Friends and fellow workers of Phil Lelli have established a memorial fund in Phil’s name at the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, University of Washington. It will help to educate the next generation on the values of labor solidarity and racial equality that he held dear.

Phil played a key role in establishing labor studies at the University of Washington and in supporting labor and ethnic studies at the University of Washington campus in Tacoma. The Harry Bridges Center named him as its outstanding community supporter in 2003.

This fund will support labor and civil rights teaching, scholarship and outreach. It will especially support, but is not limited to, labor and ethnic studies in South Puget Sound.

On May 13, Local 23 of the ILWU passed the following resolution:

Whereas Phil Lelli spent his life supporting the labor movement, ILWU members and pensioners, and his community; and

Whereas Phil helped to found the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington and served on its Visiting Committee, and initiated west coast pensioners creating the Ernie Tanner Labor and Ethnic Studies Center in the old ILWU hall located at the University of Washington, Tacoma; and

Whereas Phil wanted to expand labor and civil rights teaching, scholarship and outreach relating to labor and minority communities, especially in South Puget Sound; and

Whereas Phil believed in teaching young people history and values of labor solidarity in order to create a growing labor movement, equal rights, and social and economic justice,

Therefore be it resolved that Local 23 of the ILWU supports and urges other individuals and organizations to donate to and otherwise support the Phil Lelli Fund within the Harry Bridges Chair for Labor Studies of the University of Washington.

To support the fund to honor Phil within the University of Washington, please contact:
Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies
University of Washington
Box 353560 Seattle, Wa. 98195
pcls@u.washington.edu;
206-543-7946