Take It Easy, But Take It

This is a working list that is continually being expanded and cross referenced as I work through archival material. You will notice I pose questions next to some of the locals or include various notes. If you use this list as a reference please know it may not be 100% accurate. This is a continuation of my project to map the Congress of Industrial Organizations. You will notice several different charters with the same local number. The International reused local numbers as they amalgamated or ceased to exist. Making this research a tad bit more difficult. ILWU Local 1 - RAYMOND, WA (longshore) *** chartered ’37  ILWU Local 2 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA (shipscalers) *** chartered ’37 ILWU Local 3 - STOCKTON, CA, (Barge / Power Boat)  *** chartered ’37 in 1950 Local 3 becomes catch all for the International Fisherman & Allied Workers after they are expelled from the CIO. Below is a list of locals that became Local 3 in 1950. I believe these numbers correspond w...

The IFAWA has a very complicated history. I wanted to share some of my collection with you as I continue to map the CIO's radical existence over the course of 20 short years. For a well done history of the United Fisherman's Union - CIO  & The International Fisherman & Allied Workers of America - CIO... visit this link here to the Waterfront Workers History Project at the University of Washington. Between 1948 and 1950, the CIO expelled 11 unions who refused to remove their communists and radicals from leadership. The last 3 were all West Coast Maritime unions. The IFAWA was one of them. Having already pushed the idea of affiliating with the ILWU to their membership, the merger was almost immediate after expulsion. By my count the IFAWA existed as it's own union from 1939 till 1950. The United Fisherman's Union was the CIO's first foray into the fishing industry and existed from 1937-1939, largely still as a craft union, but set the stage for a lar...