The following is the letter sent by Harry Bridges to the West Coast ILA Locals to inform them of the new ILWU charter that was issued.

INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN AND WAREHOUSEMEN'S UNION
Affiliated With Committee for Industrial Organization

President, H.R. BRIDGES
509 Balboa Building
San Francisco, Calif.

Secretary, MATT MEEHAN
3115 Arcade Building
Seattle, Washington.

August 25, 1937

TO ALL LOCALS;

Dear Sirs and Brothers:

For over two weeks the charter from the Committee for Industrial Organization has been in the District Office in San Francisco. The charter was issued to what was the Pacific Coast District of the I.L.A., and all its affiliated locals, now under the title of "International Longshoremen and Warehousemen's Union."

Prior to the arrival of the charter, and since, Secretary Meehan and myself have been endeavoring to call a meeting of the District Executive Board for the purpose of passing upon our recommendations and arriving at a program for the reorganization of the District under the new charter,

The charter, as granted by the C.I.O., transforms what was formerly the Pacific Coast District of the I.L.A. into a national union of the C.I.O. with the pledge of its support to organize all longshoremen and other dock workers such as clerks, warehousemen and so forth, under charters granted by the new national union. At the present time, the C.I.O. has some 30 organizers on the Eastern seaboard actively engaged in organizational and publicity work in support of the I.L.W.U.

Secretary Meehan and myself have been unable to call together a meeting of the District Executive Board due to the elections of the various members in the various Sub-Districts not yet being completed, and apparently elections will not be concluded until some time yet. In addition to this, applications have been received from various Pacific Coast locals requesting immediate charters under the I.L.W.U. for their respective locals,

In view of the foregoing, and because of the generally expressed sentiment of the large majority of the members on the Pacific Coast, I am recommending and advising the locals as follows:

(1) Charters are now being printed under the name of the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen's union and will be issued to all locals immediately.

(2) Charters will be issued in the order of applications received and numbered accordingly.

(5) Charters will be issued to all present Pacific Coast locals without exception.

(4) The District per-capita tax, in addition to the per-capita tax formerly paid to the International, be remitted to the Secretary-Treasurer.

The District Officers are of the opinion that inasmuch as the overwhelming majority of the District voted to change our affiliation, and because of the numerous demands as to when local charters will be issued, that the above step is necessary without further undo delay.

A meeting of the Executive Board will be called as soon as possible. In all probability the last week of August at which time the questions of changes in the District Constitution, personnel, per-capita tax and so forth will be discussed and acted upon.

You will note in the recommendations contained herein, that I am requesting that the per-capita tax formerly paid to J. P. Ryan and the International now be sent to the District. Of this money, 5 cents per month per member will be forwarded to the C.I.O. as per-capita tax, the balance used exclusively for organizing.

Regarding the I.L.A. organizers at the present time. All I.L.A. organizers representing and following the policies of the Pacific Coast District are now concentrated in Los Angeles and are being financially supported by the donations of the locals turned into the District, and quotas of the District Defense Fund.

In addition to this, Local 58-44 of San Francisco has donated recently $10,000,00 to keep its men in the field In Los Angeles organizing warehousemen. Local 38-82, of San Pedro, is at present maintaining 5 organizers in the Los Angeles area - the entire expense being borne solely by Local 58-82.

District Organizer W, Craft, of Local 58-12 Seattle, is at present working longshore due to the Inability of the District to employ him as an organizer where he is sadly needed; namely, in British Columbia. It should be understood that Locals 58-82 and 38-44 in donating their money towards organizational purposes are conceded the right to select the men they wish to have employed as organizers.

It Is the District's intention, as soon as funds are available, to immediately place W. Craft in the organizational field and as many other organizers as we can possibly afford to assist him in the task of organizing British Columbia.

I have not mentioned E, G. Dietrich, who also was elected by a referendum of the District, but who has openly declared his contempt for the wishes of the District membership and his full-fledged allegiance to J. P. Ryan and the International payroll. The Executive Board, while in session, will also act on a design for a new emblem for all of the members affiliated with the I.L.W.U.

Trusting the advice and recommendations contained in this communication will receive your Immediate attention, and approval in your first regular meeting following receipt of same, and that this office will be notified accordingly, I am

Fraternally yours,
H. R. BRIDGES, PRESIDENT

NOTE* All requests for charters should be accompanied with the names of the present officers of the local.