Shingle Weavers Wage 'Relentless War' in Hoquiam
A militant annual convention in Sedro-Woolley votes to expand jurisdiction and targets the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle Co. for industrial action.
The story, cleaned up
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The annual convention of the J.S.W.U. of A. which recently met in Sedro-Woolley was one of the most harmonious and enthusiastic ones ever held by that craft. The convention voted to submit to a referendum vote the matter of extending jurisdiction to all men working in and around a shingle mill, aiming to organize those without a union. Another innovation was the decision to accept any paid-up card from a member of any other A.F. of L. affiliate in lieu of an initiation fee. Regarding the Hoquiam strike, the convention decided to wage relentless war on the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle Co., which is recognized as the keynote to the situation. A resolution also passed requiring all state locals to affiliate with the State Federation of Labor. In a display of internal camaraderie, the convention's 'Kangaroo Court' collected $50.10 in fines from delegates, which was turned over to a widow in needy circumstances.
“The Kangaroo Court collected something like $50.10 in fines... and the amount was turned over to a widow whose family was in needy circumstances.”
This reflects the peak of early 20th-century Pacific Northwest labor militancy, where unions acted as both professional guilds and mutual aid societies. The focus on 'industrialism'—organizing all workers in a plant regardless of specific trade—remains a core debate in modern labor organizing efforts.
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