The Albion Hall group Harry Bridges

the ila renewed efforts reestablish on west coast, chartering new local in san francisco in 1933. passage year of national industrial recovery act, contained encouraging unenforceable provisions declaring workers had right organize unions of own choice, thousands of longshoremen joined new ila local.

at time bridges member of circle of longshoremen came known albion hall group , after meeting place. attracted members variety of backgrounds: members of communist party, trying organize longshoremen, sailors , other maritime workers maritime workers industrial union (mwiu), revolutionary, industry-wide alternative ila , other american federation of labor (afl) unions; former iww members, , others no defined politics.

this group had acquired influence on docks through publication waterfront worker, mimeographed sheet sold penny published articles written longshoremen , seamen, under pseudonyms. these articles focused on workers day-to-day concerns: pace of work, weight of loads, abusive bosses, , unsafe working conditions. while first editions published in apartment of mwiu member on second-hand mimeograph machine, paper remained independent of both party , mwiu.

although bridges sympathetic of mwiu s program in 1933, chose join new ila local. when local held elections, bridges , fellow members of albion hall group made majority of executive board , held 2 of 3 business agents positions.

the albion hall group stressed self-help tactics of syndicalism, urging workers organize taking part in strikes , slowdowns, rather depending on governmental assistance under nira. campaigned membership participation in new ila local, had not bothered hold membership meetings. finally, group started laying groundwork organizing on coastwide basis, meeting activists portland, oregon , seattle, washington , organizing federation of of different unions represented maritime workers.

under bridges leadership, group organized successful 5-day strike in october 1933 force matson navigation company reinstate 4 longshoremen had fired wearing ila buttons on job. longshoremen @ other ports threatened refuse handle matson cargo unless company rehired 4 men.