Organized labor

Japanese immigrants, especially upon arrival, labored at menial jobs in the industries of agriculture, railroads, lumber, canneries, mining, and fishing. These workers toiled under poor, unsanitary, and often dangerous conditions for low wages. Around the turn of the century, sugar-beet harvesters earned about $1.25 for a ten-hour day, railroad workers earned between $1.00 and $1.25 per day, and Alaskan cannery workers earned between $100 and $200 for a six-month season. They actively sought to better their wages and living conditions through organizing unions and engaging in strikes, despite being barred from white unions.

Industry and employment (481)
Organized labor (61)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Koji Ariyoshi, Karl Yoneda

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61 items
Firebreak gang (ddr-csujad-26-25)
doc Firebreak gang (ddr-csujad-26-25)
Narrative account of the establishment, organization, and leadership of the "firebreak gang" who cleaned up scrap lumber, discarded building materials, and labored to clean up the construction debris around the Poston incarceration camp from June 27-September 14, 1942. The author discusses the background, education level, and describes workday situations that occurred during the period the group …
Memorandum from Howard Marumoto, Fair Practice Chairman, Fair Practice Committee, to members of the administrative staff, November 3, 1942 (ddr-csujad-48-134)
doc Memorandum from Howard Marumoto, Fair Practice Chairman, Fair Practice Committee, to members of the administrative staff, November 3, 1942 (ddr-csujad-48-134)
A memorandum from Howard Marumoto, chairman of the Fair Practice Committee at the Manzanar incarceration camp, outlining the purpose of the committee and more broadly of the Manzanar Work Corps. Transcription is found in item: ecm_wells_9943. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_wells_0943
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 21 (March 21, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-8)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 21 (March 21, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-8)
"Unions Reject Alaska Industrial Offer" (p. 1), "B.C. Students Ask Citizenship for Japanese, Indians" (p. 1), "Yoshida Urges U.S. to Stay in Japan to Insure Peace" (p. 1)
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 74 (October 10, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-61)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 74 (October 10, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-61)
"Nisei War Dead on Second Shipment of State Servicemen Killed in Action" (p. 1), "New Local 7 Cannery Union Officers Will be Installed on Nov. 1" (p. 1), "JCCC Promises Legal Experts for Japanese" (p. 4).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 34 (April 17, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-102)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 34 (April 17, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-102)
"A.V.C. Files Brief as Friend of Court in Takahashi Litigation; Assails Bias in Calif. Measure" (p. 1)," Local 7 Alaska Workers to Consider Strike Vote" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 35 (April 21, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-103)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 35 (April 21, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-103)
"Cabanilla Says: Local 7 Will Start "Throwing Punches' in Alaska Talks" (p. 1), "JACL Goes on Record as Backing Prompt Statehood for Hawaii" (p. 1), "U.S. Enters Takahashi Case" (p. 4).
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 20 (March 18, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-7)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 20 (March 18, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-7)
"Fort Denies GI's in Town Saturday Night" (p. 1), "Pay Differences Peril Continuance of Salmon Industry" (p. 1), "Most Japanese Unaffected by Deportation Rule" (p. 2)
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 19 (March 14, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-6)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 19 (March 14, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-6)
"Alaska Cannery Contract Talks Start" (p. 1), "House Unit Halts Bills Preventing Alien Deportation" (p. 1), "Army Seeks More Nisei GI's to Aid Occupation of Japan" (p. 1), "Republican Majority Votes to Kill State FEPC Bill" (p. 2).
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 45 (June 27, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-33)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 45 (June 27, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-33)
"International Body Ousts Local 7 Officers" (p. 1), "Urges Board to Sift Loss in Evacuation" (p. 1), "Death of Race Ties Unit of NHA Set for Monday, June 30; Lack of Funds Forces Move, Aide Says" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 37 (May 7, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-204)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 37 (May 7, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-204)
