Guide to the Henry Gaitán International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union
(ILWU), Local 13 Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Henry Gaitán International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU), Local 13
Collection
Creator:
Gaitán, Enrique
Identifier/Call Number: URB.ILWU-HG
Extent:
0.64 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1952-1983
Abstract: The Henry (Enrique) Gaitán Collection
documents the unity between ILWU, Local 13 and their union counterparts throughout the
shipping ports of Mexico. The collection contains correspondence between members of various
longshore unions in the ports of Colima, Mazatlán, Sonora, Veracruz, and Yucatán, Mexico and
the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union to organize travel itinerary,
visas, and contacts for the Mexican workers coming to the Los Angeles waterfront. Several
items of correspondence provide insight into the personal friendships that developed between
Henry Gaitán and some of the Mexican workers after they completed their training. Documents
indicate that upon retiring, Henry Gaitán continued to be actively involved as Treasurer and
President with the Southern California Pensioners of the ILWU.
Language of Material: English,
Spanish; Castilian
Biographical Information:
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union's Mexican Worker Program was established in
the early 1960s by representatives within ILWU, Local 13. Committee members included Henry
Gaitán, Tony Cedillo, Tom Motta, and Earl Cordova. ILWU, Local 13 extended invitations to
various Mexican longshore unions, inviting their members to work temporarily on the Long
Beach/Wilmington docks with the intention of sharing different cargo handling and mechanized
methods used by U.S. longshoremen. More importantly, ILWU members hoped to create stronger
union relations on the Pacific coast, both north and south of the border.
The Mexican guest workers that came to Los Angeles were able to observe and participate in
hands-on training to learn the various work methods used by one of the largest mechanized
ports in the 1960s. The records found in the Gaitán papers exhibit the professionalism,
friendships, and solidarity built between union members from both sides of the U.S. – Mexico
border during this period.
Scope and Contents
The
Henry Gaitán International Lonshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union
(ILWU), Local 13 Collection
documents the unity between ILWU, Local 13 and their
union counterparts throughout the shipping ports of Mexico. The collection contains
correspondence between members of various longshore unions in the ports of Colima, Mazatlán,
Sonora, Veracruz, and Yucatán, Mexico and the International Longshoremen's and
Warehousemen's Union to organize travel itinerary, visas, and contacts for the Mexican
workers coming to the Los Angeles waterfront. Several items of correspondence provide
insight into the personal friendships that developed between Henry Gaitán and some of the
Mexican workers after they completed their training. Documents indicate that upon retiring,
Henry Gaitán continued to be actively involved as Treasurer and President with the Southern
California Pensioners of the ILWU.
Electronic Format:
General
Other Information:
The collection was processed under a Title V Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Grant
from the U.S. Department of Education.
Related Material
Conditions Governing Access:
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Tony Salcido. 1997.
Preferred Citation:
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual,
or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Processing Information:
Rebecca S. Graff, Margarita Zamora; 2004
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Photographs
Box 1, Folder 1
Cayetano M., Juan: Correspondence,
1963-1971
Box 1, Folder 2
Estrada Díaz, Isidro: Correspondence,
1971
Box 1, Folder 3
Gaitán, Angie: Correspondence,
ca. 1966
Box 1, Folder 4
Gaitán, Henry: Typescript of Speech
Box 1, Folder 5
Gaitán, Henry: Letters of Recommendation,
1969, 1970
Box 1, Folder 6
García, Ife: Correspondence,
1967
Box 1, Folder 7
González, Luis: Correspondence,
1963
Box 1, Folder 8
ILWU, Local 13: Correspondence,
1963, 1970
Box 1, Folder 9
ILWU - Mexican Workers Program: Correspondence regarding Tony
Sedillo,
1962
Box 1, Folder 10
Larios, Ramon T.: Correspondence,
1969, 1970
Box 1, Folder 11
Liberty Club: Bank Documents,
1980
Box 1, Folder 12
Lucero, Socorro R.: Correspondence,
1961
Box 1, Folder 13
Montoya, Jose: Correspondence,
1969
Box 1, Folder 14
Naylor, Loyd T.--ILWU Pension Correspondence regarding Years of
Service,
1960
Box 1, Folder 15
Naylor, Loyd T.--Membership Issues: Correspondence,
1960, 1963
Box 1, Folder 16
Naylor, Loyd T.--Sponsorship: Correspondence,
ca. 1960
Box 1, Folder 17
Pensioners Newsletter: Correspondence,
1980
Box 1, Folder 18
Sindicato Único de Trabajadores, Yucatán, México: Correspondence,
1966, 1967
Box 1, Folder 19
Southern California Pensioners Fund--ILWU Scholarship: Banking
Statements,
1980, 1983, 1988
Box 1, Folder 20
Southern California Pensioners Fund--ILWU Scholarship: Donation
Information,
1980, 1982-1983, 1988
Box 1, Folder 21
Southern California Pensioners Fund: California State University Dominquez
Hills,
1983
Box 1, Folder 22
Unión de Estibadores y Alijadores (Longshoremen's and Workmen's
Union)--Mazatlán, Sinaloa: Correspondence,
1970, 1980
Box 1, Folder 23
Unión de Estibadores y Jornaleros (Longshoremen's and Workmen's Union)—Guaymas,
Sonora, México: Correspondence,
1963
Box 1, Folder 24
Unión de Estibadores y Jornaleros (Longshoremen's and Workmen's
Union)--Manzanillo, Colima, México: Correspondence,
1970, 1971
Box 1, Folder 25
Unión de Estibadores y Jornaleros (Longshoremen's and Workmen's
Union)—Veracruz, Veracruz, México.: Correspondence,
1963, 1964
Box 2, Item 1
Photo - Longshoremen from Mexican Ports C.R.O.M, Local 6 - Ensenada, Baja
California, Local 38 - Mazatlan Sinaloa, Local 4 - Acapulco, Guerrero, Local 42 - Salina
Cruz, Oaxaca
Folder 1
Bridges, Robertson, Schmidt Case - Broadside (Photocopy),
March 1952
