BRIDGES, HARRY

One of the most successful and radical labor leaders in the United States, Harry Bridges (July 28, 1901–March 30, 1990) was integral to the formation of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) and a strong voice for the left in American labor throughout the Depression years and after.

Born in Australia to middle-class parents, Bridges became a sailor in his teens, and emigrated to San Francisco in 1920, eventually finding work as a longshoreman. He had already been exposed to the radicalism of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) while working in Australia, and he soon was involved in labor organizing on the San Francisco docks. In 1933, Bridges, along with Communists and other radicals, was at the forefront of efforts to rebuild the faded International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). He and other labor activists sought to unite all unions in the industry into one federation. They proposed changes from the top-down leadership structure of previous unions, calling for regular union meetings, financial accountability for union officers, and a democratic constitution that would recognize the voices of rank-and-file members.

In 1934, the newly revived ILA sought to negotiate a contract that would organize West Coast docks. Even after the intervention of President Franklin Roosevelt and in the face of opposition from the ILA's own president, the union voted to strike, shutting down West Coast docks beginning on May 9. Tensions during the strike also led to violent clashes between protesting workers and police, most notably in San Francisco, where a general strike ensued. During the strike, Bridges gained a reputation as a dedicated organizer and successful leader, particularly after employers were forced to arbitrate with the union to end the strike. This notoriety also made him a target for anti-labor forces who claimed Bridges was a Communist agitator, a charge he would deny. Evidence from Soviet archives suggests that Bridges was a member of the Communist Party in the 1930s.

After another large strike in 1936, Bridges was elected president of the Pacific Coast District of the ILA, but the district soon came into conflict with the more conservative union leadership. In 1937, the district's members voted to join the newly formed Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), and they renamed themselves the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union. With Bridges as president, the ILWU was one of the most radical unions in the country, engaging in hundreds of job actions to improve working conditions and retaining a large faction of Communist members. With the rise of fascism in the late 1930s, Bridges led the ILWU's boycott of Italian and German ships, and the union later adopted a "no-strike" pledge during World War II in order to support the U.S. war effort.

Bridges's continued radicalism made him the target of deportation hearings in the late 1930s, yet he remained defiant, even after the ILWU was expelled from the CIO in 1950 for supporting its Communist membership. Bridges continued as president of the ILWU until 1977, remaining politically outspoken and ensuring his legacy as one of America's most important labor leaders.

BRIDGES, HARRY

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