Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org

Guide to the Alaska Fishermen's Union Records, 1919-1977


1989.82





Finding aid prepared by Sheri Boggs

Finding aid encoded by, 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library

2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org
 
Collection Number:
 

1989.82
 
Creator:
 

Alaska Fishermen's Union
 
Title:
 

Alaska Fishermen's Union Records
 
Dates:
 

1919-1977 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

3 boxes plus 46 ledger books
12.9 linear feet
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Minutes, correspondence and other materials generated by and of interest to the Alaska Fishermen's Union
 
Location of Collection:
 

10a.3.2-5 (ledger books)
15a.1.3 (boxes)
Map Drawer VIIa19, Library Annex
 

Historical Note

The Alaska Fishermen's Union was operational by 1919 and their headquarters were located in downtown Seattle. Their initial records consist of shipping lists, which name the vessel, the cannery, the fishing company, the captain, and the union members on each voyage in a particular fishing season. Over the years their records grow to include not only minutes and financial statements but also correspondence and reports related to significant issues in the fishing industry, including the First, Second and Third United Nations Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) conferences. Issues at the UNCLOS conferences included the breadth of the territorial sea, international fishing rights, and protection of marine resources.

The Alaska Fishermen's Union had branches in Oregon (Portland, Astoria), Washington (Bellingham), California (Monterey, San Francisco) and Alaska (Anchorage, Ketchikan) and represented shore-side workers including deckhands, cooks, pile drivers, dock workers, beach gangs, waiters and waitresses. Their headquarters were at 2505 1st Ave., Rm. 3, in Seattle for many years until they merged with the Seafarers International Union in 1997 or 1998. The SIU is headquartered in Piney Point, Maryland, and has a local union hall in Tacoma.

Content Description

The collection consists of both bound materials kept in binders, and loose papers filed and foldered in boxes. The bound materials include shipping lists on Alaska Fishermen's Union forms, which noted the names and membership numbers of men who signed on for different fishing companies, canneries and vessels; delegate lists, which were similar to the shipping lists except that they were written on fishing company forms; and typed minutes and correspondence from the local union halls. The minutes and correspondence include records of the weekly union hall meetings, election rosters, telegrams, lists of new, retired and deceased members, documents indicating political involvement in terms of issues relevant to the union, resolutions, and articles related to conservation and the fishing industry. The bound materials are in leather-bound or cloth-bound binders, measuring 38cm x 25cm, with two metal posts and gummed labels for the insertion of documents. In a few cases documents are bound in brown board binders with a clip mechanism for binding.

Documents pertaining to the First, Second, and Third Law of the Sea conferences are included in the boxed materials. Materials here range from loose papers to stenographer notebooks and brown board binders. There are also two maps in the collection.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Donated by Harold M. Holten in 1989.

Separated Materials 

These materials are part of a donation that also included items of special interest to the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. These documents are cataloged and stored separately by the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society at MOHAI.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Restrictions on Use 

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation 

The Alaska Fishermen's Union Records, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Related Information

Related Materials 

Accession PS1042.1-.5 in the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society's collection contains five publications transferred from the Alaska Fishermen's Union Records. These include four publications of the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission (1954-1977) and one Coast Guard publication on safe construction of fishing vessels.

Subjects

Anchorage (Alalcshska)
Astoria (Or.)
Bellingham (Wash.)
Ketchikan (Alaska)
Monterey (Calif.)
Portland (Or.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Fisheries--Records and correspondence
Labor unions-- Records and correspondence

Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Shipping Lists

Shipping lists contained information on the dates of sailing, the name of the company, cannery and vessel and a list of the names and membership numbers of the union members on each particular voyage. Lists were compiled on official Alaska Fishermen's Union forms.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
shelf
10a.3.2

1989.82.1:  Shipping Lists
  1919 April-1920 March
 


1989.82.2:  Shipping Lists
  1921 April-1923 April
 


1989.82.3:  Shipping Lists
  1924 May-1926 June
 


1989.82.4:  Shipping Lists
  1926 April-1929 May
 


1989.82.5:  Shipping Lists
  1927 April-1930 May
 


1989.82.6:  Shipping Lists
  1928 March-1930 May
 


1989.82.7:  Shipping Lists
  1931 May-1936 May
 
10a.3.3

1898.82.8:  Shipping Lists
  1932 May-1936 May
 


1898.82.9:  Shipping Lists
  1937 May-1937 Sept.
 


