The Seattle Waterfront Labor Strike of 1889
When steamship captains attempted to replace local longshoremen with non-union labor, a violent confrontation erupted on the Seattle wharves.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A struggle occurred on the O. & I. wharf yesterday between the crew of the steamship Wilmington and the Seattle longshoremen. The Wilmington arrived at 6:30 in the morning and docked at the wharf. Captain Worth, finding the crew of the Puebla had been dismissed, was forced to take on an inexperienced, non-union crew to load his freight. Mate Morley was seen directing the work of discharging, but the longshoremen refused to assist. When the company attempted to force the work, a struggle ensued. A local Irish longshoreman was assaulted, whereupon four men attacked the ship's mate. The situation escalated, leaving several men seriously injured. Ultimately, the company had to retreat to the Port Townsend wharf to find a more satisfactory crew.
“When the company attempted to force the work, a struggle ensued. A local Irish longshoreman was assaulted, whereupon four men attacked the ship's mate.”
This 1889 labor struggle highlights the deep historical roots of waterfront activism in Seattle. The tension between shipping companies and the organized dockworkers mirrors the ongoing labor disputes that have defined the city's relationship with its port and union identity for over a century.
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