United Steel Workers union was formed with the help of the United Mine Workers. The Mine Workers felt the Steel Workers needed guidance and helped them organize a committee. View of Permanente Metals employees washing their hands after a hard day at work, photo ordered by United Steel Workers of America.

Laborers--Tacoma; Washstands--Tacoma; United Steel Workers of America Union Local No. 2626 (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Labor unions--Tacoma; Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees;

Labor was well represented in the Clean-up Tacoma Campaign in 1948. Twenty members of Painters' Union Local 64 (AFL) gave Tacoma's totem pole at 10th and A Streets a new look April 11 and kicked-off the campaign. The steel scaffolding needed to do the job was donated by Safeway Steel Scaffolding. Max Frolic with 27 of Tacoma's union musicians played during the kick-off ceremonies and painting. Ordered by Burt McMurtrie, Tacoma Times. (T.Times, 4/12/1948, p.1)

Totem poles--Tacoma; Labor unions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Urban beautification--Tacoma--1940-1950; Painting--Tacoma; Scaffolding--Tacoma;

Retail Clerks Union 2nd Annual Christmas Party at Fellowship Hall. The large audience is seated facing the stage. Members of the union members' families have joined them for the December 15, 1951 festivities. (TNT 12-13-1951, C-11-article only)

Retail Clerks Union, Local 367 (Tacoma); Fellowship Hall (Tacoma); Masonic Temple (Tacoma); Christmas--Tacoma; Audiences--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Photographs from the Metal Trades convention for the Labor Advocate. The Metal Trades Council was the negotiating body for all the unions involved in working with metal, such as the shipyards.

Labor unions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Metal Trades Council (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Two men standing outside the C.I.O. Hall (Congress of Industrial Organizations). The hall is in a store front with large glass windows. Both men wear business suits, one holds up a folded newspaper.

Labor unions--Tacoma; C.I.O. (Tacoma);

June of 1942 saw the grand opening of the Labor Temple Recreation Club. The Tacoma Central Labor Council, representing over 60 A.F.of L. unions, had purchased the old Baker Hotel property on Market Street in 1941 and made it their new home. A guest of the Labor Temple reaches for a piece of cake from a waitress during opening day ceremonies while four others in the booth look on. The notice on the wall near the group indicates that only beer and wine could be served during specific hours; no hard liquor was allowed. The Club rooms were located on the Mezzanine floor and served as recreation rooms and as a restaurant.

Labor Temple Recreation Club (Tacoma); Cakes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Waitresses--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior of new Tacoma Labor Temple, 1355 Market St. View of meeting room taken from podium. American Federation of Labor (AFofL) symbol on back wall. $75,000 in remodeling was needed to turn the Baker Hotel, at 1355 Market St., into the Labor Temple, home of over 60 labor unions. Included were nine meeting rooms, such as this one, seating variously 50- 600 folks.

Labor unions--Tacoma; Labor Temple (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Central Labor Council obtained the Baker Hotel in 1941 for use as their new headquarters. They abandoned their cramped offices at the City Hall annex, where they had been for 17 years, and moved into the new 4 1/2 story cream colored brick structure. They then spent $75,000 remodeling the building to suit their purposes. This remodel included the construction of members-only recreation rooms and restaurant. (TNT 1/7/1943, pg. 1)

Labor unions--Tacoma; Labor Temple (Tacoma);

Bartenders going through the Bartenders' Union bar course will be better qualified to serve their customers. Bartenders will learn a number of drinks to properly and rapidly serve, starting with the twelve most popular drinks ordered, including Manhattans, Tom Collins, Dry Martinis, Cuba Libres and Daiquiris. Left to right, Al S.Taylor, Ted Mason and Dale Porter; Ted is reading a book while trying to serve an irritated customer, played by Dale Porter. (T. Times, 1/4/49, p. 1). TPL-8851 (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Labor unions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Labor leaders--Tacoma; Bartenders--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); Taylor, Al S.; Mason, Ted; Porter, Dale;

Bartender Ward Doucette, surrounded by the tools of his trade, studies a book on the art of mixology in this photograph from January 1949. One of the immediate results of Initiative 171, which had just passed in the November elections, was that all bartenders in Washington had to prove their knowledge of their trade by passing a test. The Bartenders' Union in Tacoma set up a school for their members to help them get past this new hurdle. (T. Times, 1/4/49, p. 1). TPL-8850 (Identification provided by a reader)

Labor unions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Labor leaders--Tacoma; Bartenders--Tacoma--1940-1950; Drinking vessels; Corkscrews; Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); Doucette, Ward;