated, agreeing to TOTE’s parent company employees, in a clear attempt to the appropriate unit of technicians Pacific (IBU), the Marine Divi- Saltchuk also owns Foss Maritime, divert employees into a sweetheart eligible to vote in an election. sion of the ILWU. where for years IBU members have deal management could control. “We are really excited to have worked on tugs and barges trans- Instead of taking the bait, tech- After receiving a ballot in the joined together for respect and a porting fuel, while ILWU Local 23 nicians demanded equal access on mail over the following weeks, voice on the job,” said Israel Lopez, members have loaded TOTE’s ships the job for a worker-run union meet- almost every single technician came one of the O&M techs. “We know at the Port for decades. ing in June, and took over a room in together again, donning an IBU shirt, flashing a thumbs up, and taking a our strength comes from having each “As we thought about how we the plant with leaders from IBU and picture to leave no question in man- other’s backs and solidarity from could win our fight at NAES,” said ILWU Local 23 to discuss a strong agers’ heads as to how tightly work- members in other operations con- technician Tim Coto, “it just made path forward. ers are unified at NAES. nected to this one.” sense we would go union and join “Workers made it clear it was O&M techs were recruited by with other IBU/ILWU workers able to time to move, and almost everyone On August 6, the National Labor NAES from all over the country to affect operations when the employer quickly signed on to be IBU after Relations Board counted the ballots relocate to Puget Sound, help com- violates our rights.” the meeting,” said IBU President Jay and certified the new union as IBU, with over 90 percent support. mission the plant and begin to oper- O&M techs marched on the Ubelhart. “We all got on the same ate the facility. Within a short time, plant manager to demand a response page about supply chain power “Our union collaboration as a workers began to realize managers and an end to negligence. After and the industrial links connecting team with better communication will lacked experience, expertise and the upper management held a dam- this facility.” make NAES safer,” said Burt Zook, ability to listen to employee concerns. age control meeting with employees “We shared our history with one of the technicians. TOTE and our members’ commit- “We’re thrilled to win this vote ment to solidarity,” said ILWU and ready to push right away for a Local 23 President Jared Faker. good union contract,” added Jon “People really understood this Enimpah, one of the technicians. “It’s employer needs smooth maritime time we hold management account- and longshore operations in order able and nail down fair rules for to function.” everyone.” Photo by: Tove Holmberg CORRECTION Rally for workers’ rights: On August 10th, ILWU Local 5 organized a rally Due to a layout mistake in the center spread of the June Dispatcher, to show support for the workers in the Portland area who are fighting for a union, a portion of the Local 13 Convention delegation was accidently cov- a contract, or like Powell’s workers, fighting to defend their hard-won contracts. Workers shared stories about their labor struggles at the event, which was followed ered. As a result, Convention Delegate Mondo Porras (left) did not by an action at Powell’s City of Books where community members rallied to defend appear in the collage of the delegates. We apologize for the error. the recall rights of Powell’s workers who were laid off during the COVID-19 shut- down. In the photo Local 5 representative Myka Dubay addresses the rally. ILWU TITLED OFFICERS The Dispatcher (ISSN 0012-3765) is published monthly except for a combined July/Aug issue, for William E. Adams, President $5.00 a year and $10.00 a year for non-members by the ILWU, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, Roy San Filippo CA 94109. Periodical postage paid at San Francisco, CA. The Dispatcher welcomes letters, Communications Director Bobby Olvera, Jr., Vice President, Mainland photos and other submissions to the above address © ILWU, 2012. Postmaster: Send address Edwin Ferris, Secretary-Treasurer changes to The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109-6800.