Jack,
I was Vice President of Local 19 during the 70-71 strike. My memory is that the 1970-71 strike was very much a show of strength by the ILWU.
It was also a definite victory over the PMA. By going back out after the Taft Hartley 80 day cooling off period, we also defeated the government apparatus intended to limit the duration and effectiveness of strike action. We may not have forced the Nixon Administration to institute wage-price controls, but I suspect that our actions had something to do with the timing. The strike would not have ended without that intervention by the government. Our members reluctantly recognized that while we could defeat the PMA, we couldn’t outlast the Nixon administration. Later, when wage controls were removed, we got the wage raise after a brief work stoppage.
As far as the organization and preparation for the strike is concerned. I don’t know about other ports, but here in Seattle we had only one member who asked for financial help. The members of Seattle Locals suffered no serious economic injury, while the PMA ultimately admitted its members lost 2 billion dollars. In 1971,2 billion dollars was money.
Looking at the long term, the union has had to reeducate a new generation of management (PMA and employers) about every 20 years. The 1970-71 strike served that necessary purpose. I only hope that the union can find the unity and foresight to plan for the next seminar which is now due. Mr. Miniace clearly needs some lessons.
Solidarity is the key!
Art Mink, retired.
Jack Heyman had written on 7 Apr 2000
The ’70-’71 strike was not a show of strength by the ILWU and was not a victory as the other strikes were. Although it expressed a firm rank and file desire to protest the effects of two M & M contracts, it was not effectively organized. Government intervention took much of the steam out of that struggle. The other strikes were organized, for the most part, on the basis of maritime trade union unity, not “unity with the employer” as in “Mr. Miniace, please take us along.”
Scotty had written on 6 Apr 2000
don't forget the 70 - 71 strike
