Members of the 161st Infantry of the Washington National Guard, bayonets ready, attempt to control the crowd of striking lumber mill workers and supporters gathering at the intersection of 11th & A streets to oppose the Guard's presence and the City Council's rule requiring all gatherings to have a permit from the council. The National Guard arrived in Tacoma June 23rd, 1935 to protect workers returning to the mills on the Tideflats. Violence against the strikebreakers was common. On July 12, 1935, the confrontation erupted into a 4 1/2 hour battle on the streets of Tacoma. (TDL 7/13/1935, pg 1) TPL-8787
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard, 161st Infantry (Wash.);
Using tear gas and fixed bayonets, the Washington National Guard confronted a crowd of approximately 500 striking lumber mill workers and their supporters at the corner of South 11th and A Streets on July 12, 1935. The National Guard had been called out by Governor Clarence Martin to protect the replacement workers who had been hired to help break the strike. The gas was largely ineffectual, with protestors flinging the canisters back at the Guard. One gas bomb picked up by strikers was thrown into a Guard truck and caused other bombs to explode, setting the truck on fire. The truck was destroyed before the fire department could reach it through the crowds. (TDL 7/13/1935, pg 1) TPL-8772
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard, 161st Infantry (Wash.);
Two lumber workers watching an overhead crane move timbers, as the St. Paul & Tacoma lumber yard roars back into life after the settlement of a 13 week strike. Twenty two area mill operators agreed to meet employee demands for a 50 cent minimum wage, a 40 hour week, an 8 hour day, time and one half for overtime, reemployment of striking workers and recognition of the union. (T. Times 8/5/1935, pg.1)
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);
One of the greatest changes in the conversion of the Baker Hotel, 1355 Market St., into the Labor Temple was the addition of a private club and restaurant for the use of A.F.of L. members only. View of bar and part of lounge.
In April of 1941, the Tacoma Central Labor Council acquired the Baker Hotel, at 1355 Market St., and set about making it their new home. The Council, representing over 60 A.F. of L. unions with a total membership of over 35,000, ordered $75,000 in renovations on the building. The refurbishment included nine meeting halls, with seating capacities from 50- 600. The structure, including improvements, was completely paid for 17 months after it was acquired. It was operated on a co-operative non-profit basis by the unions. (TNT 1/7/1942, pg. 1)
New Tacoma Labor Temple, interior of bar. Tables and chairs in foreground, cash register behind bar, slot machines at right. The Club Rooms were located in the new Labor Temple, 1355 Market St., and were for the exclusive use of A.F. of L. members. The Club was operated co-operatively on a non profit basis.
After the Tacoma Central Labor Council obtained the Baker Hotel in 1941 for use as their new meeting structure, they allotted $75,000 for improvements to the 4 1/2 story building. This price included the Labor Temple Club and restaurant. The club rooms were located on the mezzanine floor. The building also contained 46 offices, occupied by affiliated unions, nine meeting halls and a printing plant of the first floor, used for the publication of the Labor Advocate. (TNT 1/7/1942, PG. 1)
Guests enjoy the opening of the Labor Temple Recreation Club in June of 1942. Developed for the use of A.F.of L. union members only, the club had the most modern design in the city. Located in the Labor Temple on Market Street, the site of the former Baker Hotel properties, club members used the side entrance on S. 15th. Harry "Red Carnation" Switzer was the Recreation Club manager. (TNT 6/25/1942, pg.8)
Grand opening of the Labor Temple Recreation Club was held in the summer of 1942. The club was run for the benefit of A.F.of L. union members only. Harry "Red Carnation" Switzer was the club manager; he is seated holding a clock. Mr. Switzer was celebrating his 54th anniversary which coincided with the grand opening. He had long been associated with the movie business in Tacoma, having managed the Colonial, Rialto, Broadway and Cameo theaters.
Labor Temple Recreation Club (Tacoma); Switzer, Harry; Clocks & watches;
A man and three women, one in uniform, pose by a sedan. They were attending the grand opening of the Labor Temple Recreation Club in June of 1942. The club, located on Market Street with side entrance at 15th, was part of the Labor Temple purchased by the unions in 1941. Entrance to the club was limited to A.F. of L. members only. (TNT 6-25-42, p. 8)
On Thursday October 9, 1947, the Tacoma Charter of Building Laborers and Hod Carriers honored three members with honorary life membership at a dinner in their union hall. D. L. McInnis became a member in 1916; Joe Collins in 1917; and Dan Avery , a member of the local in Denver, CO in 1888, helped establish the Tacoma chapter when he moved to Tacoma in 1905 and was present when it received its charter in 1911. Left to right, D. L. McInnis, Joe Collins and Dan Avery (T. Times, 10/10/47, p. 12).
