New York Longshoremen

Beginning in 1945 and for almost thirty years thereafter, the Port of New York was the site of intense class conflict. During this era, dockworkers fought an ongoing battle against shipping companies, local police, federal and state political authorities, and their own corrupt union leadership simultaneously. William Mello uncovers this little-known history that depicts the impact of state and local politics and political institutions on the labor movement in postwar America.

This rich historical account illustrates how ordinary workers defied the combined powers of elites and sporadically imposed their will on labor relations. Interviews, meticulous examinations of newspaper accounts, official reports, rank-and-file newsletters, and oral histories establish the contours of Mello’s work as he focuses his attention on the story of longshoremen’s lives and struggles.

 

William J. Mello is associate professor of labor studies at Indiana University-Kokomo.