{"id":381436,"date":"2026-07-01T00:27:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/381436\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T00:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:27:09","slug":"ilwu-to-remember-bloody-thursday-founding-of-longshore-union-on-sunday-july-5-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/381436\/","title":{"rendered":"ILWU to remember \u2018Bloody Thursday,\u2019 founding of longshore union on Sunday, July 5 \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Greg<\/p>\n

Greg Mitre, President, ILWU Pensioners Association speaks at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the union of today, 90 years ago. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars drove to the picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the ILWU union of today. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars driving to a picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Sal<\/p>\n

Sal DiCostanzo speaks at the opening of the Bloody Thursday picnic at 22nd Street Park in San Pedro on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. It is an annual remembrance day observed by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union on July 5 to commemorate the 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike.
\n(Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Greg<\/p>\n

Greg Mitre, President, ILWU Pensioners Association speaks at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the union of today, 90 years ago. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars drove to the picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"ILWU<\/p>\n

ILWU members and their families bow their heads in prayer at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the union of today, 90 years ago. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars drove to the picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles and Long Beach dockworkers and members of the ILWU commemorate the 85th anniversary of Bloody Thursday at the graves of Dickie Parker and John Knudsen, who were killed in the 1934 strike, at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2019.
\n(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles and Long Beach dockworkers and members of the ILWU commemorate the 85th anniversary of Bloody Thursday at the graves of Dickie Parker and John Knudsen, who were killed in the 1934 strike, at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2019.
\n(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Gary<\/p>\n

Gary Herrera, President of ILWU Local 13 speaks at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the union of today, 90 years ago. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars drove to the picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The ILWU honored those who were killed on the job on May 15th, 2024, at the statue of Harry Bridges in San Pedro. On Aug. 27, 2024, the Port of Long Beach and the Historical Society of Long Beach will open an exhibit titled \u201cThe Workers\u2019 Harbor \u2014 How Labor Build and Shaped the Port of Long Beach.\u201d The gathering in May commemorated the 90 year anniversary of the birth of the ILWU, on May 15th, 1934. Bridges was an Australian-born American labour leader, president of the San Francisco based International Longshoremens and Warehousemens Union (ILWU) from 1937 to 1977. (Photo by Chuck Bennett, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"David<\/p>\n

David Rivas cleans Dickie Parker\u2019s grave marker as Los Angeles and Long Beach dockworkers and members of the ILWU commemorate the 85th anniversary of Bloody Thursday at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2019.
\n(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"ILWU<\/p>\n

ILWU members march to the Harbor Commission meeting
\nin San Pedro on Thursday, June 20, 2019, for what was to be the final vote on appeal of APM Terminal (Maersk) request for permit paving the way for automation. The commission will take another vote on Thursday, July 11, following the Los Angeles City Council\u2019s direction. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Pedro sculptor Eugene Daub\u2019s full scale statue of ILWU founder Harry Bridges in progress in 2019, set to be placed outside the union\u2019s new dispatch hall in Wilmington. It was set to be unveiled on July 28 after being at the foundry in Hawthorne. Daub works from his home studio. Photo Courtesy Eugene Daub\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Pedro sculptor Eugene Daub is doing full scale statue of ILWU founder Harry Bridges that will set outside the union\u2019s new dispatch hall in Wilmington, to be unveiled in June 2019. It first went to a foundry in Hawthorne to be cast. Daub works from his home studio. Photo Courtesy Eugene Daub\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Pedro sculptor Eugene Daub is doing full scale statue of ILWU founder Harry Bridges that will set outside the union\u2019s new dispatch hall in Wilmington. It\u2019s set to be unveiled on July 28 and is now at the foundry in Hawthorne being cast. Daub works from his home studio. Photo By Chuck Bennett\n<\/p>\n

\"International<\/p>\n

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) members march to the L.A. Harbor Commission Meeting in San Pedro on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. The union members are protesting a permit that if approved, will allow driverless trucks at a facility operated by Maersk, a Dutch conglomerate. The expected vote was postponed 30 days after a letter from Mayor Garcetti requested both parties return to negotiations. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 15<\/p>\n

Greg Mitre, President, ILWU Pensioners Association speaks at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen gave their lives during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which led to the union of today, 90 years ago. The day known as Bloody Thursday began at the cemetery honoring the two men in Gardena on Friday, July 5, 2024, then a funeral procession of classic cars drove to the picnic taking place in San Pedro.
\n(Photo by Brittany M. Solo Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

By Sunday, July 5, the fireworks and other celebratory events will have quieted down.<\/p>\n

And for the tens of thousands of members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the attention will turn to those who sacrificed much \u2014 including, for some, their lives \u2014 to establish the labor union that has stood up for them since its founding in the 1930s.<\/p>\n

The \u201cBloody Thursday\u201d holiday, when both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will sit relatively quiet for a workers\u2019 day off, will begin early and be filled with a cemetery procession in Gardena.<\/p>\n

It will culminate with a union-family barbecue and activities at the union hall in Wilmington.<\/p>\n

Sunday will begin with a solemn, motor procession at 9 a.m. and a gathering at Roosevelt Memorial Park, 1410 W. 154th St., in Gardena, where San Pedro High School graduate Dickie Parker and Lomita resident John Knudsen are buried. Both union supporters died in 1934 during a strike when they joined a group that confronted replacement workers on the Wilmington docks on May 14.<\/p>\n

Parker was 20 and Knudsen 43 when they were killed in the bloody confrontation.<\/p>\n

Parker died at the scene, while Knudsen died later in a Long Beach hospital. Parker\u2019s funeral procession ended at Barton Hill Elementary School in San Pedro, his alma mater. He and Knudsen, according to the records, were the first casualties of the labor dispute, which continued to intensify before culminating in early July in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Afterward July 5 became known as \u201cBloody Thursday,\u201d now recognized as a day off for longshore workers, with port operations largely shut down in recognition of what was a costly struggle for labor rights.<\/p>\n

The event is a largely solemn time to pay homage to the union, said Greg Mitre, president of ILWU Pensioners. While past years have included large picnic gatherings held at area parks, this year\u2019s more in-house event following the procession will take place at the union hall, 231 C St., in Wilmington.<\/p>\n

The entire block around the hall will be closed to traffic for the gathering, which will include lunch, children\u2019s games and family activities with entertainment.<\/p>\n

The day will also include a drive-by procession at the Harry Bridges Memorial, 504 S. Harbor Blvd., in San Pedro.<\/p>\n

Remembering the costly establishment of the union also holds widespread significance, said one ILWU leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, we showed the world that when working people stick together, there\u2019s little they can\u2019t do,\u201d Gary Herrera, former president of ILWU Local 13, said in a statement published in 2024<\/a>. \u201cSecond, it was also about supporting democracy. Finally, we forced the employers to treat us as equals about the work we do, how we do it and what we get paid for it. The principles for which we fought in 1934 are still true today.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Greg Mitre, President, ILWU Pensioners Association speaks at the grave of Dickie Parker who along with John Knudsen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":381437,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,91344,33071,3172,6974,131,133,132,47,137,100,1438,1439,200,17411],"class_list":["post-381436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-fourth-of-july","tag-gardena","tag-harbor-area","tag-labor-unions","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-county","tag-news","tag-port-of-los-angeles","tag-san-pedro","tag-south-bay","tag-wilmington"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=381436"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381436\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/381437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=381436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=381436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=381436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}