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Born in Melbourne Australia, Bridges went to sea at age 16 as a merchant seaman. He entered the United States in 1920, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1945.
In 1921, Bridges joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), participating in a nationwide seamen's strike. His early experiences in the IWW would influence his beliefs on militant unionism based on rank and file power and involvement.
In 1924, Harry joined the San Francisco local of the International Longshoremens Association (ILA). In 1932 he became spokesperson for a group of dockers who promoted unionism in the maritime industry. A year later, S.F. longshoremen received their first ILA charter, but the employers refused to negotiate a contract. This led to the strike of 1934, an affair known as "Bloody Thursday" because two strikers lost their lives and many were injured from police violence. Bridges helped organize the strike, which eventually became a general strike of all San Francisco workers leading to a coastwise agreement, union hiring halls, shorter hours, safer working conditions, and a pay increase.
In 1937 the ILWU was formed out of a split from the ILA. The ILWU joined the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) but was expelled in 1950 during the anti-communist Cold War era "witch-hunts". Bridges espoused the belief that the ILWU should be a union completely free and open to membership by all, regardless of race, nationality, or belief.
In 1939 the United States government attempted to deport Bridges, accusing him of being a communist, a charge that would haunt him for several years.
On July 28 2001, on what would have been Bridges' 100th birthday, the ILWU organized a week long event celebrating the life of Harry Bridges. This culminated in a march of over 8000 unionists and supporters across the Vincent Thomas Bridge from Terminal Island to San Pedro California. The longshoremen shut down the port for 8 hours in honor of Bridges.
Bridges, Harry Bridges, Harry| Politics | Business | Finance |
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