"Japanese Canadians Will Use Their Provincial Franchise on June 15, Day of B.C. Election" (p. 1), "Washington State CIO Council Backs Local 7 in Fight against AFL Unit in Cannery Dispute" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 42 (May 25, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-209)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 42 (May 25, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-209)
"NLRB Turns Down Petition by Two AFL Unions for Vote Among Alaska Cannery Men" (p. 1), "Honors to GI Dead and Dedication of Monument Set" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 72 (October 3, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-59)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 72 (October 3, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-59)
"Local 7 Rejects Ousted Officials" (p. 1), Postscript to World War II: Nation's War Dead to Return Oct. 10" (p. 1), "Court Returns Greenhouses to Japanese" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 39 (June 6, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-27)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 39 (June 6, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-27)
"Many Alaska Salmon Industry Workers Sought" (p. 1), "Report Cites B.C. Removal of Japanese" (p. 1), "Okada and Satow Will Speak Here Monday Night in Buddhist Church; Report on Claims Board Bill" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 31 (April 7, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-100)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 31 (April 7, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-100)
"Brief Raps Calif. Bill "Sheer' Bias" (p. 1), "Resignation of President Rojo from Local 7 Stirs Up Confusion Among Cannery Workers' Ranks" (p. 1), "U.S. Intelligence Officer Lauds Work of Nisei GI's in Japan War" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 42 (June 17, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-30)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 42 (June 17, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-30)
"House Immigration Unit Favors H.R. 3566, JACL-ADC Reports" (p. 1) "54 Nisei Leave for Alaska Canned Salmon Work" (p. 1), "Vote for Claims Board Measure, Rep. Twyman Tells Colleagues" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 33 (April 14, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-101)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 33 (April 14, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-101)
"Pacific Northwest Trade Helps Orient Recovery, NWA Aide Says" (p. 1), "House Will Hear Legislations on Naturalization April 19" (p. 1), "Orders Halt on Hearing Against CIO" (p. 1), "JACL to File Brief with Top Court to Back Takahashi in Fish Case" (p. 2).
The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 56 (July 13, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-223)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 56 (July 13, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-223)
"B.C. Fishermen Disapprove of Biased Action" (p. 1), "Talks on ENI to be Heard" (p. 1), "Schmoe, Rev. Andrews to Leave this Week for Hiroshima City" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 28 (March 27, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-98)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 28 (March 27, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-98)
"Nisei War Memorial Committee Awaits Fund Report from Tacoma; $9,053.65 Total as of March 25" (p. 1), "Two Nisei GI's Die in Crash of C-47 Plane" (p. 1), "Cannery Leaders Begin Talks" (p. 1),
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 24 (March 13, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-94)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 24 (March 13, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-94)
"Center Blaze Sufferers Get Loss Claims" (p. 1), "Nisei War Memorial Army Raises $1,623 Here" (p. 1), "Union Membership Sought for Issei" (p. 2), "Fights Seizure of Alien's Land for War Claims" (p. 4).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 20 (February 28, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-91)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 20 (February 28, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-91)
"Ten Sit-Down Strikers Determined to Squat in Former RAF Quarters in Moose Jaw Until March 31" (p. 1), "I.A.M. Awaits End of Alaska Worker Issue" (p. 1), "824 Yankees Wed Japanese Through Jan. 1" (p. 2), "ADC Aide Assured Backing of West Virginia Leaders" (p. 4).
The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 49 (June 18, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-216)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 49 (June 18, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-216)
"Civil Rights Members Ask Introduction of Measure to Defeat Bias Practices" (p. 1), "Rites, Burial for Two War Dead from Area to be Held June 25" (p. 1) "Local CIO Tells Nisei Not to Sit on Fence in Matter of Picking Cannery Union" (p. 1).
The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 25 (March 17, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-95)
doc The Northwest Times Vol. 2 No. 25 (March 17, 1948) (ddr-densho-229-95)
"Epinal War Heroes' Remains Removed" (p. 1), "Congress Gets Another Bill Aiding Issei" (p. 1), "Story of the 442nd" (p. 2), "Frisco Saints, Berkeley Nisseis to Tangle for "Oriental Title" (p. 3).
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