Women and the Longshoremen Strike

Paper Summary:

Following World War I, longshoremen on the West coast of the U.S. were required to go through the company union in San Francisco, which was known as the "blue book" system. On May 9, 1934, longshoremen in every west coast port walked out; they were followed by sailors just days later. The paper briefly examines the events of this strike, culminating in Bloody Thursday. This paper focuses on the role of women during the Big Strike, from active participation (as in the case of Tillie Olsen) to economic and home-life support.

From the Paper:

"By doing so, the women helped maintain the men who may have broken much earlier, and enabled them to demonstrate resolve and dedication in conditions that many have compared to a war. Many of these "soup kitchens", were nothing more than women cooking and feeding men out of their back doors. Facing criticism from neighbors who feared that doing so would cause a large contingent of men looking for free meals in their neighborhoods, many simply welcomed the men to come, offering as much food as they could muster under the difficult times of depression."

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