Jack Wayne Hall (February 28, 1915 – January 2, 1971) was an American labor organizer and trade unionist. He was the Hawaii Regional Director of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
Hall arrived in Hawaii in 1935, where he wrote for a newspaper called The Voice of Labor. In 1944 he was named Hawaii's first regional director for the ILWU. He then led a drive that organized plantation and dock workers as one interracial union. Before the drive, most strikes were held by one ethnic group at a time, with the exception of the Oahu sugar strike of 1920, during which Japanese and Filipino plantation workers went on strike together. The drive ended with the ILWU having contracts with 33 out of 34 sugar plantations,[3] and 30,000 members.[4] This made the union very successful during strikes in the late 1940s, especially the strike in 1949 that closed Hawaiian ports for six months.[5]
When he could not make changes with labor strikes, Hall worked politically, eventually becoming close with future Governor of Hawaii John Burns.[6] Hall drafted the Hawaii State Employment Relations Act, which was a Hawaiian version of the Wagner Act. It was introduced in the Hawaiian Senate by J. B. Fernandez, and passed in 1945.[7]
In August 1951 Hall and 6 other people (later called the Hawaii 7) were accused by Jack Kawano of violating the Smith Act. They were arrested and investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Many in the ILWU claimed that the arrest was planned by the Big Five to interfere with the union's negotiations with the sugar companies.[8] The Hawaii 7 were convicted on June 19, 1953. Hall was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The charge was later overturned during an appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.[9] Despite this, he remained popular with the workers he unionized, though the union itself lost political influence.[1]
Later life and deathedit
In 1969, Hall was promoted to International Vice President and Director of Organization for the ILWU. He moved to San Francisco, where he died of a stroke on January 2, 1971.[10] After his death, flags were flown at half mast. Members of the ILWU and other unions stopped work for 15 minutes in the first statewide work stoppage in Hawaii's history.[2] A documentary titled Jack Hall: his life and times was filmed about his life in 2008.[10] The ILWU building in Honokaʻa was also named after him.[11]
Further readingedit
Zalburg, Sanford (1979). A spark is struck! : Jack Hall & the ILWU in Hawaii. Honolulu: Watermark Pub. ISBN9780979064784. OCLC 192041987.
^ abJapanese American history : an A-to-Z reference from 1868 to the present. Niiya, Brian., Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.). New York: Facts on File. 1993. ISBN0816026807. OCLC 26853950.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ ab"Jack Hall is dead" (PDF). The Dispatcher. January 7, 1971. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
^Hitch, Thomas Kemper (1992). Islands in transition : the past, present, and future of Hawaii's economy. Kamins, Robert M. Honolulu: First Hawaiian Bank. ISBN0824814983. OCLC 26256832.
^"International Longshoreman's and Warehouseman's Union | Densho Encyclopedia". encyclopedia.densho.org. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
^"Jack Hall Dead; I.l.w.u. Official". The New York Times. 1971-01-05. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
^Boylan, Dan. (2000). John A. Burns : the man and his times. Holmes, T. Michael, 1934-. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN0585463670. OCLC 52764017.
^Beechert, Edward D. (1985). Working in Hawaii : a labor history. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN0585239215. OCLC 44955328.
^Holmes, T. Michael (1994). The specter of Communism in Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN0585240612. OCLC 44955841.
