Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders, and Wipers Association, Seattle Branch records
Scope and Contents
The collection (1934-1955) contains meeting minutes, reports of the Auditing Committee, financial reports, shipping reports, and agent's reports.
Dates
- 1934-1955
Creator
- Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association. Seattle Branch (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders, and Wipers Association (union) was founded October 1883, in San Francisco, California, and "reorganized in 1907 by amalgamation with an independent firemen's union. The founding members were firemen on coal-burning steamers."
The union went on strike in 1886-1887, 1901, 1906-1921, and 1934. In 1934, after eighty-four days of striking, "a tentative settlement was reached through the auspices of a board appointed by the government--the National Longshoremen's Board. This board was to arbitrate the longshoremen's case, and to supervise balloting among the seamen to determine the organization they desired to represent them in collective bargaining and arbitration. In this election, the Marine Firemen's Union won the right to represent unlicensed engine room personnel; the Sailors' Union of the Pacific, deck department; and the Marine Cooks and Stewards Association, the steward department."
After the 1934 strike, union members took on Standard Oil. "A joint strike committee was formed and Standard Oil retaliated by assisting an independent tanker union. As the strike dragged on, the California Federation of labor issued a circular that "war has been declared on organized labor by Standard Oil Company", and called upon organized labor to boycott all Standard Oil products."
There were more strikes in 1936, 1948, and in 1962. During WWII, "union leaders and members knew that merchant seamen would be subject to war action at sea, without the benefits accorded by the government to the military. Much time was spent laying the groundwork for war bonuses."
[Source: Marine Firemen's Union. The Official Web Site of the Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association. mfoww.org]
Extent
1.5 linear feet (1 container) : 1 record storage box
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders, and Wipers Association (union) was founded October 1883, in San Francisco, California. The collection (1934-1955) contains meeting minutes, reports of the Auditing Committee, financial reports, shipping reports, and agent's reports.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Tanya Parlet.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Financial records Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Labor Unions Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Labor disputes -- Washington (State) -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Labor laws and legislation -- Washington (State) -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Merchant mariners -- Labor unions -- Pacific States -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Merchant mariners -- Labor unions -- Washington (State) -- Seattle -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association
- Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association. Seattle Branch
- Reports Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Seattle (Wash.) -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Title
- Guide to the Pacific Coast Marine Fireman, Oilers, Watertenders, and Wipers Association, Seattle Branch Records
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Tanya Parlet.
- Date
- 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
