Longshoremen Strike Over Wage Cuts on Government Docks
Local union members halt loading of the S.S. Lyra after federal contractors attempt to slash wages for cargo handling.
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The longshoremen's union continues to refuse to load the steamship Lyra, halting the shipment of government hay intended for the Philippines. Secretary Morris of local union No. 306 stated that Quartermaster’s Agent Cosper attempted to hire non-union workers at 30 cents an hour for tasks previously performed by union members at 40 cents. Despite pressure, the union remains steadfast, noting that Senator Foster has indicated the agent lacked the authority to reduce wages. The dispute is viewed by many as an attempt by waterfront employers to undermine organized labor. This afternoon, a small non-union crew attempted to load the vessel, but struggled significantly, spilling bales of hay into the hold while union members watched from the sidelines.
“The only demonstration they made was a long, loud laugh when the Chinamen lost control of a load of a half-dozen bales of hay and let it drop into the hold.”
Labor disputes at the Port of Tacoma regarding wages and the integrity of union contracts are a persistent feature of the city's history. The 1904 struggle over government contracts mirrors modern tensions between automation, outsourcing, and collective bargaining rights in the Pacific Northwest’s logistics hubs.
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