Harry Bridges Memorial
ILWU
Panel 1:
Harry Bridges
1901 – 1990
Founder
of the ILWU
Panel 2:
Harry Bridges was an Australian seaman who came ashore and started longshoring in San Francisco in 1922. Unsafe working conditions, corrupt hiring practices and low wages convinced Harry to join with other waterfront workers along the Pacific Coast to form a Union to fight for and protect workers interests. Their successful efforts led to the Big Strike of 1934 and creation of a union-controlled hiring hall, uniform wages and working conditions for all longshore workers on the Pacific Coast, and the formation of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
In his unwavering commitment to militant, democratic trade unionism, Harry Bridges represented the best of the generation of visionaries who built the modern labor movement. A leader of international stature, he was also in the forefront of major social movements for equality, civil liberties, and world peace.
Under his leadership as ILWU International President until his retirement in 1977, ILWU transformed labor relations on the West Coast docks, providing dignity and security for workers through pioneering health and pension benefits while helping to set the stage for modernization of cargo-handling technology and to establish a model for how mechanization could be achieved in a humane manner.
Panel 3 [on bench]:
Donated by Southern California Pensioners
& ILWU Locals 13, 63, & 94
July 28, 2006
Panel 4::
Lest We Forget
We, the members of Locals 13, 63, 94 and the Southern Californian Pensioners Group
of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union hereby solemnly honor
the following workers who were fatally injured aboard ship or on the dock
while engaged in their duties along the shore. They are gone but they will be remembered.
Arthur Ginger,
James Stickney,
Joe Chuka,
Mark Whitney,
Ines Gaziola,
John Magby,
Art Lopez,
Rene Origel,
Vito Dacquisto,
Tex Chesney,
Carlos Rivera,
Richard Gomez,
Sam Puccio,
Jim Magallanes,
Paul Alba,
Matt Petrasich,
Milton Flores,
Steve Marinkovich, Jr.,
Mit Short, Sr.,
Vito Monreal,
Arthur Leroy Ablle,
John Kiser,
John W. Keith,
Bob Sanderson,
Jesse Duran,
Benjamin Evans,
Ed Casares,
Ronald Morgan,
Carlo Spinosa,
Rick Muller,
Sam Ardaiz,
Ramon Rodriguez,
Ross Cornell,
John Logan,
Willie Calandrino,
Sam Thomas,
Joe Karuza,
Don Prestlien,
Henry Gibbons,
Erv Palica,
Mitch Vladimir,
Stan Huckaby,
George Trinkle,
Bert Tufele,
Pat Nieto,
Dan Prlia,
Freddie Ponce,
Jerry Ponce,
Steve Suryan,
John Babich,
Mario Medina,
Michael Melgoza
John Foss, Jr.,
Bob Regina,
Art Jacobsen,
Eddie Mondor,
John Prohoroa,
Freddie Negrete,
Benjamin Paton,
Richard Mraz,
Julian Temblador,
Paul Tipich,
Frenchy Augereal,
Frank Russell
Marker is on South Harbor Boulevard. south of East 5th Street, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
