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Organizing on the Waterfront: The St. John's Longshoremen's Protective Union (LSPU), 1890-1914

1990; Athabasca University Press; Volume: 26; Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/25143418

1911-4842

Jessie Chisholm,

Canadian Identity and History

This article studies the initial organization and development of the St John's Longshoremen's Protective Union in the years 1890 to 1914. Undoubtedly the city's most important union the LSPU organized all waterfront workers in the city, including the numerous boys who worked on the docks, and later extended the organization to include the city's sanitation workers. Through militancy and frequent strikes the LSPU established a permanent presence in St John's. The success of the LSPU is contrasted with the experience of longshoremen in Atlantic Canadian ports to raise questions about earlier interpretations of class solidarity within merchant capital. Resume Cet article analyse l'origine et le developpement de la St John's Longshoremen's Protective Union de 1890 a 1914. Nul doute la plus importante organisation syndicale a Saint-Jean, la LSPU recruta tous les ouvriers portuaires, dont plusieurs garcons travaillant sur les quais, et parvint ensuite a etendre son organisation aux employes sanitaires municipaux. Par son militantisme et de frequents conflits de travail la LSPU s'assura une presence permanente a Saint-Jean. En contrastant son succes avec l'experience d'autres debardeurs dans les ports atlantiques canadiens, cette etude s'interroge sur les interpretations concernant la solidarite ouvriere face au capital marchand.