The ILWU contingent presented the winning prize—air fare and three nights at a luxury hotel in Maui—for the for the national songwriting contest for a new version of the “Look for the Union Label” song at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From left to right: Lanell Johnson (Local 8), Jeff Smith (Local 8), Jimmy Monti (Local 13), Patricia Aguirre (Local 63), Al Perisho (Southern California Pensioners), Melody Jeffries (Local 13) Karen Brandow and Charlie King (the songwriting winners), Fran Grove (Local 94), Sean O’Donnell (Local 52) and Lesley Clark (Local 13).

Nine ILWU members from throughout the Coast represented their union at the annual AFL-CIO Union Industries Show May 5-7 in Cleveland, Ohio.
This year’s show was promoted under the name "America@Work: 100% Union-Made, American-Made Products, Services and Jobs.” Exit surveys from last year’s event revealed that more than half the attendees are not union members but do favor unions. They view the show as a chance to demonstrate their support for unions, to investigate job and training opportunities and to learn about union-made products and services.

This year’s show emphasized educating the public about trade unionism and the role unions play in the economic and political life of the community. It also highlighted vital pro-worker organizations, such as the Alliance for Retired Americans and Working America, and encouraged attendees to join their campaigns.
Longshore Local 13’s Melody Jeffries had the chance to sit down with a group of high school students and answer some of their questions. When the students found out about all the opportunities in the union ranks, they were surprised to see what a difference there was between minimum-wage, fast food work and a skilled, union job.

“Cleveland was a very good spot to have the show,” Jeffries said. “This is a heavily unionized, densely populated area with people in dozens of towns and cities, like Columbus, Akron, Canton and Toledo who are very receptive to union messages about demanding affordable healthcare and benefits.”

The ILWU had an assortment of giveaways, including macadamia nuts from Hawaii and seven luxury hotel packages donated by Hawaii Local 142 (with a special thanks to Hyatt Regency Maui, Four Seasons Lanai, Kaanapali Beach Resort Maui, & Westin Maui hotels). In addition to these goodies, the Coast Committee financed the printing of 12 dozen special ILWU t-shirts and 200 ILWU children’s coloring books for attendees, and foremen’s Local 94 provided embroidered hats and shirts.

One of the highlights of this year’s show was a reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where the ILWU was in the spotlight. The AFL-CIO held a national songwriting contest for a new version of the “Look for the Union Label” song. The ILWU Coast Committee and Public Relations Committee sponsored the contest’s first place prize: three nights at a luxury hotel in Maui, Hawaii as well as round trip airfare. The Union Label & Service Trades Dept. (ULSTD) declared Charlie King the winner. The prize was given onstage by ILWU members to King, a songwriter from Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. 

Many of the best known pro-worker performers of our time have recorded Charlie King’s music, including Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Ronnie Gilbert, John McCutcheon and Arlo Guthrie. Indeed, Pete Seeger nominated King for the Sacco-Vanzetti Social Justice Award, which he won in 1999.

King and his partner Karen Brandow sang the new lyrics. The original jingle formed the centerpiece of a massive TV and radio ad campaign in the 1970s and 1980s promoting clothes produced by members of the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union. King’s new lyrics broaden that message to urge consumers to buy goods and services of every description produced by union labor. It also promotes www.shopunionmade.org, the all-union internet shopping site created by the ULSTD.

With the Heartland so far from the West Coast, ILWU attendees appreciated the chance to bring a little bit of their work and life to Ohio. Everyone returned home pleased that they could spread the word about the ILWU’s traditions across America.

“We are excited to be working closely with the Ohio AFL-CIO and the Cleveland Federation of Labor and all the individual unions across Ohio,” Local 8’s Jeff Smith said. “The Midwest is full of fine, unionized companies with great products and services, and the public is learning a great deal about them at this trade show. Given that this is an election year, the political organizing going on here is also a very encouraging development.”

—Dispatcher staff reports