Labor unions--Tacoma; Labor leaders--Tacoma; Charters--Tacoma; Aged persons--Tacoma; Building Laborers & Hod Carriers Union Local No. 252 (Tacoma); McInnis, D.L.; Collins, Joe; Avery, Dan;
On Sunday April 11, 1948, 20 members of Tacoma Painters' Union, Local 64, helped to kick off the Clean-up Tacoma campaign by giving the Tacoma totem pole a fresh coat of paint. Working to the music of Max Frolic and 27 of Tacoma's union musicians, the painters finished the job in just 72 minutes. Einar Nelson, head of Tacoma's Steelworkers' Union, and his men, put up the steel scaffold used by the painters on Saturday. In comments by Mayor Fawcett, he stated: "Tacoma can well be proud of the part labor, as represented by the tree participating unions, plays in our community life". (T.Times, 4/12/1948, p.1)
Men painting totem pole, Times, Burt McMurtrie. It took the twenty members of Painters' Union Local 64 (AFL) 72 minutes to paint Tacoma's totem pole at 10th and A Streets as they kicked-off the Clean-up Tacoma Campaign for 1948. Max Frolic and 27 of Tacoma's union musicians played for 90 minutes finishing their performance with the Star Spangled Banner just as the painters were finishing painting the totem pole. The totem pole was a famous old landmark at this time, standing in Fireman's Park at 10th and A Streets. (T.Times, 4/12/1948, p.1)
Totem poles--Tacoma; Labor unions--Tacoma; Urban beautification--Tacoma--1940-1950; Painting--Tacoma; Painters Union Local No. 64 (Tacoma); Scaffolding--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;
The Steel Workers Organizing Committee later became known as the United Steel Workers of America, including a chapter located in Tacoma, Washington. The United Steel Workers of America Local Number 2626 had members throughout the iron, steel and metallurgical industries in Tacoma. View of Permanente Metals employees in plant, photo ordered by United Steel Workers of America.
Laborers--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;
Fred Wheeler (left) and Charles McDonald congratulate each other as the two newly elected labor leaders for the Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses and Bartenders Local No. 61. The union held a special two day election, Wheeler was appointed the new Outside Business Representative and McDonald the local Secretary-Treasurer. The newly elected labor leaders will officially take over their duties on November 15, 1947.
Labor leaders--Tacoma; Labor unions--Tacoma; Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); McDonald, Charles E.; Wheeler, Fred T.;
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division 801, held an Armistice Day dinner in the Odd Fellows Temple. Members with 40+ years of service were honored with pins. View of engineers and guests in November, 1951, photograph. (TNT 11-12-51, p. 19)
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers No. 801 (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Group portraits--1950-1960; Odd Fellows Hall (Tacoma);
Central Labor Council presentation of chair. An unidentified member of the labor council shakes hands with a young woman on October 5, 1953 while a young man stands next to her. The names of the couple were not listed. The Tacoma Central Labor Council was chartered by the A.F. of L. in 1907. It listed 100 affiliated organizations.