1898.82.10:  Shipping Lists
  1938 May-1939 May
 

Roll Book and Members Lists

The roll book contains lists of members (arranged in loosely alphabetical order), their member numbers, and members in bad standing, retired or deceased.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
shelf
10a.3.3

1989.82.11:  Roll Book and Member's Lists for 1937 and retired members list for 1932-1939
  1932-1939
 

Delegate Reports

Delegate reports are similar to shipping lists but more detailed. Each page lists the cannery, the company, the season, the superintendent and the delegate. Each worker's work position, and home city are noted. Additional information includes cases of specific kinds of salmon packed, number of traps and seines used, inside-outside fishermen, overtime paid, etc. These volumes also contain numerous shipping lists. The lists are mostly typed, and are organized in alphabetical order by the name of the cannery or the fishing company.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
shelf
10a.3.3

1989.82.12:  Delegate Reports
  1940-1943
 


1989.82.13:  Delegate Reports
  1943
 


1989.82.14:  Delegate Reports
  1944-46
 


1989.82.15:  Delegate Reports
  1948
 


1989.82.16:  Delegate Reports
  1954-56
 


1989.82.17:  Delegate Reports
  1957-60
 


1989.82.18:  Delegate Reports
  1961-64
 


1989.82.19:  Delegate Reports
  1971-77
 

Corporate Minutes and Correspondence

These binders contain the minutes of weekly meetings and correspondence of the AFU headquarters in Seattle, as well as union hall branches in Portland, Astoria, Bellingham, San Francisco, Ketchikan and Monterey. Correspondence includes election rosters, telegrams, lists of new, retired and deceased members, and documents concerning political involvement in terms of issues relevant to the union.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
shelf
10a.3.3

1989.82.20:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1928 Oct.-1934 Feb.
 


1989.82.21:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1929 Feb.-1933 Feb.
 


1989.82.22:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1933 Feb.-1935 March
 
10a.3.4

1989.82.23:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1933 Feb.-1935 Nov.
 


1989.82.24:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1935 March-1936 Nov.
 


1989.82.25:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1935 March-1937 Feb.
 


1989.82.26:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1938 Feb.-1938 Oct.
 


1989.82.27:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1940 April-1939 Oct.
 


1989.82.28:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1940 Feb.-1940 Nov.
 


1989.82.29:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1940 Nov.-1941 April
 


1989.82.30:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1941 April-1942 April
 


1989.82.31:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1942 April-1944 April
 


1989.82.32:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1949 Jan.-1949 Nov.
 


1989.82.111:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1950 Jan.-1950 Dec.
 


1989.82.33:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1951
 


1989.82.34:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1952
 


1989.82.35:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1953
 
10a.3.5

1989.82.36:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1954
 


1989.82.37:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1955
 


1989.82.38:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1956
 


1989.82.39:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1957
 


1989.82.40:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1958
 


1989.82.41:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1959
 


1989.82.42:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1961
 


1989.82.43:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1962-1963
 


1989.82.44:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1964-1965
 


1989.82.45:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1966-1967
 


1989.82.46:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1968-1969
 


1989.82.47:  Corporate minutes and correspondence
  1970-1971
 

Constitution and By-Laws

This pocket-sized volume, detailing the constitution, procedures and bylaws of the Alaska Fishermen's Union, was published for the use of the union's members.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
shelf
10a.3.5

1989.82.48:  Constitution and By-Laws of the Alaska Fishermen's Union 12.5 cm. x 7.5 cm.
  1972 April
 

Boxed Items

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1

1989.82.49:  Correspondence regarding the "Law of the Sea"
  1958-60
 


1989.82.50:  Correspondence regarding closure of the Public Health Service Hospital
  1971
 


1989.82.51:  Correspondence regarding Pacific fisheries treaty negotiations
  1963
 


1989.82.52:  Correspondence regarding the Conference of Japanese and United States Fishing Unions
  1959
 


1989.82.53:  Correspondence regarding Alaska fishing
  1950-1960
 


1989.82.54:  Correspondence regarding Washington State fishing legislation
  1958-1959
 


1989.82.55:  Correspondence regarding national and international fishing regulations
  1962-1976
 


1989.82.56:  Correspondence and reports of the AFU Trial Committee
  1950-1951
 


1989.82.57:  Miscellaneous correspondence (including correspondence related to a resolution concerning Blaine Harbor and a proposed merger with the International Longshoremen's and Warehouser's Union)
  1950-1951
 


