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Creation
of the ILA
AFL
affiliation
Lake Carriers Association
In
1892 delegates from eleven (11) ports
convened in Detroit where they adopted the
by-laws of the longshoremen's Chicago
local and the name National Longshoremen's
Association of The United States.
By 1895, the name was changed to
International Longshoremen's Association
to reflect the growing numbers of Canadian
members.
Shortly thereafter, the ILA
affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor (AFL).
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"
In the end, the ILA was almost alone
on the Lakes.
Once again, caution and
common sense had led ILA unharmed
through a virtual firestorm. " |
As
the turn of the century loomed, the ILA had
approximately 50,000 members, almost all on
the Great Lakes.
By 1905, membership had doubled to
100,000, half of which were scattered
throughout the rest of the country.
ILA leaders focused on eliminating
independent stevedoring firms and securing
closed shop contracts.
Keefe bargained with employers,
guaranteeing uninterrupted work in return
for badly needed improvements in working
conditions and wage increases.
Keefe
resigned in 1908 and T.V. O'Connor,
another Great Lakes tugboat man, became the
ILA's new president.
O'Connor's presidency spanned
twelve of the ILA's most intriguing and
influential years.
In 1909 a bitter three-year strike on
the Great Lakes pitted the employers' Lake
Carriers' Association against every maritime union except
the ILA, whose locals wisely voted against
participation because it was clear to them
from the beginning that the strike was a
losing battle.
So powerful and well equipped was the
Lake Carriers' Association that Lakes
shipping ran almost regularly despite the
union walk out.
In the end, the ILA was almost alone
on the Lakes.
Once again, caution and common sense
had led ILA unharmed through a virtual
firestorm.
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