Phil Lelli

Last updated
Phil Lelli
BornDecember 4, 1929
Edgewood, Washington
DiedApril 25, 2004
Puyallup, Washington
OccupationLongshore worker
Organization ILWU

Phillip (Phil) Lelli was a longshore worker, union activist, and philanthropist from Tacoma, Washington. Lelli was president of ILWU, local 23, for four nonconsecutive terms between 1966 and 1985.

Contents

Biography

Phil Lelli was born in Edgewood, Washington, outside of Tacoma, in 1929. His parents were children of German and Italian immigrants and his father owned a small grocery store. Lelli graduated from high school and began working on the waterfront in 1955 unloading bales of wheat. In 1961, he began working in a gear locker. [1]

During the mid-twentieth century, Tacoma had become home to many anarchists, syndicalists, and old IWW members. Unlike most other ports on the West Coast, Tacoma longshore workers did not affiliate with the newly formed ILWU in 1937 and instead remained part of the craft-unionist AFL. Many workers distrusted Harry Bridges and the CIO and wished to maintain the union's independence. [2] After not being permitted to travel to nearby ports for extra work, however, in early 1958, Tacoma longshore workers voted to join the ILWU. Lelli voted against this decision, wary of the union becoming dominated by a large centralized bureaucracy. Lelli later stated that his fears were largely unfounded and entering the ILWU was the correct decision. [3]

Lelli was first elected president of Local 23 in 1966 and served until 1969. He later served three other terms as president from 1971 to 1975 and 1977–1986. [1] During his time as president, Lelli worked closely with Local 23 business agent George Ginnis to modernize and attract commerce towards the Port of Tacoma. [4] He also funded a project to write a book about the history of Local 23 through a grant from the Washington Commission for the Humanities. [5] He retired in 1993. [3]

In addition to his role in the ILWU, Lelli also took on other labor advocacy roles during his life. He served on the Washington state Advisory Council on International Trade and Development from 1983 to 1985 and was elected Tacoma port commissioner in 1992. [1]

Lelli married B. Joann Williams and had five children, one of whom became a longshore worker and died in an accident on the waterfront in 1989. [3] He died in 2004. [1] In 2016, the Washington State Transportation Commission announced that a portion of State Route 509 leading into the Port of Tacoma would be named in honor of Lelli. [6] [4]

Further reading

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Phil Lelli papers - Archives West". archiveswest.orbiscascade.org. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  2. ↑ "BRIDGES DEPICTED AS STRIKE-BREAKER; Longshoremen's Official of Pacific Coast Sees 'False Halo' Over C.I.O. Leader RISE LAID TO PROPAGANDA Tiny Thronson, at Meeting Here, Says Maritime Union Man Got Start as 'Ribbon Clerk' (Published 1939)". 1939-07-07. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  3. 1 2 3 Schwartz, Harvey (2004-05-02). "Oral History of Phil Lelli". ILWU. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  4. 1 2 "Section of SR 509 named for Longshore activist Phil Lelli | The News Tribune". 2016-06-03. Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2023-08-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ "Seattle Waterfront Workers Project: Ron Magden". depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  6. ↑ Groves, David (2016-05-25). "State to name Tacoma highway after ILWU leader Phil Lelli". The Stand. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
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