The San Francisco Waterfront

The Social Consequences of Industrial Modernization
Part One; "The Good Old Days"

Certainly, however, there was a universal consciousness of "the good old days," as compared to the "mechanization and modernization" which was there for all to see and experience by the late 1960s. During the golden era, despite the well- known militancy and progressive toughness of their local, most San Francisco longshoremen of that period liked their work and the terms of their employment. Most of them were proud to be- longshoremen, and proud to be members of the ILWU.

The verbal expression of this occupational satisfaction took many forms, but could generally be reduced to the following: "I like the work" and "It's a damn good union." 2. Expressions of such satisfaction could be heard on the job, in the hiring hall during the morning and evening job dispatch, in the home and at parties, and at all sorts of community gatherings and events.

Indeed, it is reported from all quarters that the enjoyment most San Francisco longshoremen took from talking about their work and their union bordered on the oppressive! As for the nonverbal expression of this satisfaction, that was reflected in the basic posture of the men: an innovative and fraternal behavior on the job and an obvious camaraderie both on the job and elsewhere.

The structural basis of this job satisfaction and the objective sources of this sense of self-esteem and fraternity are to be found in

(1) the nature of the work which the men performed,

(2) the structure and terms of their employment, and

(3) the social relationships which were thereby produced amongst them.

The first part of this essay will focus upon these three dimensions of "the good old days." The second and concluding parts will delineate the ways in which the utilization of new technology has directly and concretely effected these baseline dimensions of the San Francisco longshoreman's occupational experience. To that end, the discussion will focus primarily upon

(1) the nature of modem longshore work,

(2) the structure and terms of that work, and

(3) the social relationships which these circumstances have in turn produced amongst the men.

This essay concerns itself with the manner in which the utilization of new technology has affected the work and job-related social experience of a particular group of workers.

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