Daniel Joseph Keefe (September 27, 1852 – January 2, 1929) was a founder and the first president of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), a trade union representing waterside workers in Canada and the United States of America.[1]
Born in Willow Springs, Illinois the son of a teamster (wagon driver) of Irish ancestry, Daniel Keefe left school in the fourth grade and began working on the Chicago waterfront.[2] In 1877, Keefe organized fellow workers into the Association of Lumber Handlers (ALH) and in 1882 was elected leader of the organization.[1] While successful in expanding membership of the organization, from the start Keefe was considered conservative within the labour movement, focusing on winning wage rises and keeping the ALH away from broader trade union struggles of the time, notably the Eight-Hour Day movement during the 1880s.[3]
Emergence, growth and leadership of the International Longshoremen's Associationedit
In 1892 at a convention in Detroit, eleven local unions representing waterside workers from the Great Lakes region formed a single organization, the National Longshoremen's Association of the United States, and elected Daniel Keefe as president. By 1895 following recruitment of workers in Canada, the organization was renamed the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and Keefe affiliated the union to the American Federation of Labor (AFL).[4] Under Keefe's leadership the union grew from 50,000 members in 1900 to 100,000 members by 1905, including expanding membership outside the Great Lakes region across the United States.[2]
Leadership style, break from the AFL and departure from ILAedit
According to de la Pedraja: "[Keefe] was a shrewd negotiator with employers...and was able to obtain modest concessions for the Longshoremen."[1] Because of the modest nature of these gains, some unions viewed Keefe's actions as company unionism. However, in the context of waterside workers coming under attack from employers elsewhere, especially New York City, Keefe's approach was accepted by others.[2] Yet, it is acknowledged that Keefe was a conservative trade union leader who maintained strict control over the union and refused to endorse the Democratic Party in United States national politics.[1] This eventually led to his conflicting with other elements of the ILA and following his endorsement of RepublicanWilliam Taft in the 1908 Presidential Election, rather than face an inevitable loss of position, he resigned following Taft's victory and accepted the position of Commissioner–General of Immigration in the new administration.[2][5]
Later career in public administrationedit
Daniel Keefe was part of a succession of trade union leaders who took the position of Commissioner General of Immigration. Stanford Lyman argues[6] that Keefe fitted the role, like his predecessors, because of nativist views and a willingness to use the post to enforce exclusion of migrant workers, especially from China. Keefe resigned from the position on May 31, 1913, and took a position in the Department of Labor for the rest of the decade. From 1921 to 1925 he worked at the United States Shipping Board Merchant Fleet Corporation handling labour disputes.[2]
^ abcdde La Pedraja, Rene (1994). A historical dictionary of the US merchant marine and shipping industry: since the introduction of steam. Westport CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 289–290. ISBN978-0-313-27225-7.
^ abcdeHillstrom, Kevin; Laurie Collier Hillstrom (2005). The Industrial Revolution in America: Iron and Steel. ABC-CLIO. pp. 237–239. ISBN1-85109-620-5.
^. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
^. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
^"Labor Leader Rewarded: Daniel J. Keefe Made Commissioner General of Immigration". New York Times. December 2, 1908.
^Lyman, Stanford M. (Winter 2000). . New Politics. 7 (4). Archived from the original on February 26, 2009.
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Daniel Joseph Keefe September 27 1852 January 2 1929 was a founder and the first president of the International Longshoremen s Association ILA a trade union representing waterside workers in Canada and the United States of America 1 D J Keefe Contents 1 Early life 2 Emergence growth and leadership of the International Longshoremen s Association 3 Leadership style break from the AFL and departure from ILA 4 Later career in public administration 5 ReferencesEarly life editBorn in Willow Springs Illinois the son of a teamster wagon driver of Irish ancestry Daniel Keefe left school in the fourth grade and began working on the Chicago waterfront 2 In 1877 Keefe organized fellow workers into the Association of Lumber Handlers ALH and in 1882 was elected leader of the organization 1 While successful in expanding membership of the organization from the start Keefe was considered conservative within the labour movement focusing on winning wage rises and keeping the ALH away from broader trade union struggles of the time notably the Eight Hour Day movement during the 1880s 3 Emergence growth and leadership of the International Longshoremen s Association editIn 1892 at a convention in Detroit eleven local unions representing waterside workers from the Great Lakes region formed a single organization the National Longshoremen s Association of the United States and elected Daniel Keefe as president By 1895 following recruitment of workers in Canada the organization was renamed the International Longshoremen s Association ILA and Keefe affiliated the union to the American Federation of Labor AFL 4 Under Keefe s leadership the union grew from 50 000 members in 1900 to 100 000 members by 1905 including expanding membership outside the Great Lakes region across the United States 2 Leadership style break from the AFL and departure from ILA editAccording to de la Pedraja Keefe was a shrewd negotiator with employers and was able to obtain modest concessions for the Longshoremen 1 Because of the modest nature of these gains some unions viewed Keefe s actions as company unionism However in the context of waterside workers coming under attack from employers elsewhere especially New York City Keefe s approach was accepted by others 2 Yet it is acknowledged that Keefe was a conservative trade union leader who maintained strict control over the union and refused to endorse the Democratic Party in United States national politics 1 This eventually led to his conflicting with other elements of the ILA and following his endorsement of Republican William Taft in the 1908 Presidential Election rather than face an inevitable loss of position he resigned following Taft s victory and accepted the position of Commissioner General of Immigration in the new administration 2 5 Later career in public administration editDaniel Keefe was part of a succession of trade union leaders who took the position of Commissioner General of Immigration Stanford Lyman argues 6 that Keefe fitted the role like his predecessors because of nativist views and a willingness to use the post to enforce exclusion of migrant workers especially from China Keefe resigned from the position on May 31 1913 and took a position in the Department of Labor for the rest of the decade From 1921 to 1925 he worked at the United States Shipping Board Merchant Fleet Corporation handling labour disputes 2 Daniel Keefe died on January 2 1929 in Elmhurst Illinois References edit a b c d de La Pedraja Rene 1994 A historical dictionary of the US merchant marine and shipping industry since the introduction of steam Westport CT Greenwood Publishing Group pp 289 290 ISBN 978 0 313 27225 7 a b c d e Hillstrom Kevin Laurie Collier Hillstrom 2005 The Industrial Revolution in America Iron and Steel ABC CLIO pp 237 239 ISBN 1 85109 620 5 Realism and Caution ILA History Archived from the original on May 31 2009 Retrieved March 21 2009 History of the ILA Creation Archived from the original on May 31 2009 Retrieved March 21 2009 Labor Leader Rewarded Daniel J Keefe Made Commissioner General of Immigration New York Times December 2 1908 Lyman Stanford M Winter 2000 The Chinese Question and American Labor Historians New Politics 7 4 Archived from the original on February 26 2009 Trade union officesPreceded byNew position President of the International Longshoremen s Association1892 1908 Succeeded byThomas V O ConnorPreceded byJ M HunterSidney J Kent American Federation of Labor delegate to the Trades Union Congress1901 With Eugene F O Rourke Succeeded byHenry BlackmorePatrick DolanPreceded byNew position Seventh Vice President of the American Federation of Labor1903 1905 Succeeded byWilliam HuberPreceded byDenis A Hayes Sixth Vice President of the American Federation of Labor1905 1908 Succeeded byWilliam HuberGovernment officesPreceded byFrank P Sargent Commissioner General of Immigration1909 1913 Succeeded byAnthony CaminettiPortals nbsp Biography nbsp Organized labour Retrieved from https en 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