Labor Issues on New York's Waterfront: A Visual History >> Strike!


Strike!



Here, the radio telegraphers of a steam ship are calling a strike to restore a 25% wage cut. Skilled trades on the waterfront often had specific associations or unions, feeling that their technical skills offset them from other workers. While damaging the united front of workers overall, the smaller sections could sometimes gain foothold in their battles. As modern technology allowed more unskilled workers on ships, technical workers struggled to keep their higher wages.