1989.82.58:  Negotiation correspondence
  1946-1951
 


1989.82.59:  Negotiation correspondence
  1952
 


1989.82.60:  Negotiation correspondence
  1954
 


1989.82.61:  Negotiation correspondence
  1955-1956
 


1989.82.62:  Negotiation correspondence
  1960-1965
 


1989.82.63:  Termination notices
  1951-1953
 


1989.82.64:  Pension correspondence and lists
  1951-1965
 


1989.82.65:  Shipping lists
  1951-1952
 


1989.82.66:  Shipping lists
  1954
 


1989.82.67:  Shipping lists
  1955
 


1989.82.68:  Financial statement
  1949 December 29
 


1989.82.69:  Financial statement
  1950 December 31
 


1989.82.70:  Financial statement
  1951 December 31
 


1989.82.71:  Financial statement
  1952 December 31
 


1989.82.72:  Financial statement
  1953 June 30
 


1989.82.73:  Financial statement
  1953 December 31
 


1989.82.74:  Audit report
  1954 December 31
 


1989.82.75:  Audit report
  1958 December 31
 


1989.82.76:  Report on examination (of financial statements)
  1959 December 31
 


1989.82.77:  Report on examination (of financial statements)
  1960 December 31
 


1989.82.78:  Report on examination (of financial statements)
  1961 December 31
 


1989.82.79:  Report on examination (of financial statements)
  1962 December 31
 


1989.82.80:  Report on examination (of financial statements)
  1963 December 31
 


1989.82.81:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1964 December 31
 


1989.82.82:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1965 December 31
 


1989.82.83:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1966 December 31
 


1989.82.84:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1967 March 31
 


1989.82.85:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1967 June 30
 


1989.82.86:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1967 September 30
 


1989.82.87:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1967 December 31
 


1989.82.88:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1968 March 31
 


1989.82.89:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1968 September 30
 


1989.82.90:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1968 December 31
 


1989.82.91:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1969 March 31
 


1989.82.92:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1969 June 30
 


1989.82.93:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1969 September 30
 


1989.82.94:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1969 December 31
 


1989.82.95:  Report on examination of financial statements
  1970 March 30
 


1989.82.96:  Financial statements
  1970 June 30
 


1989.82.97:  Financial statements
  1970 December 31
 


1989.82.98:  Financial statements
  1971 June 30
 


1989.82.99:  Financial statements
  1971 December 30
 


1989.82.100:  Financial statements
  1972 June 30
 


1989.82.101:  Financial statements
  1972 December 31
 


1989.82.102:  Financial statements
  1973 June 30
 


1989.82.103:  Financial statements
  1974 June 30
 


1989.82.104:  Financial statements
  1974 December 31
 


1989.82.105:  Financial statements
  1975 June 30
 


1989.82.106:  Minutes -- AFU Astoria
  1969-1971
 


1989.82.107:  Minutes -- AFU California
  1957-1959
 


1989.82.108:  Minutes -- AFU California
  1969-1974
 


1989.82.109:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham
  1948-1949
 


1989.82.110:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham
  1957-1959
 


1989.82.112:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1947-1948
 


1989.82.113:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1949
 
2

1989.82.114:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1950
 


1989.82.115:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1951-1952
 


1989.82.116:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1953-1954
 


1989.82.117:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1955-1956
 


1989.82.118:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1957-1959
 


1989.82.119:  Minutes -- AFU Portland
  1970
 


1989.82.120:  Minutes -- AFU California
  1950-1951
 


1989.82.121:  Minutes -- AFU California
  1947-1950
 


1989.82.122:  Minutes -- AFU Alaska
  1949-1950
 


1989.82.123:  Minutes -- AFU Cannery
  1944
 


1989.82.124:  Minutes -- AFU Cannery
  1946
 


1989.82.125:  Minutes -- AFU Cannery
  1950
 


1989.82.126A:  Minutes -- AFU Cannery
  1961-1964
 


1989.82.126B:  Minutes -- AFU Cannery
  1965-1975
 


1989.82.127:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1947
 


1989.82.128:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1948
 


1989.82.129:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1949
 


1989.82.130:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1950
 


1989.82.131:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1951
 


1989.82.132:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1952
 


1989.82.133:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1953
 


1989.82.134:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1954
 


1989.82.135:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1955
 


1989.82.136:  Minutes -- AFU Seattle
  1956
 


1989.82.137:  Minutes -- AFU Alaska
  1954-1957
 


1989.82.138:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
  1951-1952
 


1989.82.139:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
  1952-1953
 


1989.82.140:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
  1954-1955
 


1989.82.141:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
  1955-1956
 


1989.82.142:  Minutes -- AFU Bellingham (steno pad)
  1957
 


1989.82.143:  National Marine Fisheries Service Documents related to Alaska fishing
  1973-1977
 


1989.82.144:  Miscellaneous Documents related to Alaska Fishing
  1957-1977
 


1989.82.145:  1st and 2nd Law of the Sea Conference documents
  1959-1961
 
3

1989.82.146:  3rd Law of the Sea Conference, multiple sessions
  1974-1976
 
2

1989.82.147:  15 articles about Pacific fishing
  1959-1974
 

Maps

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
drawer
VII19

1989.82.148:  Areas and species of major foreign fisheries
  1974 June 16
 
56cm x 78cm
   
1989.82.149:  Pacific Ocean. Washington D.C.
  1947
 
85.5cm x 116cm
Hydrographic Office (with additional information added on Japanese fishing areas in the north Pacific and areas needing protection for North American salmon.