Seafarers' International Union of North America

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The Historical Research Department of the Seafarers International Union (SIU) kept extensive files on Joseph Curran, president of the NMU from 1937 until his death in 1981. “Big Joe” Curran, then an inactive member of the conservative International Seaman’s Union, founded the Seaman’s Defense Committee during a wildcat strike in 1936 on the Panama Pacific Line's S.S. California. The Committee was renamed the National Maritime Union in 1937, and Curran became its first president. He served as a vice-president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and ran for Congress on the American Labor Party ticket in 1940. After the second World War Curran took a major role in ridding the NMU of Communist-influenced officials and vigorously used the collective bargaining process to advance his union’s agenda. In addition to national press coverage of the NMU, the SIU kept clippings of Curran’s quarterly column in the NMU Pilot.

In addition to the NMU and Curran material, the SIU collected historical information, publications and clippings relating to its own activities and its president from 1957, Paul Hall. Hall, a staunch anti-Communist, defended his union against racketeers in the 1940s and 1950s and the encroachment of Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters in the 1960s. He was instrumental in the passing of the Energy Transportation Security Act of 1977. Also included are records of Hall’s successor, Frank Drozak, SIU president from 1980 until his death in 1988.

From the guide to the National Maritime Union and Seafarers International Union: Reference Files of the Seafarers International Union, Bulk, 1937-1969, 1878-1981, (Bulk 1937-1969), (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Guide to the Sam Reiss Photographs, circa 1930-1975 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn AFL-CIO. Internal Disputes Plan. Decisions of the Impartial Umpire, 1964-1976. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives
referencedIn Peter Patrick Mendelsohn papers, 1937-1959 University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
referencedIn Briefs, 1928-1976 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf United Industrial Workers. Records. Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
referencedIn United States. Railroad Marine Workers Commission. Transcript and exhibits, 1959-1962., 1959-1962. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives
creatorOf Testyon, Joseph A., Captain. South American. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
referencedIn Nakkerud, Trygve Bloch. Trygve Bloch Nakkerud Oral History Interview 1981. Oregon State University Libraries
referencedIn Cole, David Lawrence, 1902-1977. Series 4, Subseries 4. Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association cases, 1966-1977. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Tinari, John. Charles S. Zimmerman. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
referencedIn Series 4, Subseries 4. Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association cases, 1966-1977. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Summers, Clyde. Office files, 1940-2004. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Peterson, Frank. John Ericsson. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
referencedIn Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific records, 1934-1985 University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
referencedIn J. B. Matthews Papers, 1862-1986 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn United States. Railroad Marine Workers Commission. Transcript and exhibits presented to the Railroad Marine Workers Commission. New York Harbor Carriers' Conference Committee and International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots Locals 1 and 3, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association Number 33, and the Seafarers International Union of North America, Atlantic and Gulf District, Railroad and Marine Division, AFL-CIO, 1959-1962. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Marine Workers Historical Collection, 1930-1996 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn AFL-CIO Internal Disputes Plan Decisions of the Impartial Umpire, 1964-1976. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Kerr, Al. North American. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
creatorOf Dodge, Horace E. Delphine. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
creatorOf National Maritime Union and Seafarers International Union: Reference Files of the Seafarers International Union, Bulk, 1937-1969, 1878-1981, (Bulk 1937-1969) Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Marine Workers Historical Collection, 1930-1996 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Seafarers' International Union of North America. [Constitutions, agreements, etc.] Wisconsin historical society
referencedIn Cole, David Lawrence, 1902-1977. Series 2, Subseries 4. National Commission on Industrial Peace files, 1971-1974. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Guide to the Tamiment Library Newspapers, 1873-2014 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Trygve Bloch Nakkerud Oral History Interview, 1981 Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection Archives and Special Collections Department
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith AFL-CIO. person
associatedWith Cole, David Lawrence, 1902-1977. person
associatedWith Curran, Joseph Edwin, 1906-1981 person
associatedWith Drozak, Frank person
associatedWith Hall, Paul. person
associatedWith Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific corporateBody
associatedWith Judd, Orrin G. person
associatedWith Marine Workers Historical Association (U.S.). corporateBody
associatedWith Matthews, J. B. (Joseph Brown), 1894-1966 person
associatedWith Mendelsohn, Peter Patrick person
associatedWith Nakkerud, Trygve person
associatedWith Nakkerud, Trygve Bloch. person
associatedWith National Maritime Union of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Reiss, Sam. person
associatedWith Summers, Clyde W. person
associatedWith Tamiment Library. corporateBody
associatedWith United Industrial Workers. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Railroad Marine Workers Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (N.Y.)
Subject
Merchant mariners
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Information

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