Central Labor Council (Tacoma); Chairs; Shaking hands--Tacoma;
National Guard members were called out to keep the peace in Tacoma at the beginning of a bloody clash with 500 lumber mill strikers and sympathizers that started around 4p.m. on July 12, 1935 at the intersection of 11th & A, the entrance to the 11th Street Bridge. Guardsmen were stationed at 11th & A to protect strikebreakers as they crossed the 11th Street Bridge on their way home from work at the mills on the Tideflats. They also prevented the labor demonstrators from crossing the bridge to the Tideflats. The confrontation concluded 4 1/2 hours later when the guard had pushed the angry crowd up the hill on 11th to Yakima where it dispersed. The lumber and sawmill workers strike began on May 6, 1935 and was settled early in August of the same year with victory for the workers. The National Guard was deployed to Tacoma on June 23, 1935 to preserve the peace and was involved in many skirmishes. (TDL 7/13/1935, pg. 1)
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard (Tacoma);
Members of the 161st Infantry of the Washington National Guard stand head to head with striking timber and sawmill workers waving the American flag and demonstrating opposition to the presence of the Guard. The Guard had been called out three weeks prior to protect strikebreakers as they crossed the bridges to the Tideflats to work. This confrontation erupted into a full scale battle with Guards using tear gas, nausea bombs, night sticks and bayonets to control the crowd. TPL-425 (TDL 7/13/1935, pg 1)
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard, 161st Infantry (Wash.);
Members of the Washington National Guard used tear gas freely in an attempt to disperse the crowd of lumber mill strikers and their supporters during this July 12, 1935 melee near the intersection of 11th and A Streets. The Guard had arrived in Tacoma to protect strikebreakers attempting to open the mills on the Tideflats. The strike was particularly violent with those workers that opposed the strike suffering bombed cars and homes. TPL-426 (TDL 7/13/1935, pg 1)
Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard, 161st Infantry (Wash.);
Seventeen members, most of them women, of the Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Local #61 posed for a November 21, 1954, photograph, at union headquarters. The union had purchased the building at 1130 Commerce St. several years ago so that members might have a comfortable place to conduct meetings and enjoy social interaction.
Labor unions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); Group portraits;
Group of 7 under A.F. of L. banner. Hodcarriers & building laborers.
Labor unions--Tacoma--1950-1960; American Federation of Labor (Tacoma); Group portraits--1950-1960; Building Laborers & Hod Carriers Union Local No. 252 (Tacoma);
In September of 1953, Tacoma's board of business representatives for AFL unions was photographed in front of the doors of the Labor Temple, 1355 Market Street. The labor group, which met every Wednesday for a luncheon gathering, was one of the only organizations of its kind for exchanging information and the promotion of common interests of union workers. The man seated in the front row, third from the left, is Harry S. McIlvaigh, the long time secretary-treasurer of the Tacoma Labor Council for whom McIlvaigh Middle School is named. (T.N.T. 9/4/1953, p. C5- see picture for names & C-3)
Labor unions--Tacoma; Group portraits; Labor Temple (Tacoma);
Tacoma Mailer's Union #54, 15th Annual Banquet held at "The Firs". Union members and their spouses look up at the camera from long banquet tables. Elaborate decorations hang from the ceiling. The Firs was located two miles south of the Roy "Y" on Mountain Highway in the Loveland area. It was built in 1922 by Irv and Lacy Ball of vertical log construction, and served as an inn, restaurant and cabaret. It catered primarily to banquets and private parties. It was destroyed in 1974 by fire and never rebuilt.
Tacoma Mailer's Union #54 (Tacoma); Banquets--Spanaway--1930-1940; Firs (Spanaway); Labor unions--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Four men from the Central Labor Council, two wearing cowboy hats, two wearing top hats, pose in front of the Police Headquarters building. The are dressed to celebrate Washington's Golden Jubilee, July 16-23, 1939.
Central Labor Council (Tacoma); Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma;
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Welders and Helpers Union #568 presented a check for $350 to the Elks to be used in their December 1942 Christmas party for needy children. Fred Humbert is pictured emptying a money bag of donations into the big Elks Stocking Fillers cash register outside the Elks Temple, 565 Broadway. Watching him are Elks and union members including Harry J. Lynch, chrm. of the Elks Christmas committee (at front - left) and Erling O. Johnson, Elks secretary-manager (at extreme right.) Other names are listed in the News Tribune article dated 12-22-42. Thanks to the generosity of these union members and other caring Tacomans, 650 children enjoyed a happy Christmas morning filled with fun and gifts. (TNT 12-22-42, p. 7-alt. photograph; TNT 12-26-42, p. 9-article on party)
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Welders and Helpers Union #568 (Tacoma); Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma); Holidays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gifts; Cash registers; Lynch, Harry J.;
On September 28, 1942, R.A. Boedecker, on ladder, carefully mounts a War Chest poster on a street lamp while Carl Escene offers advice from below. Both men are officers of the Billposters Union, local 49, which is volunteering labor to post the War Chest signs in the business district and outlying shopping areas. The posters are a reminder of the upcoming War Chest fund raising campaign. The War Chest was a wartime branch of the Community Chest. The street light was located at 474 Market Street. (T. Times 9/30/1942, pg. 11)
Labor Unions--Tacoma; Labor leaders--Tacoma; Billposters Union, Local 49 (Tacoma); Boedecker, R.A.; Escene, Carl; Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma);
