ABSTRACT
A few years back, the Los Angeles Local of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. opened up the books to accept applications for 3,000 casual stevedore jobs. The positions paid well enough—about $28 per hour—but, as casual jobs, there were neither guarantees of regular work nor any benefits. Over 300,000 people applied. It was clearly a step up for a major percentage of 110the LA area’s physically fit, U.S. citizen/legal resident, drug-free, blue-collar workforce.