^Wagner, Peter (September 13, 1999). "Upstart led labor to power". archives.starbulletin.com. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
^ abGordon, Mike (February 28, 2008). "Film details Jack Hall's labor union leadership". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
^HistoricHawaii. "ILWU Jack Wayne Hall Building / Honoka'a". Historic Hawaii Foundation. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
January 01, 1970
jack, hall, trade, unionist, jack, wayne, hall, february, 1915, january, 1971, american, labor, organizer, trade, unionist, hawaii, regional, director, international, longshore, warehouse, union, jack, hallbornjack, wayne, hall, 1915, february, 1915ashland, wi. Jack Wayne Hall February 28 1915 January 2 1971 was an American labor organizer and trade unionist He was the Hawaii Regional Director of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Jack HallBornJack Wayne Hall 1915 02 28 February 28 1915Ashland Wisconsin U S DiedJanuary 2 1971 1971 01 02 aged 55 San Francisco California U S Occupation s Vice President and Director of Organization ILWU 1969 1971 Hawaii Regional Director ILWU 1944 1969 SpouseYoshiko HallChildren2WebsiteJack Hall ILWU Local 142 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Later life and death 4 Further reading 5 See also 6 ReferencesEarly life editHall was born in Ashland Wisconsin on February 28 1915 When he was a child his mother committed suicide 1 He was raised in Los Angeles by his grandmother After graduating from Huntington Park High School in 1931 Hall became a merchant seaman and sailed aboard the SS President Hoover 2 His experience traveling in Asia and witnessing poverty and the effects of colonialism led him to become a communist Career editHall s first labor strike was the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike as a member of the Sailors Union of the Pacific Hall arrived in Hawaii in 1935 where he wrote for a newspaper called The Voice of Labor In 1944 he was named Hawaii s first regional director for the ILWU He then led a drive that organized plantation and dock workers as one interracial union Before the drive most strikes were held by one ethnic group at a time with the exception of the Oahu sugar strike of 1920 during which Japanese and Filipino plantation workers went on strike together The drive ended with the ILWU having contracts with 33 out of 34 sugar plantations 3 and 30 000 members 4 This made the union very successful during strikes in the late 1940s especially the strike in 1949 that closed Hawaiian ports for six months 5 When he could not make changes with labor strikes Hall worked politically eventually becoming close with future Governor of Hawaii John Burns 6 Hall drafted the Hawaii State Employment Relations Act which was a Hawaiian version of the Wagner Act It was introduced in the Hawaiian Senate by J B Fernandez and passed in 1945 7 In August 1951 Hall and 6 other people later called the Hawaii 7 were accused by Jack Kawano of violating the Smith Act They were arrested and investigated by the House Un American Activities Committee Many in the ILWU claimed that the arrest was planned by the Big Five to interfere with the union s negotiations with the sugar companies 8 The Hawaii 7 were convicted on June 19 1953 Hall was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a 5 000 fine The charge was later overturned during an appeal to the 9th U S Circuit Court of Appeals 9 Despite this he remained popular with the workers he unionized though the union itself lost political influence 1 Later life and death editIn 1969 Hall was promoted to International Vice President and Director of Organization for the ILWU He moved to San Francisco where he died of a stroke on January 2 1971 10 After his death flags were flown at half mast Members of the ILWU and other unions stopped work for 15 minutes in the first statewide work stoppage in Hawaii s history 2 A documentary titled Jack Hall his life and times was filmed about his life in 2008 10 The ILWU building in Honokaʻa was also named after him 11 Further reading editZalburg Sanford 1979 A spark is struck Jack Hall amp the ILWU in Hawaii Honolulu Watermark Pub ISBN 9780979064784 OCLC 192041987 See also editArthur Rutledge Hawaii Democratic Revolution of 1954References edit a b Japanese American history an A to Z reference from 1868 to the present Niiya Brian Japanese American National Museum Los Angeles Calif New York Facts on File 1993 ISBN 0816026807 OCLC 26853950 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b Jack Hall is dead PDF The Dispatcher January 7 1971 Retrieved May 23 2019 Hitch Thomas Kemper 1992 Islands in transition the past present and future of Hawaii s economy Kamins Robert M Honolulu First Hawaiian Bank ISBN 0824814983 OCLC 26256832 International Longshoreman s and Warehouseman s Union Densho Encyclopedia encyclopedia densho org Retrieved 2019 05 24 Jack Hall Dead I l w u Official The New York Times 1971 01 05 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2019 05 24 Boylan Dan 2000 John A Burns the man and his times Holmes T Michael 1934 Honolulu University of Hawai i Press ISBN 0585463670 OCLC 52764017 Beechert Edward D 1985 Working in Hawaii a labor history Honolulu University of Hawaii Press ISBN 0585239215 OCLC 44955328 Holmes T Michael 1994 The specter of Communism in Hawaii Honolulu University of Hawaii Press ISBN 0585240612 OCLC 44955841 Wagner Peter September 13 1999 Upstart led labor to power archives starbulletin com Retrieved 2019 05 24 a b Gordon Mike February 28 2008 Film details Jack Hall s labor union leadership Honolulu Advertiser Retrieved 2019 05 24 HistoricHawaii ILWU Jack Wayne Hall Building Honoka a Historic Hawaii Foundation Retrieved 2019 05 24 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jack Hall trade unionist amp oldid 1138083489, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
