Crosscurrents

The Public Works

From public spaces to public goods like social security, these stories reveal how the New Deal transformed life in the Bay Area more than 90 years ago, and how the tangible and intangible things it built continue to live on all around us.

Public Labor: 90 Years of Radical Solidarity with the ILWU

KALW | By Sheryl Kaskowitz

Published September 1, 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT

ILWU members waiting to lead the 2026 May Day March in San Francisco

This story aired in the September 01, 2026 episode of Crosscurrents.

Over the years, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, or ILWU, has thrown their weight behind many causes. Like in 2020, they shut down the ports entirely, to support the Black Lives Matter movement and protest the police murder of George Floyd.

The ILWU is a powerful organizing force in the Bay Area. And the union actually got its start with a massive general strike and a deadly run-in with police over 90 years ago, right here in San Francisco.

And just in time for Labor Day, we’re bringing you this latest episode of The Public Works series. We dive into the history of the ILWU and a radical labor leader who isn’t a household name today.

Click the button above to listen.