The Speed up
from the Waterfront Worker 1933

The life of a longshoreman on the waterfront is not a bed of roses by a long shot. But by far the worst kick we have coming is one that made things unbearable and that should more than anything else spur us to action, is the terrific speed-up.

The shipowners always hungry for profits, have been quick to take advantage of the unorganized state of the longshoreman. They have piled work on him, the sky being the limit.

What does the speed-up mean? First, it means complete exhaustion. A man putting in a full days work on one of the speed-up docks (and there are few exceptions) is only fit for bed when he gets home. If he is lucky enough to be on one of docks that gets steadier work and sometimes a little overtime. The exhaustion is complete.

To pep himself up for some more of that he has to take a few more drinks. And after a few, he takes a few more, with the result that the bootlegger gets most of his pay.

The speed-up brings in its train other results. The feverish running around and exhaustion results in increased accidents. Working at such a fast pace and the bigger and bigger loads means that a ship will so much less time to load or to discharge and more than doubles the unemployment now on the waterfront.

This not only means less work but amounts to a wage-cut and a huge one at that. A man puts out about three times as much work for 75cents an hour as he formerly put out for $1 an hour. This means in an indirect way he is really working for 30cents an hour. The shipowners know that when the lower costs of loading and discharging show on their ledgers in double profits.

The shipowners also use a free hand in getting rid of the older men who may not be able to stand the gaff as well as the younger men. This has resulted in hundreds of "old timers" who have built up the treasuries of the shipowners, now being forced to walk up and down the waterfront without even a chance to make even their bread.

There is hardly a wrinkle in the development of the speed-up that the shipowners have overlooked. They have introduced the fast jitney. The double board is the rule. The size of the gang has been cut. The loads have been increased and are still increasing. Finally the shipowners in their wisdom have carefully picked bosses that know how to speed-up. And how well the shipowners have found what they wanted.

The increase of the size of the loads is the main method in the speed-up. four bales of cotton make a load in place of two or three. A ton and a half of lead makes a load instead of the former 1800 pounds. twenty bags of rice now make a load instead of twelve or fifteen. over thirty bags of coffee is the rule, and instead of a couple of oils drums in a sling, as many as eight now make a load.

Swayne and Hoyte is a good example. On sugar there is no limit as long as backs can stand it. Forty cases of canned goods is common in place of the previous eighteen. The loads are climbing higher and higher. "Pile them up boys," say the shipowners. "Pile them up higher and higher, one tier, two tiers, three tiers and faster boys, faster. The hook is hanging. Pile'em up boys; the B.B. says it's O.K."

The shipowners give loving attention to the speed-up bosses. they have gone to the trouble of importing them from other ports. And why shouldn't they when such geniuses as big Knute can conceive such a bright idea as using boards for practically everything; when such a speed-up genius as "lord" Nelson is still at large; when the speed-up geniuses on the American - Hawaiian can so easily think of using two scows on a bridle as they did the other day. 

Even the brains of these bosses work on the speed-up basis.

The other day "Overtime" Fred wanted to save some overtime for the American - Hawaiian. the idea suddenly flashed across his mind that two loads of drums could be hooked on the same gear. So he did this and the American - Hawaiian is in a few dollars and the longshoremen eat beans and don't go to the movies.

Well, it's all true. But what can be done about it ? Some suggest that we slow down. That's O.K. but that requires a high degree of co-operation between parts of a gang and amongst gangs on a dock; and that is not possible where there is no organization amongst men and everyone is accustomed to work as an individual.

If that is done by individuals it does not go very far. another man will just take his place. The only solution is new working rules and the organization to enforce them: smaller load s, larger gangs, no speed-up bosses. 

This is the solution. and with the help of the rest of the longshoremen organization will be built on the "Frisco" waterfront and the solution will br worked out.