International Longshore and Warehouse Union - Definition and Overview

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is a Labor union which primarily represents dock workers, who load ships. The union was founded in 1937 by Harry Bridges in San Francisco, California when his group split from the International Longshoremen's Association. Bridges remained president of the union until 1977 when he retired. The union's base has continued to be in San Francisco to this day. Its president has been James Spinosa since 2000. Its most recent notable action was in 2002 when it engaged in a purposeful slowdown of work on docks in the western United States to enforce reenstatement of their contract with the Pacific Maritime Association. The slowdown resulted in a lockout which delayed delivery of goods. This delay was blamed on the ILWU by many news papers until various representatives offered to unload their goods for free if they would bring the ships somewhere else.

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