Take It Easy, But Take It

"Recognizing that organization is necessary for the betterment of the conditions of the workers in the Furniture industry and allied trades, and for the the establishment of the principle of collective bargaining with the employers, therefore we have organized Local No. 259, United Furniture Workers of America, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Local No. 259 is established on the principle of industrial unionism and the unity and solidarity of all furniture and allied trades workers, regardless of their crafts. We welcome into our organization all such workers regardless of race, creed, color or political belief."

Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America no. 61 (Pittsburgh) - C.I.O. -1953 - By-Laws "We, Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America, believing in the solidarity of all workers, irrespective of race, color, creed, sex, or national origin, hereby declare our purpose of joining in one strong union to win our just demands for a fuller life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are today denied us. Experience of the past has taught us that rights are not won without struggle. Through our Union we strive for a fraternal front with the membership of all working class organizations which conduct activities for the furtherance of the economic, political and educational interests of the working class."

I recently acquired an old moldy Constitution and Rules of Order book for ILWU Local 6 - “Warehousing, Processing & Allied Workers No. 6” C.I.O. I wanted to share with you, their declaration of principles adopted in 1946 and a few observations.  To put it in context, these principals were adopted by our warehouse division 73 years ago. 9 years after the founding of the ILWU. 7 years before we even adopted the 10 guiding principles of the ILWU at the 10th Biennial convention in 1953. I often think of our 3rd guiding principal - the one centered around “there can be no discrimination…” - and how powerful a statement it was in 1953, a year before Brown vs. the Board of Education - keep that in mind when reading through these. Also, having a different character and make up from the longshore division, notice also in 1946, “men and women” - “brother or sister” - “his or her”… If you dig into ILWU history, you realize that all the different divisions, regions, industries b...